'Up to South to change rules of game': G77+China seeks new global order at Cuba Summit

Havana, Cuba

The Group of 77 developing countries (G77)+China recently concluded a two-day summit in Havana, Cuba, where they advocated for a new global order, media reports said. The group was established in 1964 and was initially aimed to promote the collective economic interests of the Global South and has now grown to include 134 member nations.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who currently chairs the grouping, reportedly stated that after years of the North organising the world to suit its interests, "It is now up to the South to change the rules of the game." 

Global challenges 

Diaz-Canel highlighted that developing countries are facing a multifaceted crisis in the contemporary world. He said that it encompasses issues such as unfair trade practices and the global climate crisis.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed these concerns, noting that developing nations find themselves entangled in various global crises, including climate change and mounting foreign debt.

Leaders at G77+China Summit

The summit drew participation from numerous Latin American leaders, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Colombia's Gustavo Petro, and Argentina's Alberto Fernandez.

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Additionally, leaders from other regions such as Angolan President Joao Lourenco, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas were in attendance.

China, while recognised as a member by the G77, maintains that it is not formally part of the group. It is therefore worth noting that the G77 officially presents its statements as "The Group of 77 and China".

Nevertheless, Beijing continues to provide its support to the G77 grouping and aligns with its mission.

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Representing China at the summit was Li Xi, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, who reiterated China's commitment to prioritising South-South cooperation and technological advancement, particularly in bridging digital disparities. 

India as voice for Global South  

India has also emerged as a prominent voice for the Global South during its G20 presidency. African Union has joined the group at the Summit held in New Delhi. 

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India's Minister of External Affairs, in an exclusive interview to WION, told S Jaishankar, "Let me tell you I travelled a reasonable amount, countries in Africa and Latin America and Central America and Asia and the Pacific they were very, very upset, I would say even angry in some respects, at the fact that these years of COVID, the consequences of conflict, that somewhere they have just been left out. Their interest, their pain, and their concerns were not captured. So our effort was really to get all of that in, I think we succeeded to a great measure."