Introduction and general overview

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) have become an engine of South-South cooperation (S-SC) (UNECA 2014). The most significant outcome of the emergence of BRICS is the shift in the balance of power in global affairs. In the past decade, the international community has witnessed BRICS members becoming more actively involved in world affairs. The BRICS countries are prominent regional players, maintaining regional security and dealing with economic challenges either by working through regional institutions or sometimes coordinating with major external players (O'Neill & Stupnytska 2009). The BRICS countries collectively represent about 26% of the world's geographic area and 40% of the world's population (Dresen 2011). BRICS has aimed to reform global governance processes practised within various international institutional frameworks that do not match the scope and nature of 21st century challenges such as food insecurity, water insecurity and COVID-19. BRICS has shown tremendous determination and cooperation on global issues in recent years. Their alliance epitomises S-SC in the contemporary era (Anwar 2015). 'South-South cooperation' is a term historically used by policy-makers and academics to describe the exchange of resources, technology and knowledge between developing countries (also known as countries of the Global South). BRICS is a continuation of the tradition of the historic Bandung Conference to galvanise their collective muscle in the context of the Cold War and assert themselves in the international system. According to the BRICS leadership, the present context of international relations and cooperation between South Asian, African, Latin American and Oceania countries (collectively known as countries of the South) remains essential and has become more critical than ever before (South African Government Media Statement 2018).