In celebrating the 50th anniversary of the G77+China, it is important to note that the advent of colonialism, and the impact it has had globally elicits important questions, and lays out important challenges. It compels a majority of the global human family to realize the increasing need for collective engagement and diplomacy. In 1964, a group of concerned states, which have come to be known as the countries of the South, got together to challenge the growing severity of political and economic hegemony, and to address the growing injustices and material problems of inequality. The Group of 77 (G-77) was...
It is at this stage that the symposium switched perspectives. Ambassador John Tesha of the Africa Forum began his observations and arguments by stating that firstly, Africa was effectively the architect of the G77+China. This could be observed through the establishment of political and economic partnerships between the African group of nations, and other member states with the G77+China, and was also illustrated not only through support for liberation struggles fought in Africa, but also through economic development issues that faced Africa, and its relevance to the rest of the world. In other words, African concerns were about the structure...
To begin concluding this dialogue, Ambassador Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko of DIRCO, explained that the previous discussions highlighted the need to follow up on what broke the chain of control held by the countries of the G8, and to highlight how the victory of G77+China in helping end Apartheid built the multilateral negotiating capacities of countries from the South.
She stated that multilateralism was and is the terrain through which global governance is shaped. It is a terrain that one could not ‘opt out’ of. What had changed was the balance of power, which international economists explained through the theory of comparative...
