Malaysia calls for inclusive, just multilateralism for the Global South, says foreign minister
NEW YORK, Sept 26 — Malaysia has called for a renewed approach to multilateralism grounded in inclusivity, justice...
On September 26, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan called for a renewed approach to multilateralism centered on inclusivity, justice, and accountability for the Global South. This plea emerged amid escalating geopolitical tensions, ongoing conflicts, widening inequalities, and slow progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting took place at the G77 and China Ministerial Meeting, themed "The Global South and the Future of Multilateralism."
Mohamad highlighted that the multilateral system is currently under significant strain due to deepening geopolitical tensions, persistent conflicts, and widening inequalities. Despite this, he emphasized that developing countries still face a global financial and economic architecture that fails to adequately address current challenges, thus reinforcing the need for multilateralism.
He stressed the importance of reforming international financial institutions to better reflect the interests and realities of developing countries. Additionally, he advocated for a stronger multilateral trading system, enhanced climate action, and greater Science, Technology, and Innovation cooperation, particularly in next-generation artificial intelligence. These reforms are essential to advance the 2030 Agenda and support the Global South.
The foreign minister reiterated the central role of the United Nations in this reform process. Any changes to the UN system must strengthen its ability to deliver for Member States, particularly developing nations, while adhering to the principles of the UN Charter, national ownership, and the intergovernmental nature of the Organization.
Mohamad emphasized that South-South cooperation has demonstrated that developing countries are not merely recipients of development solutions but are partners, innovators, and contributors in their own right. He highlighted Malaysia's commitment to this spirit of solidarity through its Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP), which supports fellow developing countries through capacity-building, technical cooperation, and sharing of expertise.
As countries grapple with new challenges such as climate change, development financing, and rapid technological transformation, Mohamad stressed that new divides must not replace old ones. He called for continued access to finance, technology, and capacity-building as central elements of the collective agenda.
Finally, Mohamad emphasized that Malaysia supports a renewed approach to multilateralism grounded in inclusivity, justice, and accountability.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
