Quiet revolution of the emerging countries

As the Ukraine crisis heightens, the so-called BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – are becoming less willing to accept US world supremacy.

The goal of the emerging countries is clear – to change the global order with the United States as the hegemonic power. "The BRICS countries are a group of nations unsatisfied with the international order," said Peter Birle, head of research at the Ibero-American Institute (IAI) in Berlin. "The importance of BRICS could rise if Russia remains permanently excluded from the G8," he added.

According to Birle, the five emerging countries seek to permanently upend the power constellations established in 1945 and relativize the US position. "All these countries view themselves as emerging powers with a great future ahead of them," he said at the 15th Stuttgarter Schlossgespräch, an annual conference involving a panel of international social science, culture and politicis expert. This year’s talks focused on the relationship between Brazil and Europe.

Flexing muscle

In particular, Brazil is looking to growing cooperation among the five emerging countries. Directly after the World Cup soccer tournament and three months ahead of the presidential elections in October, the country will host the next meeting of BRICS countries in Fortaleza on July 15 and 16. The key issue on the agenda is the establishment of a joint development bank with capital stock of US$100 billion (72 billion euros).

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