The war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change. When it comes to major international events we often hear about the problems and challenges facing the Global South.
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00:00 The war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change. When it comes to major international events,
00:07 we often hear about the problems and challenges facing the global south.
00:11 This term was coined more than half a century ago, but now when people talk about the global south,
00:17 they're primarily referring to emerging economies. So is it still a relevant term?
00:22 Expert opinion differs.
00:25 It's true that we hear about this more and more often, including a debate about whether the term makes sense at all.
00:31 I think it does, and the truth is that it's very commonly used in the global south. That's really where this term
00:38 has been most popular, and it's been adopted in different ways.
00:43 And it's useful. It basically is code for
00:47 countries, some very different countries, but sort of middle powers,
00:52 developing countries, countries looking to express their own sense of international affairs and strategy.
00:58 It doesn't always have to be made in the north.
01:01 I think that it should be used with a certain amount of
01:05 careful thought and some discrimination.
01:09 There's no question that the term global south
01:12 is an important rallying cry and embodies a sense of dissatisfaction with established international institutions
01:20 that embody the geopolitical interest or the economic interests of Western powers.
01:25 My problem with the global south is that it's such a catch-all phrase,
01:29 encompassing more than 130 different countries in the world, that it doesn't really do justice to the incredible heterogeneity and
01:36 diversity of the countries that the label purports to describe.
01:40 Experts note that some countries are trying to use the global south in their own
01:47 interests to increase their influence in the international arena.
01:51 In early 2023, India held a virtual summit called the Voice of the Global South, with the participation of more than
01:59 120 states. China, for example, has long been investing in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
02:06 (whooshing)
02:08 (whooshing)