The 2024 G20 summit in Rio highlighted the growing influence of the Global South in reshaping global governance, addressing inequalities, and advocating for inclusive multilateralism.

On November 18–19, Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2024 G20 Leaders’ summit, a critical moment for shaping global governance amid a shifting world order. With the official inclusion of the African Union as a permanent G20 member and the rising influence of nations like Brazil, India, and South Africa, the Global South has never spoken louder in international forums. This year’s summit underscored the growing recognition of perspectives from postcolonial nations—nations increasingly united in their demands for equitable representation and justice in global decision-making.

“Voices of the Global South” captures the collective call for more inclusive governance, addressing entrenched political and economic disparities between the Global North and South. At the Rio summit, these voices articulated grievances that extend beyond politics, emphasizing economic inequities that have widened over decades. These appeals demand recognition and action, pressing the North to reckon with historical injustices and current imbalances.

Since the Peace of Westphalia, the international system has primarily reflected Western dominance. The Cold War saw the globe divided into capitalist, socialist, and non-aligned camps, with the collapse of the Soviet Union consolidating power in a U.S.-led rules-based order. Yet, the G20 has emerged as a rare platform for dialogue between the Global North and South, particularly in recent years.

The past three summits—in Indonesia (2022), India (2023), and now Brazil—have placed the Global South at the forefront of discussions. This shift, partly driven by the inequities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the phenomenon of “vaccine nationalism,” has brought demands for a more inclusive and equitable world order into sharper focus.

Under the theme “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet,” this year’s summit highlighted critical issues: climate vulnerabilities, the digital divide, calls for reforms in global institutions like the UN Security Council, and renewed commitments to multilateralism. Brazilian President Lula da Silva did not mince words, denouncing neoliberal globalization as a failure and condemning the UN Security Council’s inaction as a threat to peace and development. He called for urgent reforms in Bretton Woods institutions, criticizing their outdated frameworks as obstacles to sustainability.

India’s G20 presidency in 2023 had already set the stage, particularly with its push to include the African Union as a permanent G20 member. India’s “Voice of the Global South Summits” in January, November, and August 2023–24 amplified these concerns, reinforcing the demand for sustainable development through multilateral collaboration. Echoing these sentiments, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s solidarity with the Global South, asserting Beijing’s role as a “reliable and long-term partner” for developing nations.

The summit also illuminated the paradox of economic cooperation. While Western free-market policies have fueled growth in nations like China and India, they have also perpetuated systemic inequalities. India’s mixed-economy approach, blending collaboration with Western powers and domestic strategies, contrasts sharply with the economic fiction of unregulated free markets. Meanwhile, countries like South Africa and Brazil continue to grapple with glaring wealth disparities, symbolized by their high Gini coefficients and insufficient land reforms.

The Global South’s emerging consensus is clear: economic models rooted in colonial legacies must give way to frameworks prioritizing equity. For instance, investment opportunities in anti-colonial Eastern European nations represent untapped potential for developing economies.

The rise of right-wing populism in both the Global North and South complicates this dialogue. In the West, this phenomenon risks rekindling colonial attitudes and fostering animosity toward the South. Conversely, right-wing populism in countries like India raises concerns about exploitation and authoritarian capitalism. These dynamics underscore the need for a nuanced approach to global governance that transcends ideological divides and prioritizes common interests.

Despite these challenges, the 2024 G20 summit marked a victory for multilateralism. Leaders from the Global North, including France and the United Kingdom, voiced support for reforms to strengthen international governance. The European Union’s longstanding commitment to inclusiveness further bolstered these efforts. With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, European dependence on Global South leadership may grow even more pronounced, reinforcing the need for cooperative strategies.

As the summit concluded, one thing was clear: the voices of the Global South are no longer marginal. They are central to the discourse on global governance, offering a vision for a more just, equitable, and sustainable world.