External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has called for greater solidarity among countries of the Global South to collectively deal with the multiple crises affecting the developing world.
Chairing a High-Level Meeting of Like-Minded Global South Countries and Friends convened by India on Tuesday, Jaishankar said the current situation made cooperation among these nations particularly important.
‘Global South’ needs stronger voice
“For the Global South, there has never been a moment as critical as right now for solidarity”, Jaishankar said.
He said solidarity was necessary to bring about change and empowerment, pointing out that “the Global South today may be in the front row of the global crisis, but is in the back row of decision-making”.
“The Global South needs to be part of decision-making structures that deliberate on issues that directly pertain to our future”, he said.
Jaishankar also stressed the need for stronger economic cooperation among developing countries to help them withstand the impact of overlapping global crises.
“closer economic cooperation among Global South is necessary to buffer us against the fallout of overlapping global crises,” he said.
Focus on food, trade and connectivity
Jaishankar listed several areas where Global South countries need greater cooperation in response to economic disruptions and the exercise of power by developed nations.
He said “Choke points” in supply chains, finance and connectivity should not be legitimised, while maritime routes should remain secure for all. He called for guarantees for the safety of commercial shipping and seafarers under international law.
The minister also said the Global South must “must swiftly address challenges” related to food security, particularly the availability of grains and fertilisers.
He called for “fair economic and trade practices, which enhance our production capabilities and do not reduce us to be mere consumers” and stressed that “our right to industrialise must not be denied”.
Calls for technology cooperation
Jaishankar also advocated reducing the dependence of Global South countries on the Global North for technology and international cooperation frameworks.
On artificial intelligence, he said it must remain “human-centric” and called for sharing indigenous-developed tools and frameworks among Global South countries.
He also pointed to initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure as alternative frameworks that could help advance climate action.
Instead of relying solely on the Global North, he said, “frameworks such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and others could bring about much-needed progress on climate action”.
(With inputs from IANS)
S Jaishankar calls for stronger Global South solidarity to tackle global crises
