Brics as a "development partner" in a period of geopolitical fragmentation

Abstract

Often interchanged with strategic partnership and development cooperation, development partnership is an elusive concept in the relations of global South economies with developed economies, outside of the history of aid dependency. Global South – BRICS relations are another relationship that requires reflection. This is even more important considering the expansion of BRICS to the BRICS+ and BRICS Partners. Developing economies require partnerships, both at a bilateral and multilateral level, for increased access to development finance and investment. The African Union’s Agenda 2063, for instance, lists fifteen flagship projects and seven priority projects. These projects need financing, tech transfers, and other collaborations; can development partnerships be a solution? This paper expands on the development partnership potential for the global South of the BRICS bloc, the political economy, and geopolitics that impact this potential.