At the recent Third Voice of the Global South Summit (VOGSS 3.0), Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi highlighted the deep-seated challenges confronting the Global South, addressing a virtual assembly of Foreign Ministers from various nations. Mudavadi’s remarks focused on the multifaceted crises affecting developing countries, including slow credit growth, climate change impacts, and geopolitical tensions.
Mudavadi began by acknowledging the profound difficulties faced by the Global South. He underscored that these nations are grappling with unprecedented slow credit growth, persistent negative impacts of climate change, and the pervasive threat of terrorism. These issues, compounded by rising geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, have hindered the economic and social progress of many developing countries.
“The rising geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, growing inflation, debt costs, and default risks have created an environment where poor countries are deprived of the opportunity to flourish,” Mudavadi stated. He emphasized that these factors have collectively contributed to a challenging landscape for the Global South, inhibiting their potential for growth and development.
During the summit, chaired by Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, Mudavadi stressed the importance of the gathering as a platform for deliberating on the concerns, interests, and priorities of developing countries. He urged for a unified voice and collective action to address these pressing issues, highlighting the necessity for the Global South to stay vocal and engaged on the global stage.
Mudavadi pointed out that the effects of current global conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing crises in West Asia, have had far-reaching impacts. These conflicts have led to soaring prices for fuel, food, and fertilizers, disproportionately affecting developing nations. He argued that the summit must focus on mitigating these impacts and exploring avenues for collective action and resilience-building.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary also expressed concern over the tendency of global discourse to overlook conflicts within the Global South. He cited the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan as an example of how such crises can be relegated to the background despite their severe impacts on the affected populations.
In his address, Mudavadi highlighted the critical need for the Global South to address emerging threats, including the weaponization of cyber technology. This issue has recently caused significant upheaval in several countries, underscoring the necessity for vigilance and proactive measures to counter such threats.
Mudavadi expressed gratitude to Dr. S. Jaishankar for hosting the ministerial-level meeting at a crucial time for global multilateral systems. He welcomed the summit’s theme, “Global South and Global Governance,” and emphasized the need for practical solutions to broader challenges, including the impacts of conflicts and development concerns in the Global South.
He voiced hope that the outcomes of the summit would provide actionable points to address these challenges and lead to sustainable solutions. Mudavadi expressed confidence that the Global South would maintain its momentum and speak with a unified voice to achieve an inclusive, equitable, and fair international order.
In conclusion, Mudavadi reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to collaborating on these objectives, underscoring the importance of collective action and solidarity among developing nations. He applauded India and all participating nations for their recognition and prioritization of the concerns of developing countries, emphasizing the shared goal of achieving a more just and equitable global political and financial governance system.
The summit brought together a diverse group of Foreign Ministers from countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa, among others, to address these critical issues and work towards meaningful solutions for the Global South.
