Amidst all wrangling and shenanigans going on in South Africa, I read that Singapore was ranked the world’s most competitive economy in world. The first question that came to mind was how did a small island state measuring about one third the size of eThekwini Municipality become the most successful economy globally? I was truly astounded.

In this essay, the author talks about the current limited involvement of Russia on the African continent and the need to increase it to the level of the former Soviet Union’s ties with Africa.  

After several years of high-level consultations, Russian President Vladimir Putin has finally hinted that Russia would organise its first Russia-Africa summit of African leaders and ministers to roll out a comprehensive strategic road map outlining concrete economic sectors for investment, issues relating to trade and culture for Africa.

This is a brics-from-below reader put together for the 23-24 July 2018 Johannesburg Teach-In ahead of the July 2018 BRICS Summit hosted by South Africa. 

Delegates at the recently concluded BRICS Summit in South Africa made a public declaration against unilateralism coming from Washington.