BRICS at 20: Why youth skills and jobs matter for South Africa

In 2026, BRICS marks 20 years of cooperation, originally including Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. The alliance now covers political, economic, scientific, and people-to-people cooperation, with a focus on youth employment. In South Africa, 5 million young people aged 15-34 were unemployed in the second quarter of 2026, and 36.4% of those aged 15-24 were not in employment, education, or training, highlighting the importance of improving pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and skills development through BRICS collaboration.