The Assertion of Global South in Geopolitics

By N. GUNASEKARAN

Despite many important geopolitical changes in the past, the international system is still based on the subordination of developing countries to the dictates of US-led hegemonic super powers. The US has its own agenda. The major aspects of US agenda are the containment of China’s rise, weakening of Russia, securing the support of countries across the world for US-led military political and economic actions to dominate the world, and strengthening alliances of its junior partners to further the US interests. The US and Europe are the axis of such alliances with the firm leadership of the US. In this global context, the assertion of Global South is more important now.

Most of the countries in Global South are the lower-income countries with lack of resources while the countries in Global North are the developed countries with more capabilities to transform their economies. The Global South refers to economically disadvantaged nation-states, which includes many countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa.

The Global South, being in the state of a less-developed stage, has to make speedy progress in economy and human development and it requires better terms for trade and strategic autonomy. The countries of Global South have to cope with the growing threats from climate change, ecological devastation, inequalities and increasing militarisation.They have to work collectively to address these challenges. For the well-being of their people, they have to unavoidably act against the will of the dominant powers like the US.

The US imposed an unprecedented set of sanctions against Russia in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. However, many countries of the Global South, while opposing the war, refused to align themselves with the US.

Recently, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in his discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, described the global economy as being too inter-dependent not to be impacted by a significant conflict and said that “the Global South is feeling this pain very acutely”, especially after two years of the pandemic. He gave this explanation for buying cheap Russian oil, despite the US’ imposed sanctions. Mr. Jaishankar also made it clear that India would continue with the purchases to cater to the needs of India’s consumers. This clearly showed the growing exigencies of the Global South to assert itself to safeguard its own interests.

Obviously, the Global South contributed far less than the Global North for the aggravation of the problems of climate change. However, the risks and perils faced by the Global South, due to ongoing impacts of climate change, were greater. With lower levels of economic, industrial development and persisting poverty, they have been dealing with the extreme climate events including droughts, floods, storms and heatwaves.

According to a UN report, “Finance for Climate Action,” the developing countries excluding China need more than $2 trillion annually by 2030 if the world is to stop global warming and for protecting against and responding to the loss and damage due to climate change impacts. The report suggested that a trillion dollars should come from rich countries, investors and multilateral development banks. The report said that the grants and low-interest loans from developed countries have to be doubled from about $30 billion annually today to $60 billion by 2025. Many countries of the Global South have been demanding that their debts should be canceled. The Global South has to voice these concerns collectively, not only to safeguard their own interests, but also for the survival of the planet from the onslaught of global warming.

Though inequality is increasing across the world, it is an inherent feature of the Global South. The production of manufactured goods from the Global South was 26% more than the North. But per capita income of Global South was 80% less than North. The main reason for such anomalies is due to the fact most of the big corporations are based in the advanced countries of the North. The richest 1% of the world population, mainly from the North, holds more than 70% of global wealth.

In such a global unjust order, the Global South has no other choice, but to build solidarity and cooperation between nations. Developing countries in Asia have to play a leading role.

In November, 2022, Asia hosted four world summits: Nov. 6-18 Climate summit at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt; Nov. 10-13 East Asia Summit at Phnom Penh in Cambodia; Nov. 15-16 G20 summit in Bali (Indonesia); and then, Nov. 16-19 APEC summit in Bangkok (Thailand).

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang recently called on members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as China, Japan and South Korea (ASEAN+3) and held negotiations for regional economic integration and for the stability of industrial and supply chains. Multilateral institutions, like BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and the African Union, ASEAN, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, could widen the scope for the assertiveness of Global South.

The main hindrance to this process of coordination among the countries of Global South was the neoliberal economic policies pursued by the ruling elites in these countries. It can be tackled only by the unity of the local working population. The domestic and global level solidarity of working people against the policies of subjugation by both domestic and global elites is necessary for more assertive Global South.

N. Gunasekaran is a political activist and writer based in Chennai, India.

From The Progressive Populist, December 15, 2022

Populist.com