Asia, Africa and the Struggle for a New Global Order

New York, October 6 — The 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) concluded in New York last week, with world leaders and delegations discussing a range of global issues, from political governance to climate change. Secretary-General António Guterres identified four defining ‘tests of power’: war or peace, inequality, climate change, and artificial intelligence. In an interview following UNGA 81, Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General of CUTS International and Professor of Practice (Public Policy) at JCERC University, Jaipur, noted Asia and Africa have shifted from asking for a voice to demanding a share of power in the global order. Asia, represented by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, emphasized pressures on food and fertilizer supplies and the Global South’s vulnerability to disruptions from ongoing conflicts. Africa spoke with unusual coherence on rebalancing global power across UN reform, debt, critical minerals, climate finance, and the international financial system. Nigeria called for at least two permanent African seats on the Security Council with veto rights for as long as the veto exists, and five non-permanent seats in total. Kenya’s President William Ruto stated that a continent of 54 countries and over 1.4 billion people could not remain on the margins of decisions central to global peace and security. Ghanaian President John Mahama declared, “Africa does not seek charity. Africa seeks equal partnership anchored in mutual respect.” The Partners for Multilateralism (P4M) initiative was launched on the margins of UNGA High-Level Week, with initial co-sponsors Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, India, and Kenya, aiming to defend multilateralism and push for reform of the UN and other international institutions. Regarding economic transformation, Mehta observed that Russia’s economic orientation toward Asia is evident, with frameworks such as the International North-South Transport Corridor, ASEAN, RCEP, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the Eurasian Economic Union forming an increasingly dense network linking Asia and the wider Eurasian space. The growing use of national currencies in trade between Russia and several partners is another element of this change. However, the emerging architecture is multipolar and fragmented, not a consolidated bloc, with the Russia-China relationship becoming increasingly asymmetric and India maintaining strategic autonomy. Africa risks being included on unfavourable terms despite not being deliberately left out, as competing powers court it for minerals, markets, and diplomatic support while it is less often a co-designer of corridors, standards, and financial systems. Intra-African trade remains low, with Afreximbank estimating its value at US$220.3 billion in 2024, representing only 14.4% of Africa’s total trade. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) are seen as remedies to strengthen Africa’s position by enabling cross-border payments in African currencies and boosting intra-continental trade.

Sources

• United Nations General Assembly — Wikipedia