Photo taken on March 18 shows a commemorative document marking the convening of the historic Asian-African Conference, also known as the Bandung Conference. Photo: IC PHOTO

Seventy years ago, leaders from 29 countries and regions across Asia and Africa gathered in Bandung, Indonesia, to explore a path toward breaking free from colonial shackles and achieving national independence. The Bandung Conference of 1955 not only witnessed the solidarity and mutual support among countries of the Global South, but also gave rise to the Bandung Spirit of unity, friendship, and cooperation. This spirit propelled the rise of Global South countries on the international stage at the time and continues to resonate in their collaborative efforts today.

Seventy years on, amidst profound changes in the geopolitical landscape, imbalances in global governance, and disparities in development rights among nations, reflecting on the Bandung Conference invites us to not only consider how Global South countries can further strengthen their unity and cooperation, but also how they can spearhead transformative change.

Advancing alternative set of norms

In a recent interview with CSST, Sachin Chaturvedi, director general of the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), a New Delhi-based think tank, said that historically, countries of the Global South in the post-1945 world inherited an international order—including an economic and financial framework—that effectively excluded them when the global institutions and rules-based order were being negotiated. While this may not have been perceived as unethical by the Global South at that time, the inequitable, unequal, and selective imposition of Western rules-based order has further fueled frustration in the non-Western world. The economic rise of certain Global South nations at the turn of the millennium and their continued ascent since then has inspired confidence and hope among other countries in the Global South. 

Southern countries have been at the forefront of calling for reforms in international organizations and global institutions. However, the slow pace of these reforms has prompted the Global South to establish its own inclusive institutions, a process that has come to fruition through active discussions and deliberations among Global South member states. Through various formal and informal platforms, the Global South is advancing an alternative set of norms and standards across different areas of global governance, Chaturvedi explained.

Walking one’s own path

Chaturvedi argued that countries in the Global South must also take the initiative to create global public goods from within their own ranks. One prominent example is the International Solar Alliance, established in 2015 with the goal of expanding solar energy use to reduce solar power costs, thus enhancing energy security and supporting the transition to cleaner energy systems while addressing climate change. Another significant development is the recent creation of the Global South Centre of Excellence, aimed at fostering cross-continental exchanges of developmental ideas by developing evidence-based policy frameworks and encouraging peer learning among developing countries, with a focus on outcome-driven collective action.

Traditionally, Chaturvedi noted, the Global South has championed solidarity-based cooperation, rooted in the principles of horizontality, inclusion, mutual respect, and demand-driven collaboration, which lie at the heart of South-South Cooperation (SSC). 

Development cooperation projects within the SSC framework are conceptualized and implemented at the request of the partner country, not to serve the agenda of the provider country, Chaturvedi continued. The Global South has a deep understanding of its own developmental challenges, and it is now widely acknowledged that, in addition to financial assistance through concessional loans and grants, the Global South also requires relevant technology, human resource development through capacity building and training, and a trading ecosystem that fosters its development. Development cooperation and international development practices must embrace this “development compact,” which is comprehensive and, crucially, sought by the Global South for its progress. 

Upholding multilateralism

As the international environment grows increasingly complex and trade protectionism rises, countries of the Global South not only confront an unjust distribution of global resources but also struggle to make their voices heard in global affairs. This has led them to prioritize the protection of their own interests and advocate for the creation of a more just and equitable global governance system—one that reflects the evolving realities of the contemporary world and the growing trend toward multipolarity.

Against this backdrop, Chaturvedi emphasized that countries of the Global South must envision institutions they can align with in terms of aspirations and expectations, shaping their ideas of global governance. Institutions such as the New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank should be viewed from this perspective, especially when comparing their conceptualization and operations to those of the World Bank.

“Bringing in diverse voices and ideas in decision making is the key toward addressing pressing global issues like climate change, pandemics, cyber security, and inequality, which require coordinated international action. A rigid water tight non-consultative decision-making body is not how one envisions multilateral institutions to operate,” Chaturvedi added.  

Ekaterina Koldunova, an associate professor from the Department of Oriental Studies at MGIMO University in Russia, noted that the Bandung Conference remains significant despite the radical changes in the world landscape. It was not convened by superpowers, but by countries and peoples whose voices were not heard on the world stage. 

In Koldunova’s view, the Bandung experience provides crucial insights into the key question of today: how can we ensure that the global majority is capable of collective action? This requires peaceful coexistence among major powers, while also ensuring that the voices of small and medium-sized countries are heard. It is essential to establish a structure that allows for the gradual institutionalization of interaction, without undermining the internal diversity of the global majority. 

Edited by CHEN MIRONG