The Financial Crisis and the Global South: Impact and Prospects
The world economy has not still recovered from the effects of the financial crisis that began almost a decade ago first in the US and then in Europe. Policy response to the crisis, the combination of fiscal restraint and ultra-easy monetary policy, has not only failed to bring about a robust recovery but has also aggravated systemic problems in the global economy, notably inequality and chronic demand gap, on the one hand, and financial fragility, on the other. It has generated strong destabilizing spillovers to the Global South. (more…)
Quantification of South-South cooperation and its implications to the foreign policy of developing countries
As South-South cooperation widens its scope, there is an increasing debate on how to measure its flows and results. When the SDG 17 is considered in particular, there is a perception that South-South cooperation ought to assume the role of an additional source of development finance, even though several of its modalities are not financial in nature. In this sense, current initiatives aimed at establishing the monetization of all development cooperation modalities pose a challenge to South-South cooperation practitioners, as such a hypothetical global standard would not give full account of the innovative processes taking place through South-South cooperation.
South Centre Statement to the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 24
Below is the Statement by the South Centre’s Executive Director Mr. Martin Khor which was distributed during the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Twenty-four held in Washington DC on 20 April 2017.
South Centre Statement in the NAM Forum on the 62nd Anniversary of the Principles of Bandung
In a world of so many crises affecting the developing countries, the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Bandung Principles that led to the NAM’s formation are as relevant as ever. This was stated by the South Centre at a forum held by the NAM to commemorate the adoption of the Bandung Principles in Bandung by leaders of the newly independent countries 62 years ago.
The Chairman of the South Centre, H.E. Benjamin Mkapa, former President of Tanzania, has sent a letter to the President of Cuba H.E. Raul Castro to extend the Centre’s condolences on the passing away of President Fidel Castro, who was a friend and supporter of the Centre and the South Commission. Below is the letter.
Two new Chinese funds totalling US$ 5.1 billion to help developing countries tackle climate change and development problems could be a game changer in South-South cooperation and international relations. China gave a big boost to South-South cooperation when its President, Xi Jinping, made two unprecedented mega pledges totalling US$5.1 billion to assist other developing countries, during his visit to the United States in September. (more…)
Financing for Development Conference 2015: A View from the South
On 19 July 2014 the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations agreed on a draft of a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals, taking the first steps toward a renewed development agenda for after 2015. The effort to agree on the SDGs was the follow up to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), whose end-date is 2015. Aside from the 17 specific goals, the draft SDGs included 169 associated targets. (more…)
Statement at Asian African Summit, Jakarta-Bandung
The attached is a Statement delivered by Mr. Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre at Asian-African Summit Conference held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia from 22-24 April 2015. (more…)
Waving Or Drowning: Developing Countries After The Financial Crisis
Not only has the “Great Recession” led to a “Great Slowdown” in developing countries, but also their longer-term growth prospects are clouded by global structural imbalances and fragilities that culminated in the current crisis. (more…)
This paper argues that the unprecedented acceleration of growth in the developing world in the new millennium in comparison with advanced economies is due not so much to improvements in underlying fundamentals as to exceptionally favourable global economic conditions, shaped mainly by unsustainable policies in advanced economies. The only developing economy which has had a major impact on global conditions, notably on commodity prices, is China. (more…)
Some preliminary thoughts on new international economic cooperation.
The developed countries have acted as engines of economic growth in the world for nearly half a century; but they may not continue to have that role for long. With their negligible population growth and low level of GDP growth, they are unlikely to generate significant additional consumer demand. (more…)
