The First Decade of the BRICS Group: Evolution of the Cooperation Structure

Abstract

This paper analyses the institutional development of the BRICS group throughout the first decade of its functioning, from 2009 to 2019. The evolution of the cooperation structure is studied through the analysis of the BRICS’ documents, such as multilateral declarations and communiqués, reports of state institutions of member countries, comments of the political leaders. The practical implementation of the agreements has been traced by studying the group’s reports and the online news archives of the mass media of the member states. The author proposes a periodisation of the BRICS structural development. 2009–2011 – the initial stage, the formation of the group’s structure. The key working mechanisms were formed at that stage. However, the first permanent institutions of BRICS were formed at the next stage, in 2012–2014, the stage of permanent structure formation for the group. Then, in 2015–2016, the group has undergone the stage of intensive structural diversification. And in 2017–2019, BRICS maintained this trend, but the key structural changes were related to the group’s joint contacts with the rest of the world. The structure of cooperation within BRICS has changed significantly during the decade. The group formed both non-institutionalised, but regular dialogue formats, and permanent institutions for cooperation. The system of the contacts between the member states covers all aspects of cooperation. At the same time, the group has not institutionalised as an international organisation and remained a forum. The reasons for this are the collective support of a non-integrating format and the divergence of the member states’ approaches to cooperation, which has also had its impact on the BRICS work.