BRICS has entered its second decade of existence and the outcomes of the first decade were positive. The group highlighted South-South cooperation as “an important element of international efforts in the field of development” (Joint Communiqué, 2008), reiterated the “central role” of the G20 for global governance (Joint Statement, 2009) and advocated reform of international institutions – especially the IMF, the World Bank, and the UN – in order to reflect the new reality of the international system and increase the participation of emerging economies in international decision-making processes in a way compatible with the relevance of the economies.

 

Each year, the agenda of the BRICS has become wider and the Summit in South Africa in 2018 brought important contributions, particularly in the area of people-to-people exchanges and research and innovation, signaling these as important vectors of action of the group for the future.

 

Aiming to maximize the opportunities and address the challenges arising from the fourth Industrial Revolution, the 10th Summit of the BRICS decided to give full operationalization to the establishment of the BRICS partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR). PartNIR intends to create science parks and technology business incubators. The five countries also agreed to establish the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform and also the BRICS Agricultural Research Platform (ARP) with the last one initiated by India in 2016. These initiatives are in line with the outcomes of the BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meetings, including the implementation of the Environmentally Friendly Technology Platform.

On July 27, 2018, the “BRICS+” leaders’ dialogue is held in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

 

In the context of the people-to-people exchange, two important decisions of the Summit in Johannesburg need to be highlighted. The first one is the approval of the establishment of the BRICS working group on tourism that will improve the economic development and cultural exchanges amongst peoples in BRICS countries through travel, trade, and tourism infrastructure. And, the second one is the proposal to establish the BRICS Women’s Forum and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance. This is an inevitable and necessary step to promote social and economic justice since gender inequality is a reality in all the BRICS countries.

 

Now, what is the road ahead? What do we expect from the next summit?

 

The current international circumstances are more challenging than the first decade of BRICS. The U.S. has assumed a unilateralist and protectionist posture that adds more instability to international trade. In addition, the BRICS Summit in 2019 will be held in Brazil whose new government has given signals of alignment with American diplomacy. BRICS is now called upon to reflect on how to deal with situations of uncertainty and difficulties not only at the international level, but also within itself.

 

Like any international cooperation scheme, the role of the economically stronger countries is decisive for the continuity of an economic project. Look at the case of the European Union (EU). BREXIT – the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (U.K.) from the EU – had a negative impact on the life of this international organization, but it did not mean the end of European integration. After all, the U.K. never embraced the European project in its entirety. Perhaps the destiny of the EU would have been different if Germany or France had announced their withdrawal from the organization. The European Union also resists the turbulence arising from the BREXIT because of the high level of institutionalization of the organization. This is not the case of the BRICS, which is only a platform for cooperation that depends crucially on the political will of the governments to hold annual meetings and to deepen their broad agenda of cooperation.

 

In 2017, there was a trilateral dialogue between the ministers of foreign affairs of Russia, India, and China. In late 2018 the presidents of these three countries gathered together during the G20 in Argentina. A RIC dialogue was interpreted by some analysts as the foreshadowing of the end of the BRICS. But perhaps it is just the opposite: it can provide the political conditions for BRICS to remain active in its second decade. In addition, BRICS-Plus dialogue with emerging markets and developing countries and the outreach dialogue with partners from the Global South have shown being a channel of vitality for BRICS to expand its diplomatic capacity internationally. Probably BRICS will accept new members in the future.

 

Brazil has many reasons to be fully committed to BRICS. Next year, there will be the establishment of the Americas Regional Office of the New Development Bank in São Paulo, consolidating the presence of the Bank in this continent and in Latin America. The BRICS cooperation in energy to promote an energy efficient lifestyle, and the collaboration in agricultural research are topics that Brazil probably will give great importance.

 

All of these recent initiatives strengthened multilateralism and cooperation not only among the governments, but also among other partners such as science organizations, civil society, the private sector, and financial institutions.

 

In times of uncertainty, it is time to focus on concrete initiatives and bring the people closer to embrace the possibilities of building a more prosperous and harmonious world. Above all, it is time to create constructive consensus in the defense of peace and the democratization of the international system. In this sense, the fact that the 10th summit has celebrated the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, recognizing his contribution “to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of the culture of peace throughout the world,” is a gesture in which diplomatic meaning converges with the principles of BRICS.

 

Finally, to ensure its successful trajectory in times of great uncertainty in the international arena, it is time for BRICS to think about taking its first step towards its institutionalization, creating its permanent secretary. If this topic is not a priority for the next summit in Brazil, it will remain on the horizon of its members. Moving towards horizons is a precondition for moving towards the future.

 

EVANDRO MENEZES DE CARVALHO is chief executive editor of the Brazilian edition of the magazine China Today and head of the Brazil-China Studies Center of FGV Law School, Brazil.