NEW DELHI: The rise of the Global South is inevitable and can no longer be ignored, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In a lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) last night, Anwar said the Global South's push to play a bigger role on the international stage would encourage regional powers to step forward and the emergence of new powers to join in its agenda.
The Global South refers to developing countries and includes the likes of China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Mexico and Nigeria.
"Now there is an opportunity to be proactively involved in resolving global challenges according to terms determined through negotiations, rather than following the terms of superpowers," said Anwar.
"We can find common ground in key issues including climate change, food security, and managing artificial intelligence," he said in his lecture at Sapru House in ICWA.
Anwar, who is on a three-day official visit to India said although there were some negative perceptions about the Global South the movement was not aimed at isolating the Global North.
He said the Global South only wanted due recognition of its increased commitment to international cooperation.
Anwar said the Global South was a key catalyst for global prosperity as it contributes around 40 per cent of the world's gross domestic product and is home to 85 per cent of the world's population.
By 2030, three of the world's four largest economies will come from the Global South.