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Begin New Search Topic Foreign Policy Political Geography Brazil Content Type Policy Brief

1. A post-Western global order in the making? Foreign policy goals of India, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa

Author:
Sinikukka Saari, Toni Alaranta, Bart Gaens, Katariina Mustasilta, and Lauri Tahtinen
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Abstract:
India, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa are striving for a more multipolar, post-Western world order in which they would not be seen merely as auxiliary powers to the bigger players, but as independent great powers. For them, a key foreign policy goal is to transform global governance institutions. They all call for a permanent seat for their country on the UN Security Council. To achieve that, the states need backing from more than the Western states – and this logically strengthens the multi-aligned logic of their foreign policies. India, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa see Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and the Western countermeasures from their own perspective. They describe Russia’s invasion as a violation of international law, but see the war primarily as a Western concern, not theirs. Although these states are critical towards the West, they are not anti-Western and they all value multilateral institutions; their foreign policy goals and features offer opportunities for the EU to engage with them, but that needs to happen on a more equal footing than what has traditionally been the case.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, UN Security Council, Multipolarity, International Order, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Africa, Turkey, India, Asia, Brazil, and Latin America

2. Engaging Indonesia

Author:
David Camroux
Publication Date:
09-2013
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Union Institute for Security Studies
Abstract:
The presence of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the G20 Summit in St Petersburg in early September went virtually unnoticed by the European media. That his attendance was overlooked can be explained by immediate factors, namely the overriding importance of the Syrian conflict in the discussions among leaders, and the fact that SBY (as President Yudhoyono is commonly known) is a lame-duck president with less than a year to go before the end of his two-term limit. Lacking BRIC status (for now at least), Indonesia – unlike China, India or even Brazil – barely registers on the radar screen of public awareness in Europe. Symptomatic of this neglect is the fact that, almost four years after its signing in November 2009, two EU member state parliaments (and the European Parliament itself) have yet to ratify the EU-Indonesia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Defense Policy, Economics, International Trade and Finance, Treaties and Agreements, and Bilateral Relations
Political Geography:
China, Europe, India, Brazil, Syria, and Southeast Asia

3. Should Brazil be “Special” for Canada?

Author:
Jean Daudelin
Publication Date:
07-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
Abstract:
After years of mutual neglect and sometimes outright tension, Canada’s relations with Brazil are smoother than ever. As Brazil emerges as a relatively powerful and influential global player, shouldn’t Canada try to build that increasingly fluid relationship into a strategic partnership, making Brasilia a key prong of its global policy? Looking at Brazil’s place in the world, and at the ways in which its foreign policy meshes – or not – with Canada’s, this paper argues that such an option has little appeal and in fact few chances of success. Brazil’s rise has its limits, and the country’s global reach and power remain heavily constrained. Beyond the Americas, and even within, Brazil’s power is very soft and could hardly be harnessed effectively by Canada. Moreover, the two country’s international agendas do not overlap much. In global governance circles, Brazil’s global star is on the rise just as Canada’s is in decline. On democracy and human rights, Canada is much more willing to put sovereignty between brackets, and in the face of nuclear proliferation, Brazil is much more critical of the asymmetry of the global regime and the advantage this gives to established powers. Crucially, Canada largely embraces globalization and sees Asia’s rise primarily as an opportunity, whereas Brazilians feel more threatened by it. In that context keeping things running smoothly, without dreams of “grandeur,” is the most that should be sought: normal is great, special would be too much.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Globalization, Bilateral Relations, and Partnerships
Political Geography:
Canada, Brazil, South America, and North America

4. Assertive Brazil: An emerging power and its implications

Author:
Mikael Wigell
Publication Date:
05-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Abstract:
Brazil has risen to international prominence over the last decade. Now the 7th largest economy in the world, the country has started acting with greater confidence and authority on the international stage.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Emerging Markets, and Regional Cooperation
Political Geography:
United States and Brazil

5. Regional Powers in Growing Dialogue: The Brazil-Turkey Strategic Partnership and its Implementation

Author:
Elena Lazarou
Publication Date:
05-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Global Political Trends Center (GPoT)
Abstract:
With a new government in Brasilia, and with Dilma Roussef appearing to distance herself somewhat from some of the most controversial aspects of Lula's foreign policy, speculation abounds regarding how Brazil will follow up on its decisive steps in the Middle East. Iran is a telling, albeit extreme, example. Already, Mrs. Roussef has shown herself to be far more critical of the regime in Teheran, and Antonio Patriota, the new Foreign Minister, has manifested his skepticism with regards to Iranian sincerity, a notable departure from Lula's stance in late 2009 when he publicly asked European leaders to show patience concerning the Iranian case. While we may well be witnessing a change in Brazil's policy towards Iran, this by no means suggests a shift of Brazilian foreign policy interests away from the Middle East. In fact, all signs seem to be suggesting that under Patriota, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry's involvement in and interaction with the region is likely to increase. And while ties with Iran may never reach the level of "warmth" that the Lula-Ahmadinejad handshake suggested, the forecast for Brazil's relations with its real key partner in the region, Turkey, is, if nothing else, promising and likely to endure well beyond the coming year.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Bilateral Relations, Partnerships, Strategic Interests, and Dialogue
Political Geography:
Turkey, Middle East, Brazil, and South America