Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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At a time when fractures between the developed and developing worlds seem to widen by the day, Azerbaijan is making an ambitious bet: that solidarity, not division, can chart a path toward a more just global order.

This week, Baku played host to a historic gathering — the Founding Conference of the Global South NGO Platform — bringing together civil society representatives from 116 countries, accounting for nearly 80% of the world’s population. The event, quietly monumental, could reshape the way the Global South organizes itself and speaks to the world.

That it happened in Azerbaijan is no accident. Long a country navigating the crossroads of East and West, North and South, Azerbaijan understands what it means to be overlooked, misrepresented, or ignored on the international stage. Now, it is leveraging that experience to amplify the voices of others — not as a gesture of charity, but as a demonstration of real leadership.

The Global South NGO Platform is not just another well-meaning alliance destined to dissolve under the weight of its ambition. It is a deliberate, strategic move to create a collective force capable of demanding change on some of the most pressing issues facing the world: poverty, climate injustice, the digital divide, and the lingering wounds of colonialism. It also promotes South-South cooperation — the idea that countries of the Global South must collaborate with each other, not just wait for help from richer nations.

For Azerbaijan, this leadership role represents a natural evolution. During COP29 in November 2024, Azerbaijani NGOs proposed the platform’s creation — an idea that quickly gained traction among international civil society. The COP29 NGO Coalition’s formal request to institutionalize the platform under Azerbaijani leadership is a testament to the credibility Azerbaijan has earned.

But Baku's vision extends beyond convening conferences. It draws on the enduring spirit of the Bandung Principles — adopted 70 years ago — which call for non-interference in the internal affairs of states, respect for sovereignty, economic cooperation, and the establishment of a peaceful and just world order. These ideas remain radical today because they challenge a global system that still, too often, privileges the few at the expense of the many.

The Global South NGO Platform’s success will depend on its ability to maintain momentum after the conference lights dim. It must avoid the fate of previous well-meaning efforts that faded into irrelevance. Here, Azerbaijan’s practical experience — particularly its deft navigation of post-Soviet politics, regional diplomacy, and energy geopolitics — could serve as a crucial asset. Azerbaijan knows that global recognition comes not from lofty declarations, but from hard, patient work.

Of course, Azerbaijan's leadership will face skepticism. Some will question whether a nation with its own complex domestic challenges can credibly lead a movement for global justice. But such critiques overlook an essential truth: it is precisely countries that have wrestled with injustice, marginalization, and transformation that best understand the urgency — and the difficulty — of real change.

In a world increasingly shaped by the forces of inequality, climate collapse, and geopolitical competition, the Global South needs its own architecture of solidarity. It needs platforms that are not dictated by the interests of former colonial powers or emerging great powers alike. It needs to speak, act, and organize on its own terms.

In hosting this conference and leading this platform, Azerbaijan has planted a seed. Whether it flourishes will depend not only on the vision of its founders but on the will of the world’s civil societies to rally behind a common cause.

Baku has sent an invitation to the Global South — and perhaps to the world at large. The question now is: who will answer?