Deborah Brautigam, author of a new book on China's role in Africa?, says the BRICs' emergence as aid donors is as important for poor countries as was the fall of the Berlin Wall for eastern Europe.

The only BRIC country to make the top ten was China, in second place behind Angola.

It is conceivable that we might abandon a floating exchange-rate system, as the BRIC countries, especially China, are not as happy with today's system as many in the West are.