Brazil in Africa: Another Emerging Power in the Continent?
This paper develops three basic arguments. First, it presents the basic underpinnings of Brazilian diplomacy in the past half century, concentrating on the changes adopted in the 1980s and the 1990s up to the foreign policy put forward by Lula's government (2003–2009). It recognises that Lula's foreign policy represents a step forward, especially where Africa is concerned. However, it does not seem to be clear whether the Brazilian economy has enough strength to sustain such a foreign policy, as is shown in the second part of the paper. This is indeed the case if comparisons are made with India, China and even South Africa, when the latter's regional role is considered. Finally, an effort is made to summarise the recent political cooperation established between Brazil and African countries as well as to present an overview of Brazil's trade and investment relations both with the region as a whole and with some important individual partners. Once this picture is established, we investigate whether these realms—diplomatic/political and economic—take independent tracks, or if they do interact in a coherent manner. Africa remained deep inside Brazil and Brazilians, not as something external to ourselves. But as a mythic space; neither geographical, nor historical.
As Novas Estructuras Geográficas Da Economia-Mundo Capitalista E O Papel Dos BRICS: Um Olhar a Partir Do Brasil (The New Geographical Structures of the Capitalist World-Economy and the Role of the BRICS: A View from Brazil)
Spanish Abstract: Este texto desenvolve um arsenal teorico alternativo ao convencional, com o intuito de empreender uma compreensao da nova economia-mundo capitalista e da sua correspondente divisao internacional do trabalho. No atual contexto, processa-se uma alteracao das relacoes entre centro, semi-periferia e periferia, engendrando novas clivagens intra-Sul e intra-Norte. O termo BRICS procura ser interpretado a partir dessas categorias. Tais paises comportariam diferentes variedades de capitalismo, capazes de engendrar novos recursos de poder, atuando conjuntamente em termos geopoliticos num contexto de crise hegemonica. Se, em termos economicos, suas relacoes possuem pouca densidade – a excecao da China com os demais paises – uma acao reformista vem sendo arquitetada com mais enfase no periodo recente, por parte dos lideres dos brics no ambito das organizacoes multilaterais e do G-20. Enfim, entender a dimensao destes desafios, do ponto de vista da politica externa brasileira, e a proposta deste texto.English Abstract: This paper presents an alternative theoretical framework in order to understand the new nature of the capitalist world-economy and its corresponding international division of labor. It studies the meaning of BRICS by examining the once-held belief that the world was divided by a center, semi-periphery and periphery; it analyses the newly established divisions of intra-South and intra-North. These countries operate under various forms of capitalism, thus creating new power relations that work collectively from a geopolitical standpoint. Despite weak economic ties, with the exception of China, leaders of the BRICS are attempting to promote a reform within multilateral organizations and the G-20. The objective of this paper is to shed light on such challenges to this new strategy facing these countries, particularly from the perspective of Brazil’s foreign policy.
The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice ten years on: Successes and future challenges under the Stockholm Programme. CEPS Paperbacks. June 2010
This book celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ) by bringing together the views of key practitioners and policy-makers who have played an outstanding role in thinking about and shaping EU policies on freedom, security and justice. 
 
Ten years ago, the member states transferred competences to the EU for law and policy-making in the fields of immigration, asylum and border controls, and began the transfer process for criminal justice and policing. This decade of European cooperation on AFSJ policies has experienced very dynamic convergence, the enactment of a large body of European law and the setting-up of numerous EU agencies working in these domains. Such dynamism in policy-making has not been without challenges and vulnerabilities, however. As this collective volume shows, the main dilemmas that lie ahead relate to an effective (while more plural) institutional framework under the Treaty of Lisbon, stronger judicial scrutiny through a greater role for national courts and the Court of Justice in Luxembourg, better mechanisms for evaluating and monitoring the implementation of EU AFSJ law and a more solid fundamental rights strategy. The contributions in this volume address the progress achieved so far in these policy areas, identify the challenges for future European cooperation in the AFSJ and put forward possible paths for making more progress in the next generation of the EU’s AFSJ.