Institutions for Policy Coordination in the Global South

Developing countries that identify themselves as parts of the Global South (GS) face a difficult task in making their collective influence felt in international affairs. They can achieve this goal only if they succeed in developing institutions to coordinate their policies efficiently around agreed agendas, in order to be in a position to negotiate more effectively with developed countries to reform the current international political and economic system. As a template they should look at the G7, which has effectively coordinated the policies of the most-developed countries in setting international agendas and jointly proposing possible solutions, especially ahead of key international gatherings, such as the G20 or the International Monetary Fund/ World Bank.

Failure to develop such coordination institutions would prolong the status of developing countries as largely order-takers, reacting to decisions made by major powers, which see the Global South as a playing field in which to compete for influence, instead of enabling them to become order-setters, sitting at the table to help shape the new global order. As the American saying goes, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu!