Third Voice of Global South Summit: Empowering the Global South for a Sustainable Future

Introduction

• India’s agenda for development where the world’s developing nations are considered as the Global South is once again demonstrated by its holding of the Third Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS).
• This summit that has its basis in the ageless Indian dictum of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ‘the world is one family’ shall reflect his dream of the world where no nation is left behind in the process of global development.
• This is an important forum for the member countries of the Global South where challenges and solutions to these challenges for sustainable development can be compared and joint activities can be developed.

Purpose of the Summit

• The Third Voice of Global South Summit is not just another diplomatic conference; it is a significant exercise in trying to articulate the problems that confront the Global South.
• A good number of these countries are worst affected by different global inevitable occurrences in life for instance civil wars, food and energy precariously shortages and the global change in weather.
• Its principal aim is to support these nations by offering them the opportunity to make themselves heard and be heard by the rest of the world and to address their concerns.
• As the world becomes one global village, troubles of one country are automatically the troubles of the entire world.
• The Voice of Global South Summit understands this fact and seek to create a synergy among the countries of the Global South. As a result of these global relationships it means that these nations can in harmony address these critical problems. This summit is much more than discussions, and it is about searching for the means that would bring changes.

Participation and Format

• As has become a tradition, the Third Voice of Global South Summit invites all the countries of the Global South to join us.
• It is an online summit, in contrast with an annual summit that needs people physically attending a place and it is because of that that the VOGSS may gather a more diverse audience.
• This format also complies with the fact that the summit aims at environmental conservation through sparing this creation the test of traveling across the globe.
• The summit is structured into two main components: a Leaders’ Session and a number of thematic sessions which were designed to focus on particular problems.
• This format helps to ensure that the discussion is as exhaustive as well as relevant in equal measure, and as such allows for contin AF-medical management of specific issues in particular depth.
• The Leaders’ Session is a political section that enables presidents and prime ministers to express themselves in terms of ideas and plans in relation to sustainability.
• The thematic sessions are for ministers and experts, where they sit down to discuss specific issues in somewhat closer detail.

Key Themes and Sessions

• The general theme of the Third Voice of Global South Summit is ‘An empowered Global South for a sustainable future’ This is because the summit seeks to empower the developing nations to pull their destiny strings towards a future that ‘is sustainable, equitable and prosperous.
• To achieve this goal, the summit is divided into several sessions, each addressing a critical area of concern:

Foreign Ministers: “Charting a Unique Paradigm for Global South”

• the issue under discussion is the search for a new place and functions of the Global South in the global context.
• It examines how these states could mobilise their efforts and coordinate to shape a new order that is relevant to them.

Health Ministers: “One World-One Health”

• Therefore it was proven by COVID-19 outbreak on how interconnected in terms of health the world is.
• This session also discussed the idea of One Health as it cannot be said that any country is safe if all countries are unsafe.

Youth Ministers: “Youth Engagement for a Better Future”

• It is therefore important to engage youths in the development process as nearly half of the world’s population is below thirty years.
• In this session, the audience is challenged on how youth can be mobilized in order to become agents of transformation.

Commerce Ministers: “Trade for Development”

• Trade is one of the most effective drivers of development.
• The topics to be covered in this session are trade, economic development, poverty reduction and the realization of sustainable development in the Global South.

IT Ministers: “Digital Public Infrastructure for Development”

• In today’s society, if there is to be development in the first place, it must have a supporting base composed of strong public structures.
• This session looks at how ICT can be used as a tool for defragmenting development and promoting inclusive development.

Finance Ministers: “People-Centric Approach to Global Finance”

• This session is concerned with establishing finance for people and not for the profit of a few.
• Both of them focus on ways and means to leverage finance for development, and how to minimise inequality.

Energy Ministers: “Sustainable Energy Solutions”

• In essence, energy is among the significant factors that define development, but such energy cannot be arbitrary; instead, it has to be sustainable.
• This session will therefore be centered on how countries in the global south can embrace sustainable energy solutions that will suit them while at the same time do not harm the environment.

Education Ministers: “Human Resource Development”

Education is the key to the development process Education is the key to the development process. A proposal to consider during this session focuses on capital formation in human resources for the purpose of developing a skilled and knowledgeable population for growth of sustainable development.

Environment Ministers: “Mitigating Climate Change”

Environmental change is among the most discussed problems in the contemporary world. This session is about the ways which could help Global South countries to cope with climate change and its consequences.

Background and Evolution of Voice OF Global South Summit

• The Voice of Global South Summit is fairly a new establishment, with the 1st & 2nd summits was held on the January 12-13 and November 17, 2023, respectively.
• Still, the effect of the summit has been substantial since it was created just a few years ago. More than one hundred countries took part in each of the previous summits;
• the discussions that took place in Moscow presumably affected the topic of the G-20 Summit under the Indian presidency.
• The Third Global South Summit further develops the model of the previous generations and broadens its coverage and enriches its gloss on sustainable development.
• The summit itself is a concept of a great attempt to unite developing countries and address challenges common to them, to work on the unity of the countries, as well as to further the search of solutions suitable for all when active uncertainty is present globally.
• Organizing the Global South Summit is also one of the steps in the efforts to increase India’s power in the international arena. Promoting the Global South’s agenda helps India to assert itself as one of the major proponents of change for the better in terms of global geopolitics.

About the Global Summit of the Voice of Global South

• The Voice of Global South Summit is a novel event, which aims to elevate the voices of the global south countries to another level, where they are considered.
• In a world where the so called Developed countries have a say in all matters of the world while the less fortunate countries have no voice the Global South Summit is an opportunity of the southern countries to be heard.
• It is assembled around eight key topics, such as climate; development; poverty; water; energy; food; technology; and business.
• Thus, the Global South Summit provides focus on these problems to build awareness of them among other Global South countries and to advance the creation of suitable solutions to them.
• Also, such number of countries – 120, dictates the essence of the summit – common work and mutual support.
• It is a call for Unity and the notion that through unity the countries of the Global South can collectively make a better and reformist world.

Conclusion

• The third voice of Global South summit is one of the many moves towards building an equitable world towards the future.
• The summit is good in that it reviews the issues affecting countries from the Global South, due to the fact that it compounds countries from these region so that they can discuss the issues that warrant their attention as well as finding the solution that best suits them.
• In today’s increasingly uncertain world there has never been such a demand for cooperation and solidarity.
• The Global South Summit is an example of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam; the world is like one family to remind us that nobody is isolated anywhere in the firmament.
• The countries of the Global South need to see the possibilities of unispiring for a safer and better future for everybody.

FAQS

Q1: What is the Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS)?
Ans: The Voice of Global South Summit is an international platform initiated by India to bring together countries from the Global South. It aims to address shared challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and sustainable development.

Q2: What is the theme of the Third VOGSS?
The theme of the Third VOGSS is “An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future,” focusing on empowering developing nations to take control of their development and shape a sustainable future.

Q3: Who participates in the VOGSS?
Ans: All countries from the Global South are invited to participate in the summit. The event is held online to maximize accessibility and inclusivity.