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South Africa as a (knowledge) gateway to South Africa as a (knowledge) gateway to Africa for the BRICS?Africa for the BRICS?
Lucy Corkin
Research Associate,
Africa-Asia Centre
SOAS, University of London
lucycorkin@gmail.com
BRICS Policy Centre, Rio de Janeiro
25 de junho 2012
The meaning of being a ‘BRICS’ for SA The meaning of being a ‘BRICS’ for SA
Policy Imperatives Policy Imperatives
• Continues the foreign policy stance of Mandela and
Mbeki ‘punching above its weight’
• Halo effect of association with rising powers and,
more importantly investment destinations
• Another Forum to be perceived as ‘the voice of
Africa’
SA and the other BRICS SA and the other BRICS Data Comparison Data Comparison
Land Area(1 000 km2 )
Population(millions)
GDP SizePPP
$ million
Brazil 8,514 190 2,293,954
Russia 17,098 142 2,383,402
India 3,287 1, 200 4,457,784
China 9,600 1,354 11,299,967
South Africa 1,200 51 555,134
SA and the other BRICS SA and the other BRICS Data Comparison Data Comparison
Land Area(1 000 km2 )
Population(millions)
GDP SizePPP
$ million
Brazil 8,514 190 2,293,954
Russia 17,098 142 2,383,402
India 3,287 1, 200 4,457,784
China 9,600 1,354 11,299,967
South Africa 1,200 51 555,134
Nigeria 910 170 413,402
SA and the other BRICS SA and the other BRICS Data Comparison Data Comparison
Land Area(1 000 km2 )
Population(millions)
GDP SizePPP
$ million
Brazil 8,514 190 2,293,954
Russia 17,098 142 2,383,402
India 3,287 1, 200 4,457,784
China 9,600 1,354 11,299,967
South Africa 1,200 51 555,134
Nigeria 910 170 413,402
Africa 30,221 1,032 1,730.072
So what are we doing there? So what are we doing there? •China’s behest – many South African feel that foreign policy has been ‘out-sourced to Beijing
• Possibility of China wanting to neutralise IBSA by bring it into the BRICS fold
• Strengthening commercial and political relations with African countries, through ‘representation’ at BRICS Summits
•BRICS cannot claim to represent the developing world in global forums without African representation
Representing AfricaRepresenting AfricaIdentity Politics
CONS• Dubious decisions on Regional Issues - Zimbabwe, Libya
• Apartheid legacy
• Neo-colonialism
•AU Chairmanship • Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (Dlamini-Zuma)• unspoken rule of the big 5 not competing• Egypt, Angola, Nigeria’s supportPROS• continental-wide presence (commercial and political)
• superior infrastructure (banking, finances, telecoms)
Where SA does Lead in AfricaWhere SA does Lead in AfricaKnowledge Generation
• South African Institute of International Affairs www.saiia.org.za
• Institute of Security Studies www.issafrica.org.za
• Centre for Conflict Resolution www.ccr.org.za
• Centre for Chinese Studies , SUN www.ccs.org.za
• Africa Institute www.ai.org.za
• Institute for Global Dialogue www.IGD.org.za
• South African Foreign Policy Initiative www.safpi.org.za
FURTHER AFIELD
• African Economic Research Consortium www.aercafrica.org
• CODESRIA www.codesria.org
Obrigada pela atenção!Obrigada pela atenção!
Lucy CorkinResearch Associate, Africa-Asia CentreSOAS, University of Londonlucycorkin@gmail.com
Perguntas?Perguntas?
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