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The South, in all its plurality, is a call for dialogue, diversity, greater inclusivity and respect for the sovereignty of States, said Morocco’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Omar Hilale, on Friday in Rabat.
“Whenever the South is united and sets aside its ideological differences, it can assert its will to contribute to the reform of the United Nations and influence certain decisions of international institutions,” Hilale stated during his participation in a panel at the 13th annual international conference “The Atlantic Dialogues”, hosted by the Policy Center for the New South’s (PCNS).
According to the Moroccan diplomat, the South, despite being home to certain states that finance terrorism and separatism, and fuel war and tension, also embodies a call for solidarity, representing a “vision of hope” in the face of the ongoing armed conflicts.
“In today’s world, we are unfortunately witnessing the persistence of inequalities between the North and South, as well as wars and conflicts. Out of 56 wars worldwide, 54 are in the South, while only two are in the North,” Hilale remarked during the panel discussion on the “Southfulness and the Future of Multilateralism.”
In his view, the South, which “does not wish to take the place of the North,” aspires to “equal participation” in global governance, as well as equitable representation within multilateral institutions.
As a political power, the South – which accounts for 80% of the world’s population and 50% of global GDP – is also a promising market, provided there are fair rules, the ambassador stressed.
For her part, former Panamanian Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes pointed to the “iniquity” of current international governance system, calling for efforts to redress the disparities between North and South.
She called for greater involvement of the younger generation in this reformist momentum of global governance institutions and decision-making processes, in order to foster international and intergenerational dialogue and cooperation. She emphasized that it is time build stronger, more real connections between North and South to turn aspirations for reforming certain international norms into reality.
For the former top Panamanian diplomat, the South can drastically reduce any dependence on the North, given its enormous resources and skills.
Former Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio echoed this view, arguing that the rules of global governance must be changed to make them more fair and inclusive.
Major reforms need to be introduced at the level of the UN Security Council and multilateral institutions in general, to take into account the new realities of today’s world and the “New South,” she suggested.
According to Palacio, the challenge for the South is to give new impetus to training, particularly in the fields of new technologies, and the promotion of education.
French writer and futurologist Jacques Attali noted that the world is looking for a new model of sustainable development, today necessary for the “survival of humanity.”
To achieve this, North and South are more than ever called upon to break with old economic structures and encourage new, more innovative and inclusive models, he observed.
This new edition of the “Atlantic Dialogues” addresses a variety of economic and geopolitical topics, reflecting the transformations of a expanded and integrated Atlantic, through panels, roundtables and other collaborative sessions.
Topics include cultural diplomacy, the regional security paradigm, smart infrastructure, the regulation of artificial intelligence, and other critical issues requiring enhanced North-South coordination, while offering a diverse range of perspectives and solutions on global governance challenges.
Source: map
