2018 was a challenging year for emerging powers. Amid increasing political and economic instability and a deep sense of shifting global paradigms, emerging economies are trying to find their place in the international order and enhance their potential for economic growth. Whilst the steady rise of the emerging powers has generated a major transformation in relations with the ‘great powers’, it has also impacted how they relate to each other. While relations with the world’s developed countries will continue, can emerging powers put aside the differences between them for the sake of mutually beneficial development or are they ultimately competitors in a zero-sum game? Will the balance of relations between emerging powers centre predominantly on competition or will co-operation characterise the future of global governance?
Discussion Themes
This session intends to discuss the following:
• What mechanisms and institutions are available to emerging powers to provide them with a sustainable growth in face of declining globalisation?
• Can co-operation between emerging powers provide them with better leverage against powerful nations and a bulwark against the imposition of policies favourable to established order?
• What will the role of BRICS be in coming years? Are we likely to see further integration or fragmentation among the member-states?
• How will rich and developed countries perceive and, in turn, influence the nature of relations between emerging powers?
