The year 2025 has witnessed mounting strain on global governance systems due to escalating geopolitical tensions, institutional inertia, and widening development disparities. Against this backdrop, the Global South is increasingly positioned to strengthen solidarity among developing nations, with China poised to play a pivotal role in advancing inclusive development, people-centered governance, and a more equitable international framework, according to expert analyses.
The foundation for this transformation was significantly reinforced during the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit in 2024, which convened 134 member states of the Group of 77 plus China, representing approximately 80% of the world’s population. Under the guiding principle of ‘leaving no one behind,’ participants acknowledged the distinctive requirements and capabilities of developing nations while emphasizing enhanced South-South cooperation across critical domains including industrialization, trade, investment, climate action, poverty reduction, and digital transformation.
A May 2025 report from the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation documented the Global South’s pursuit of viable solutions within an increasingly complex landscape characterized by shifting geopolitical dynamics, economic volatility, and environmental challenges. Despite economic growth in certain developing regions, persistent debt vulnerabilities, trade disruptions, and inflationary pressures continue to impede progress toward Sustainable Development Goals.
Professor Evandro Menezes de Carvalho of Brazil’s Fluminense Federal University noted that the Global South’s growing influence is helping rebalance the historical dominance of Western powers within institutions like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. ‘Many Global South countries are experiencing rapid economic growth, broadening global economic leadership beyond traditional Western economies,’ Carvalho stated, highlighting how initiatives such as BRICS and the New Development Bank are reducing reliance on Western-dominated financial systems.
Professor Mammo Muchie of South Africa’s Tshwane University of Technology emphasized that global governance stands at a historic turning point where multilateral cooperation and shared development have become more urgent than ever. ‘Since the Cold War’s conclusion, deepening globalization and the collective rise of emerging market economies have gradually reshaped the international balance of power,’ Muchie observed, noting that developing countries have gained substantial influence in global affairs while new mechanisms including BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and ASEAN continue gaining prominence.