This book examines Africa’s strategic partnerships with emerging powers, focusing on insights from the global South, such as BRICS countries, Iran, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea. With an emphasis on African agency, the book provides a platform for discussing the management, goals, and outcomes of Africa’s strategic partnerships.

A recurrent theme is Africa’s evolving diplomatic strategy to balance these partnerships while safeguarding its broader developmental interests. The book aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and complexities in Africa’s strategic partnerships, and their bearing on Africa’s position in the global arena.

‘The book on the underlying reasons why countries and organisations seek closer cooperation with Africa in the political and economic realms is needed at this time of complex geopolitics and an increasing call for a multipolar world.’ — Ambassador Jerry Matjila, former Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations

‘This volume ambitiously examines the Global South’s role in shaping its future with BRICS, highlighting emerging markets’ responsibilities while affirming Africa’s equal stake in defining collective development outcomes.’ — Prof Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General at the Research, and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), India

‘This unique volume brings together diverse scholarly perspectives that enrich our under-standing of Africa’s partnerships within the Global South.’ — Dr Kenneth S. Ombongi, Associate Dean, Research & Postgraduate Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya

ABOUT THE EDITORS

Professor Siphamandla Zondi is the Director of the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg and Co-Director of the Institute for Global African Affairs, jointly hosted by UJ and the University of the West Indies, Barbados. His recent publications include edited volumes entitled Political Economy of Intra-BRICS Cooperation (Palgrave, 2023), Smartly Digital Local Government (Saapam, 2024) and sole authored book NGOs, Africa and Global Power (Lukhanyo Publishers, 2024).

Hellen Adogo is a researcher at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Hellen holds a Master of Political Science degree from the University of Johannesburg and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in International Relations from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is an Africa–China scholar whose key research interests include Africa–China relations, African agency in international relations, and BRICS–Africa relations.

'Africa’s Strategic Partnerships with BRICS and Other Emerging Countries' is published by Jacana Media