The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) concluded with a series of successful diplomatic activities and bilateral meetings, highlighting the strong and resolute voice of the “global majority” for justice , rights and equality. Within the UN, which has 193 member countries, the Global South, represented by 123 member countries, plays a central role alongside non-UN members, collectively representing 125 countries. This global majority, which numbers 6.5 billion people, contrasts sharply with the North, which represents only 1.5 billion people, despite a territory covering 58 million square kilometers (22 million square miles) compared to the 93 million square kilometers of the South. .
As a natural consequence of these data, the population per square kilometer is 27.4 people in the North, while the same figure is 69.2 people in the South. While the Global North represents a gross domestic product (GDP) of $62 trillion, while the South represents $39 trillion. However, we see that the gap between North and South is narrowing in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP): $69 trillion versus $72 trillion. The coming period will see the countries of the South increase their demands in terms of education, qualified jobs, innovation, science and technology. The most concrete result will be the increase in the rate of added value and high-tech products manufactured by the global South.
This is why the coming period will also be that of a process in which cooperation between Global South The desire of countries to produce “domestic and national” technology (“yerli ve milli” in Turkish) will intensify. This means that we will see a rise in the economic domination of the world majority.
The rise of economic sovereignty of the global majority will indicate a period when the countries that make up the South will build corridors with their own means and capabilities that will deepen economic and trade cooperation between them without the need for centers of power.
Turkey’s reputation as a strategic partner
In the context of inclusion and the search for sustainable solutions anchored in the “win-win” principle, the world’s leading economies have recognized Turkey’s significant global influence, recognizing it as one of the top five countries endowed with immense opportunities and capabilities in the world. They are aware of Turkey’s reputation in all regions, including Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Therefore, they seek to emphasize the central role of strategic cooperation with Turkey as a catalyst for the success of transcontinental networks and projects.
The “Road to Development” initiative, unveiled by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, symbolizes a tangible step in the collaborative efforts of the global majority, prioritizing sustainable development and promoting economic, trade, logistics and transportation ties between the Gulf countries, Iraq and Turkey. As its name suggests, the Development Road Project is poised to accelerate regional progress in Turkey, Iraq and the Gulf countries. This initiative is expected to have a significant impact in terms of reducing unemployment and poverty by promoting the creation of production hubs, industrial zones, transport and logistics centers, as well as improving transport infrastructure in the region. .
President Erdoğan’s vision for the Development Road Project represents a first step toward lighting the path to progress in a region where dark forces have long been entrenched. Furthermore, the introduction of TURANSEZ (a special economic zone in Turkistan, Kazakhstan), unveiled by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan at the UN Security Council, highlights the substantial impact of Turkey’s central role as a “playmaker” in the Eurasian landscape, fostering sustainable development in the surrounding regions. TURANSEZ is set to reinvigorate the joint investment fund established within the Organization of Turkish States (OTS), further propelling collaborative economic efforts.
During the era marked by the rise of the economic power of the world majority, we will collectively observe the evolution of Turkey’s position as a strategic partner towards a source of substantial added value, marked by exponential growth , propelling Turkey past the first, second and third trillion-dollar milestones.
