The political turmoil in Bangladesh offers governance lessons for the Global South and serves as a cautionary tale for developing nations pursuing reforms. And as key partners like India, China, and the U.S. re-engage with Dhaka, they should consider broadening their relationships beyond the ruling party.

But developing nations don’t want to become pawns in a geopolitical power game. They call for the rejection of a new cold war and have been trying to ensure that development stays at the top of the global governance agenda.

America’s approach has not only cost it the Global South but has also created divisions in the north. The uncertainties are increasing. The United States is, in fact, losing the entire world, which may be the inevitable fate of all empires.

Multipolarity has become a buzzword in global affairs with due credit to countries in the Global South taking strides toward establishing power independent of the U.S. or China. As developing nations demand a bigger share of voice, what challenges will they face?

Talking, even through hard times, is not only necessary but also meaningful, because the audience is wider than just the two participants. People are listening at the bilateral, regional and global levels.

The mechanism differs markedly from the Western alliance system, which is why many countries have sought to join. It represents the Global South in the new round of reconfigured industrial and value chains, and will help shift global governance from a center/periphery model to an equality/common governance model.

The term “Global South” is in constant use nowadays. For example, some commentators warn that Israel’s incursion into Gaza is “alienating the Global South,” and we often hear that the “Global South” wants a ceasefire in Ukraine. But what do people mean when they use it?

The most significant takeaway from the September G20 Summit in New Delhi was the emergence of the Global South as a key political voice in a bitterly divided world.

First used by American political activist Carl Oglesby during the Vietnam War era, the concept expanded rapidly in academic circles in the United States and Europe. The U.S. and others have attempted to exclude China from the list.

China welcomed the addition of the African Union as a full member — a move that will further elevate the representation and voice of the Global South in international governance and contribute to further global democratization. This is precisely what China has been striving for.