Durban summit is bloc's first on continent, opening possibilities

As incomes in emerging markets increase, Africans stand to benefit greatly from the continent's membership in the BRICS group, a financial analyst said.

"On the whole, annual income and purchasing power of billions of people in the BRICS markets are on the rise, creating increased demand not only for basic goods but also for higher-priced goods," said Christian Wessels, a senior analyst of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.