Brazilian South–South Development Cooperation: The Case of the Ministry of Social Development in Africa

Abstract

The article analyses domestic and external drivers of the rise of South-South development cooperation to a foreign policy priority under the Lula administrations. It argues that the rise was a consequence of presidential leadership, growing domestic mobilisation, shifts in the global political economy and the prioritisation of South-South development cooperation by traditional donors. It explores the case of the Ministry of Social Development cooperation with Africa, focusing on two experiences-the Bolsa Família and the Purchase from Africans for Africa Programme. Although the ministry's partnership with traditional donors remained constant, there was increased domestic leadership in the food purchase programme.

How instrument constituencies shape policy transfer: a case study from Ghana

“…This was used to support the argument that the program would 'contribute to economic growth and [was] not a disincentive' (interview with former Deputy Minister of Manpower Youth and Employment, Accra, June 2013). Similarly, in the formulation of the program, information IPC-IG generated both from its work in Brazil and in Ghana was fundamental to the organization's role as an advisory partner in helping mediate the relationship between the two countries (Leite et al, 2015).…”

“…'This support is not only rhetorical, but also practical, as considerable funding has been given to the dissemination of program experiences, expansion of existing initiatives and replication of similar programs elsewhere' (Kakwani, Soares, & Son, 2005, p. 12). For example, international organizations and other development partners not only supported Brazilian efforts at social development but also helped to spread these programs to other countries in the Global South (Leite, Pomeroy, & Suyama, 2015). In Africa, donors such as the WB and DFID acted as a 'global learning hub for successful initiatives' (Ragno et al, 2016, p. 148).…”

Civil Society Participation in Brazilian Foreign Policy: an Analysis of its Democratic Quality

“…Finally, in the framework of South-South development co-operation, we identify different -and incipient -modalities of civil society participation, such as civil society implementing projects, whether by government's invitation or via their own strategies with government support (Schmitz 2014;Marcolini 2014;Suyama and Pomeroy 2014), and civil society participation, promoted by the government, in debates around specific co-operation initiatives (Leite et al 2015).…”

“…In some cases, organised civil society is called upon to share, sporadically, their experience in the framework of specific projects (Santos 2013). One exception to the rule is the case of the National Council of Nutritional and Food Security (CONSEA), which participated regularly in the meetings of the Purchase from Africans for Africa project (PAA Africa) promoted by the General Coordination for International Action Against Hunger (Ministry of Foreign Relations) together with the Ministry of Social Development (Beghin 2014;Leite et al 2015). In this case, it is worth highlighting that the participation was grounded in the National Plan of Nutritional and Food Security, which clearly lays out social participation in the area of international negotiations and projects of international co-operation (PAA Africa 2015).…”

“…See Leite et al (2014) for an overview and Leal (2013) and Leite et al (2015) for co-operation in Food and Nutritional Security. Even assuming that this autonomous organisation of civil society affects its strategies of influencing foreign policy, it does not form part of our analysis, as the focus established here is restricted to civil society participation in government-led initiatives.…”