For BRICS, challenges and opportunities

Context: The COVID-19 crisis seems to have put Russia’s Presidency of BRICS (a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to the test. While each BRICS country is busy fighting the pandemic in its own way, Moscow is trying to make sure that it gains from the crisis.

Background

• The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a crisis of globalization and global governance.
• There seems to be a lack of common vision, especially in the political domain, and lack of coordination and collaboration, leading to a void in global governance.
• COVID-19 seems to have become another stage for political rivalry that has reinforced some international disputes and conflicts.

Opportunities for BRICS:

• In the current hour of Covid-19 crisis, BRICS can emerge as an important global governance institution due to the following reasons.
• BRICS looks better than other global governance institutions amidst the ongoing COVID crises. There is no blame-game or pointing fingers within BRICS, rather, there is a vision for intensifying cooperation, including in sectors like healthcare and social welfare.
• Unlike G7 which is mostly used by the leading western powers to strengthen their position in the competition with the non-west and to restore a rules-based international order, BRICS is based on entirely different values, and adheres to the goals and objectives of the UN Charter and the idea of equality.
• Contrary to initial estimates of lack of effectiveness of the BRICS grouping, BRICS has progressed on developing a common position on the most important matters of the global economy and security and it also got institutionalised with the setting up of the BRICS New Development Bank in 2015.
• Currently, BRICS is under Russia’s Presidency, which is scheduled to hold the 12th BRICS Summit, in St. Petersburg. Russia has repeatedly emphasized on the need for BRICS member nations to expand foreign policy coordination, primarily at the UN. Speaking at a summit in Brasilia on November 14, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated the same.

Challenges for BRICS

• Disagreements between its members and lack of a common vision are major concerns in the grouping.
• Slow progress with respect to implementation of initiatives is a concern for BRICS.

Suggestion

• The five member nations of BRICS need to pay more attention to speeding up the implementation of the projects and decisions that are agreed on. Work should be accelerated on establishing the BRICS Center for Research and Development of Vaccines, the decision to set up which was taken back in 2018 at the Johannesburg summit.
• BRICS should work towards an early warning mechanism for outbreaks of infection, the development of diagnostic and preventive measures for the disease, as well as joint epidemiological exercises.
• The New Development Bank could provide financial anti-crisis assistance to members to fight the pandemic.