Geopolitische Verantwortung – BRICS und die Neuordnung der Welt

In the organizer's words:

Panel discussion with audience discussion

Kick-off event of the five-part event series on global remeasurement

BRICS: ARCHITECTS OF A NEW WORLD ORDER?
From ridiculed alliance to geopolitical center of power

The BRICS states have become a central player in a world that is changing from a unipolar Western order to a multipolar one. The group's overarching goal is to call for a fundamental reform of global governance structures, such as the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions, in order to overcome Western dominance and achieve a fairer distribution of power. Brazil and India, for example, are seeking a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. South Africa's special envoy Anil Sooklal emphasizes the need for a fundamental reform of the world order.

Despite this ambitious rhetoric, the internal structure of the BRICS group is remarkably loose. It is an association of states without a common understanding of security policy. Unlike formal organizations such as the G7 or the EU, the group has no formal statute, no budget of its own and no permanent secretariat. The presidency rotates annually, which makes it difficult to pursue a coherent, long-term agenda. This fundamental lack of internal cohesion stands in remarkable contrast to external demands for a comprehensive reform of the world order. A group that itself lacks a robust institutional structure is seeking to fundamentally reshape the institutionally entrenched global governance structures. This suggests that the BRICS aspirations are based less on the capacity for tight organization than on the symbolic power of a united voice of the Global South. Their geopolitical power lies in the demonstration of their collective discontent and the potential creation of an alternative order.

A country like Brazil illustrates the complexity of this geopolitical dynamic. As a bridge builder between the Global South and the established industrialized countries, it wants to confidently represent its interests and act as an equal in a complex world order. The pursuit of diversification in international relations is a core motive of many BRICS states. New members such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also hope to diversify their relations more strongly, but remain committed to the West. For many members, BRICS membership is therefore less an anti-Western alliance than a pragmatic strategy to reduce one-sided dependency. This model of "diversified dependence" makes the geopolitical landscape far more complex than a simple binary division into "East vs. West" would suggest.

The economic power of the group is undeniable. With enlargement, the group has expanded its role as a "resource superpower", producing 43 percent of the world's oil. This economic and strategic importance is a decisive lever for its global ambitions.

The first event in this series is dedicated to the question of whether the BRICS states are helping to set the pace for the reorganization of the world. While the established Bretton Woods institutions are coming under pressure, the BRICS states are emerging as a heavyweight demanding a fairer distribution of power. But is the group ready for geopolitical responsibility? We analyze the opportunities and contradictions of this dynamic alliance of states between internal cohesion and global influence.

Contributors:

Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys (GIGA Institute), Dr. Claudia Zilla (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik), Dr. Sabine Morky (University of Hamburg, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy),

Moderation:

André Schünke (NDR)

A series of events organized by the State Agency for Civic Education in cooperation with the GIGA Institute Hamburg.