From geopolitical spill-over to tacit bargaining : Brazilian-African defence cooperation in the south atlantic (2003-2014)

Abstract

Tese de doutoramento, Ciência Política (Relações Internacionais), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, 2016 ; This thesis contends that Brazilian-African relations have been predominantly framed under three main vectors of analysis, centred on political relations, economic interactions and the disbursement of development assistance. Such a thematic focus has led to a research gap in the form of defence cooperation ties between Brazil and African countries in the South Atlantic. Drawing from original gathered data and multiple interviews with key officials, it is demonstrated how Brazilian interpretations of its maritime borders incited a considerable expansion of such relations while providing a novel and systematised account of their intensity and diversity between 2003 and 2014. It is posited that the decision-making process over such transatlantic initiatives was primarily driven by geopolitical elements in a spill-over format and only secondarily by economic considerations. Similarly, it is argued that African countries regarded a combination of material and social factors, including technicalscientific support, abidance by rules from common international regimes and trust garnered amongst elites over the years, as decisive in their choice to engage with Brazil in this domain. The main findings underscore the need to adjust the current research focus on Brazilian-African relations while acknowledging brewing regional security-related dynamics in the South Atlantic.