Brazil’s South–South Co-operation Strategies: From Foreign Policy to Public Policy

The document examines Brazil's shift from traditional state-led foreign policy to a 'public policy' approach, characterized by a plurality of actors including domestic ministries and subnational entities. It details Brazil's South–South co-operation (SSC) strategies, which emphasize horizontal relationships and solidarity over traditional donor-recipient models. The analysis highlights the strategic importance of Africa, noting significant growth in trade, technical co-operation through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), and the role of state-owned enterprises like Vale and Petrobras. It argues that these strategies are part of Brazil's broader pursuit of political autonomy and global power status through coalitions like BRICS and IBSA.

• Brazil is transitioning its foreign policy from a traditional, state-centric model managed by the Ministry of External Relations (Itamaraty) to a 'public policy' framework. This shift acknowledges a plurality of actors, including 'domestic ministries', federal agencies, and subnational entities, and views foreign policy as a product of domestic political dynamics, coalitions, and bargains.
• Brazil's South–South co-operation (SSC) is framed as a horizontal relationship based on solidarity and common development, explicitly rejecting the OECD's terminology of 'donor', 'aid', and 'assistance'. The Brazilian government defines its official co-operative efforts primarily through grant-based programmes to maintain this horizontal character.
• There has been a significant economic expansion in Brazil's relations with Africa, with exports growing nearly five-fold between 2002 and 2008. Trade with the 'South' (Latin America, Africa, and Asia) increased from 42.4% to 53.1% of Brazilian trade between 1998 and 2008, while Northern participation decreased from 57.4% to 46.9%.
• The Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) manages technical co-operation across 36 African countries, with a strong emphasis on Portuguese-speaking African Countries (PALOP). The 2011 budget for technical co-operation with Africa exceeded BRL 10,65 million (approximately $30 million), representing about 55% of total ABC resources.
• Major Brazilian companies have established significant footprints in Africa, particularly in construction and natural resources. In 2010, Brazilian companies held construction portfolios exceeding $6 billion in Libya. Vale has major investments in Mozambique (coal) and Guinea (iron), while Petrobras maintains a primary partnership in Nigeria for oil production.
• Brazil's SSC strategies serve a political purpose to increase bargaining power on the global agenda through coalitions such as BRICS and IBSA. This is part of a broader shift toward political autonomy and the pursuit of status as a global power, moving away from a primary need for credibility with Western powers.

APA

Milani, C. (2014). Brazil’s South–South Co-operation Strategies: From Foreign Policy to Public Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Occasional-Paper-179.pdf

Chicago

Milani, Carlos. Brazil’s South–South Co-operation Strategies: From Foreign Policy to Public Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Occasional-Paper-179.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Milani |first1=Carlos |title=Brazil’s South–South Co-operation Strategies: From Foreign Policy to Public Policy |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=March 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Occasional-Paper-179.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{milani2014brazils, author = {Milani, Carlos}, title = {{Brazil’s South–South Co-operation Strategies: From Foreign Policy to Public Policy}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Occasional-Paper-179.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }