BRICS — energy cooperation: why Russia and South Africa still need each other

The document analyzes the energy partnership between Russia and South Africa, noting that while a $76-billion nuclear deal was declared unlawful and abandoned, both nations maintain a strategic need for cooperation. Russia seeks to diversify its export markets through a 'Pivot to the East' to reduce vulnerability to global commodity shocks, while South Africa seeks to resolve a chronic electricity crisis. Current cooperation has shifted toward smaller-scale projects, such as an agreement between Rosatom and the South African government to build mini hydropower plants in Mpumalanga to power rural areas.

• BRICS nations are projected to account for 45% of all global energy production and consumption by 2040, according to the Analytical Centre of the Government of the Russian Federation.
• Russia's energy strategy involves a 'Pivot to the East' (Povorot na Vostok) to establish closer ties with emerging markets, including BRICS and African countries, as relations with European Union partners deteriorate.
• A proposed $76-billion nuclear energy deal between Russia and South Africa was abandoned after the Western Cape High Court declared it unlawful and unconstitutional in April 2017, citing it as unsustainable for the South African economy.
• Following a policy shift under President Cyril Ramaphosa, Russia and South Africa have pivoted toward renewable energy, exemplified by a January 2018 agreement for Rosatom to construct small hydropower plants in Mpumalanga, with each plant expected to power 250 to 400 houses.
• The failed nuclear deal provides three primary lessons for future energy cooperation: the need to align project scale with the economic size of the partner, the necessity of monitoring national policy changes following government transitions, and the importance of conducting due diligence before agreements.

APA

Chkoniya, A.-M. (2019). BRICS — energy cooperation: why Russia and South Africa still need each other. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/research/brics-energy-cooperation-why-russia-and-south-africa-still-need-each-other/

Chicago

Chkoniya, Anna-Maria. BRICS — energy cooperation: why Russia and South Africa still need each other. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2019. https://saiia.org.za/research/brics-energy-cooperation-why-russia-and-south-africa-still-need-each-other/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chkoniya |first1=Anna-Maria |title=BRICS — energy cooperation: why Russia and South Africa still need each other |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=27 February 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/brics-energy-cooperation-why-russia-and-south-africa-still-need-each-other/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chkoniya2019brics, author = {Chkoniya, Anna-Maria}, title = {{BRICS — energy cooperation: why Russia and South Africa still need each other}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/brics-energy-cooperation-why-russia-and-south-africa-still-need-each-other/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }