Interview: Global South seeks just, equal seat at world's table, says Belarusian expert

MINSK, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The pursuit of justice is driving Global South countries to seek equal participation in shaping the future of the world, said Anastasia Savinykh, an analyst at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Savinykh said that a growing sense of justice is motivating Global South nations to become equal architects of the future international system.

She said the world is undergoing a profound transformation, noting that the Global South is no longer satisfied with merely responding to agendas set by the West. Instead, these countries are increasingly shaping their own development paths based on fairness and mutual respect.

Savinykh connected this modern pursuit to the revival of foundational ideas like the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence -- mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence -- which she said are gaining renewed relevance in the current global context. In her view, true justice entails rejecting the notion of a single global leader and advancing a genuinely multipolar world order.

She cited major multilateral gatherings, including the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit, as proof of this trend, describing the SCO as a crucial platform for advancing a more inclusive global vision. She also praised China's Global Governance Initiative, noting that Belarus fully supports it as a constructive approach to building a more balanced world. Savinykh further pointed to the rapid expansion of the BRICS bloc as a clear indication of the growing influence of the Global South.

Amid fragmented global relations, these mechanisms offer a more legitimate and effective model for development -- one where Global South countries define progress on their own terms, transforming geographical and economic ties into the foundation of a more just world order. ■