1. South Africa as a (knowledge) gateway to Africa for the BRICS? South Africa as a (knowledge) gateway to 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

2. The meaning of being a ‘BRICS’ for SA 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’

3. SA and the other BRICS Data Comparison Land Area (1 000 km 2 ) Population (millions) GDP Size PPP $ million Brazil 8,5141902,293,954 Russia17,0981422,383,402 India 3,2871, 2004,457,784 China 9,6001,35411,299,967 South Africa1,20051555,134

4. SA and the other BRICS Data Comparison Land Area (1 000 km 2 ) Population (millions) GDP Size PPP $ million Brazil 8,5141902,293,954 Russia17,0981422,383,402 India 3,2871, 2004,457,784 China 9,6001,35411,299,967 South Africa1,20051555,134 Nigeria910170413,402

5. SA and the other BRICS Data Comparison Land Area (1 000 km 2 ) Population (millions) GDP Size PPP $ million Brazil 8,5141902,293,954 Russia17,0981422,383,402 India 3,2871, 2004,457,784 China 9,6001,35411,299,967 South Africa1,20051555,134 Nigeria910170413,402 Africa30,2211,0321,730.072

6. 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

7. Representing Africa Identity 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 support PROS continental-wide presence (commercial and political) superior infrastructure (banking, finances, telecoms)

8. Where SA does Lead in Africa Knowledge Generation South African Institute of International Affairs www.saiia.org.zawww.saiia.org.za Institute of Security Studies www.issafrica.org.zawww.issafrica.org.za Centre for Conflict Resolutionwww.ccr.org.zawww.ccr.org.za Centre for Chinese Studies, SUNwww.ccs.org.zawww.ccs.org.za Africa Institute www.ai.org.zawww.ai.org.za Institute for Global Dialoguewww.IGD.org.zawww.IGD.org.za South African Foreign Policy Initiativewww.safpi.org.zawww.safpi.org.za FURTHER AFIELD African Economic Research Consortiumwww.aercafrica.orgwww.aercafrica.org CODESRIAwww.codesria.orgwww.codesria.org

9. Obrigada pela atenção! Lucy Corkin Research Associate, Africa-Asia Centre SOAS, University of London lucycorkin@gmail.com Perguntas?