Padraig Carmody

A few years ago, the BRICS grouping – Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa – had lost salience because three of its members were in severe economic difficulty.

Brazil, Russia and South Africa are primarily natural resource exporters and were badly affected by the global commodity price bust of 2014.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has now given BRICS a new geopolitical salience as the members and their respective allies respond to events.

In the emerging world order there is also now increased demand to join BRICS, in part as a countervailing power to “the west”. Argentina, Saudi Arabia and lately, Ethiopia, have expressed strong interest in becoming members.

I have researched the political economy of globalisation in Africa over the last 30 years. I have specifically examined the scramble for Africa by the US and China, South Africa’s involvement in BRICS, the nature of BRICS engagement with