The BRICS in the Emerging Global Economic Architecture

The document describes how South Africa, Brazil, China, and India (the BRICS/BASIC group) have coordinated their efforts in the World Trade Organization and climate change negotiations to advocate for the interests of developing countries. It highlights their role as a counterpoint to advanced economies and their efforts to redefine South-South economic ties through new partnerships with other developing and least-developed nations.

• South Africa, Brazil, China, and India have coordinated their positions in the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations regarding agriculture, intellectual property rights, and market access for non-agricultural products. This coordination has shifted the dynamics of the World Trade Organization, creating a "new Quad" that serves as a counterpoint to the original Quad consisting of the US, EU, Japan, and Canada.
• The BASIC group, which includes South Africa, India, China, and Brazil, has cooperated in climate change negotiations to ensure outcomes based on equity. They argue that greenhouse gas emission limits should not hinder the development goals of developing nations.
• The BRICS have transformed the economic sphere by establishing new partnerships with other developing and least-developed countries. India, China, and Brazil have been particularly active in these South–South relationships to address long-term development needs.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2012). The BRICS in the Emerging Global Economic Architecture. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-in-the-emerging-global-economic-architecture/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The BRICS in the Emerging Global Economic Architecture. 2012. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-in-the-emerging-global-economic-architecture/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The BRICS in the Emerging Global Economic Architecture |date=17 December 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-in-the-emerging-global-economic-architecture/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2012brics, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The BRICS in the Emerging Global Economic Architecture}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = dec, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-in-the-emerging-global-economic-architecture/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }