Beyond the New Deal: Global Collaboration and Peacebuilding with BRICS Countries

Abstract

Development in fragile and conflict-affected contexts is both complex and contested. The New Deal for Engagement with Fragile States, endorsed by 35 countries and six organisations, is the current focus of efforts to harmonise aid approaches. Yet, BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are charting their own individual approaches for promoting development and peacebuilding in conflict-affected states. This policy brief examines opportunities for Western donors to deepen collaboration with BRICS countries, and suggests that focusing on peacebuilding, aligning financial assistance in post-conflict reconstruction, and furthering cooperation in peacekeeping are all entry points to extend cooperation beyond the New Deal.