Global South Development Achievements and Challenges
Global South Research Center Thematic Report (15 September 2025)
By Wang Jinzhao, Carlos Correa (South Centre), Zhang Youyi, Liu Chen, Liang Weitang, Carlos Oya, Len Ishmael, Li Yuefen (South Centre)
The rise of the Global South is a defining feature of the profound transformation reshaping the world. In recent years, Global South countries have achieved significant progress in their economic and social development. Compared with the beginning of the 21st century, the total economic output of the Global South has grown by approximately 5.4 times, an annual growth of 5.1%, significantly higher than the global average of 3.5%. Industrial development has accelerated, industrialization has kept advancing, and some competitive industries have been fostered. Trade and investment have substantially expanded. Goods exports and imports as well as outward investment have all increased about fivefold. Many emerging economies have increased their investment in research and development, resulting in continuous enhancement of innovation capabilities. Historic achievements have been made in poverty reduction, with over one billion people in the Global South lifted out of extreme poverty. Significant progress has been made in health. The average life expectancy has risen from around 62 years to approximately 70 years. Access to education has been increasingly expanding. The higher education enrollment rate increased from 13% to 38%.
The overall development advances made by the Global South have enabled it to have become a crucial force driving common development and improving global governance. It has increasingly played a significant role in the cause of human progress. The Global South, a key engine of global economic growth, accounts for 85% of the world’s population, around 40% of the global economy, 46% of global goods exports, 57% of global foreign direct investment inflows, 45% of global manufacturing output, and approximately 50% of intermediate goods exports. The Global South is also actively engaged in addressing global challenges. Its involvement in the reform of the global governance system enhances the representation and voice of developing countries. In the meantime, it keeps strengthening platforms for solidarity and cooperation among emerging economies and developing countries, such as BRICS. It pushes forward establishing new multilateral development banks and deepening regional cooperation.
The achievements of the Global South are due to an overall peaceful and stable international environment, ongoing economic globalization, and accelerated and diffusing technological innovation on a global scale, and, within Global South countries, a heightened sense of autonomy and commitment to market-based approaches combined with active government macro-regulation.
It should be recognized, however, that the Global South faces new challenges. External shocks have had negative impacts on Global South countries, including a sluggish global economy, broken multilateral trading rules, intensifying global climate risks, and increasing occurrences of regional conflict and instability. Within Global South countries, some face significant gaps in infrastructure, great difficulties in development financing including limited resources and high costs, and inadequate resources in education and healthcare.
Looking ahead, the Global South should continue to actively integrate into global industrial and supply chains, and strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the Global North, promoting the North and the South working together in the same direction. At the same time, the Global South should seize the opportunities, embrace the fundamental trends, and advance solidarity and cooperation among themselves with the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity. The Global South needs to deepen economic and trade cooperation based on the principles of mutual support and complementarity of advantages, expand trade and investment collaboration prospects, step up technology transfer and knowledge sharing, enhance autonomous development capabilities, and advance new developments in the Global South.
Promoting a Symbiotic Relationship Between Trade Policy and Climate Action
By Vahini Naidu
This paper is based on remarks delivered in the lead up to COP30. It outlines how African countries are working to align trade, climate action, and development priorities through early transparency on climate-related trade measures, technology transfer, and the protection of policy space for green industrialisation. It also highlights the growing focus on critical minerals, the rise of unilateral climate-related trade measures, and the need to bring scattered initiatives into a coherent multilateral framework that supports fair and sustainable outcomes.
From Fragmentation to Impact: Strengthening Southern Agency in Global AI Governance
By Vahini Naidu and Danish
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming production, trade and governance systems, yet global regulatory efforts remain fragmented and uneven. The multiplicity of forums, frameworks and initiatives, from UN processes to plurilateral and trade-centred mechanisms, has produced overlapping agendas and resulted in diminished participation from global South stakeholders. For developing countries, the challenge is to engage meaningfully in global AI governance while preserving national policy space and advancing sustainable development priorities.
This policy brief examines the evolving landscape of AI governance, focusing on its institutional fragmentation and the competing conceptions of regulation advanced through the UN, G20, BRICS, and other fora. It argues that coherent, development-oriented AI governance requires strengthening UN-anchored processes and linking AI regulation to industrial policy, innovation systems and data sovereignty. The brief concludes that inclusive, sustainable and responsible AI governance should support governments in enhancing their capacities to harness AI and emerging technologies to shape their digital transformation.
Gamani Corea and his Enduring Legacy for the Global South
By Danish
Gamani Corea was an intellectual giant of the global South, with a long and illustrious career spent in strengthening multilateralism and advancing the common interests of developing countries. On the occasion of Gamani Corea’s birth centenary on 4 November 2025, this paper revisits some of his most notable contributions in the different domains where he played important roles, and examines their relevance for addressing contemporary challenges facing the global South. It further explores his vision and impact as part of the South Commission and in establishing the South Centre. Amidst weakening multilateralism and rising geo-economic turmoil, this paper explores how Gamani Corea’s legacy offers both inspiration and practical insights for developing countries in reshaping global governance. His ambition to strengthen Southern solidarity and collective action at the multilateral level continues to provide essential guidance for developing countries to accelerate sustainable development and ensure that no one gets left behind.
Statement by South Centre at the Ministerial Meeting on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development (G20 Task Force)
30 September 2025, Cape Town
The South Centre welcomes the G20’s effort to advance meaningful participation of developing countries in shaping a fair, safe, secure, responsible, inclusive, ethical, trustworthy, and sustainable global AI landscape. Data governance is a foundation for equitable AI. Countries are entitled to develop and adopt regulatory frameworks for AI systems, including to reflect diverse knowledge systems and fair remuneration for data contributions.
Taking Forward Digital Public Infrastructure for the Global South
By Danish
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has received significant attention for its role in promoting inclusive and effective digital transformation, particularly in the countries of the global South. Elevated onto the global agenda under India’s Group of Twenty (G20) Presidency in 2023, DPIs are now considered as key digital solutions for providing essential services like digital identity, financial inclusion, and access to e-governance platforms. Yet, realizing the full potential of DPI in developing countries requires building a policy and regulatory framework that fosters trust, protects rights and addresses persistent digital divides. Robust institutions and governance mechanisms are equally essential to ensure that DPI adoption is inclusive, equitable and aligned to national priorities.
This paper provides a snapshot of the recent policy and regulatory developments on DPI, as well as the relevant stakeholders at the national and international levels. It then considers the challenges of the digital divide for developing countries and briefly presents some national experiences on the use of DPIs for increasing financial inclusion and promoting e-governance. The paper concludes by offering some recommendations to fully harness the benefits of DPI for accelerating sustainable development and digital transformation in the countries of the global South.
Seven Decades After Bandung: The evolving landscape for South-South and Triangular Cooperation
By Danish
Seven decades after the landmark Asian-African Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, its outcomes and principles continue to guide South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTrC) among the nations of the global South. Despite the current challenges facing global governance, multilateralism and international development cooperation, the Bandung Principles or Dasa sila remain an effective framework for developing countries to work collectively towards achieving peace, economic growth and sustainable development, and creating a democratic and equitable global order fit for the current moment which ensures that no one is left behind. Highlighting the legacy and continued relevance of the Spirit of Bandung for developing countries, this paper looks at some of the important elements that are contributing to the changing landscape for SSTrC; its opportunities, challenges and future trajectories; and how SSTrC could be strengthened at the national, regional and multilateral level for realizing sustainable development in the global South.
Global South’s Aspirations for Inclusive Human Development
By Sudheendra Kulkarni
China’s epoch-changing success in complete eradication of extreme poverty by the end of 2020 has many lessons for other developing countries, including India, that still have a large burden of poverty. India and China, as the only two nations with populations over one billion, should expand all-round cooperation based on mutual learning. Without any doubt, this will prove highly beneficial to inclusive Global Development.
Domestic Revenue Mobilisation at the Heart of Sustainable Development: the Seville Declaration
Side-event at the Fourth Financing for Development Conference (FFD4), co-hosted by the South Centre, EU Commission, Germany and Nigeria
High Level Statement by Dr. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre
Addis Tax Initiative (ATI) member the South Centre co-organized an event with fellow members the EU Commission, Nigeria and Germany at FFD4 on ‘Domestic Revenue Mobilisation at the Heart of Sustainable Development: the Seville Declaration’. Here are the remarks of Dr. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre at the event.
South Centre Statement on the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development
Seville, Spain, 30 June – 3 July 2025
The international financial architecture continues to reflect a global order that existed eight decades ago. An urgent, comprehensive reform is needed to make such order responsive to the financing needs of developing countries in the 21st century.
