🌐 Living by One's Own Wits: The World Majority in Search of Independent Decision-Making

On October 10, the Valdai Discussion Club hosted a presentation of the report “The World Majority and Its Interests.” 

💬 The moderator of the event, Timofey Bordachev, lead author and editor of the report, explained that this refers to the absolute majority of countries in the world that are not directly involved in either the military-political conflict between Russia and the West or the confrontation between China and the United States, and prefer not to take sides in these confrontations. How are the interests of countries in this group formed and evolving? What can we expect from them in the future and how will their behaviour affect the development of international politics and the global economy?

💬 Lidiya Kulik, PhD in History; Head of India Studies, SKOLKOVO School of Management; Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, called the study extremely timely. Having considered India as a typical example, she pointed out that, despite the diversity of the world majority, the distinctive feature of its countries is that, while they do not want to join any blocs, they demand maximum respect for their position. In each of these countries, there are objectively formed interest groups that are oriented toward different blocs and different sides of the confrontation. This creates a new phenomenon, a kind of “multi-alignment”.

💬 Nourhan ElSheikh, Professor of Political Science at Cairo University; Member of the Egyptian Council for International Affairs, believes that the increasing role of the world majority is one of the largest transformations in the world. She emphasised that the world majority is an established fact, the significance of which is growing. “This is a key phenomenon that is necessary for both the Global South and the entire world,” she said, adding that it probably makes sense to institutionalise it and create within its framework some tools for coordinating activities in international structures.

💬 Mayya Nikolskaya, Acting Director of the Centre for African Studies at the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO University and co-author of the report, clarified that when speaking about the majority of countries in the world being outside of global confrontations, it should be clarified that this is only about non-alignment with one camp or another. They can very well serve as an arena for confrontation, and, for example, African countries are precisely the field in which the competition between the United States and China is most obvious. According to Nikolskaya, two trends are currently being observed among African countries: one aimed at reforming the existing global structure and one aimed at finding alternative options.

https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/living-by-one-s-own-wits/

#WiderEurasia #valdai_report #WorldMajority #WorldOrder

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🌐 BRICS today leaves no one indifferent; its polarising influence extends to  the remote corners of the world.

For some, it is definitely a “bone in the throat”, while for others - the only beacon of hope in the raging ocean of our world. For still others, it is a complete working tool for reforming the existing world order. Regardless of the polarity of the assessments, no one ignores or denies the strong place of the association in international relations.

BRICS today is not only in great demand, it is also simply a “fashionable” project. However, this fashion for BRICS creates excessively high expectations with regards to the results of its work. This is precisely what poses the main danger for the group.

The active fans, while elevating BRICS to Olympus and ignoring the realities on Earth, very quickly cool down when the realities force them to remember that Olympus has always been dauntingly out of reach.

There are those who know that the result is achieved with sweat and blood, and that it is necessary to work hard to ensure that the aspirations of BRICS to build a more democratic and fair world order will not remain unrealised, writes Viktoria Panova, Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Head of the BRICS Russian Expert Council, Sherpa of the Russian Federation in the Women’s Twenty (W20).

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/russia-s-brics-presidency-life-on-the-eve-of/

#WiderEurasia #BRICS

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🇮🇳🌏 India's vision for Eurasia focuses on promoting stability and peace, which are achievable through collaborative efforts to address common security threats and safeguard shared interests.

When considering India's engagement in greater Eurasia, it is vital to understand its four main priorities:

1️⃣ Promoting Multipolarity

India's approach to the world is greatly influenced by the concept of multipolarity, which underscores the need for a balanced distribution of power and influence among major global players. This perspective reflects India's commitment to a fair and inclusive global order that respects different nations’ diverse viewpoints and perspectives (especially the Global South).

2️⃣ Regional diplomacy

As an emerging economic and political actor in the Indian subcontinent, India plays a crucial role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of Greater Eurasia. With its longstanding relationships with the countries of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia countries, India has been actively engaged in regional diplomacy to promote security, stability, and economic cooperation.

3️⃣ Pursuing Economic Opportunities

India is firmly committed to exploring economic opportunities throughout the wider Eurasian region. By identifying the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations, India aims to leverage its growing economy and expanding market to further economic growth and development in the region.

4️⃣ Addressing Security Concerns

In today's interconnected world, addressing security challenges that transcend national borders is imperative. Regional and global cooperation are crucial in tackling these issues. India is dedicated to actively participating in security initiatives within the Greater Eurasia region.

India should prioritise strengthening its strategic partnerships with key players in the Eurasian region, including Russia and the Central Asian countries, writes Pravesh Kumar Gupta.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/priorities-for-international-cooperation/

#WiderEurasia #India

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🌏 For the Russian Federation, cooperation with partners in the SCO in multilateral and bilateral formats is one of the international priorities enshrined in the current Foreign Policy Concept of 2023.

Moreover, this not only details using the SCO's potential to develop relations on the Eurasian continent, in particular, to form a broad integration circuit - the Greater Eurasian Partnership (Clause 54 of the FPC), but also to influence the international system by "facilitating the adaptation of the world order to the realities of a multipolar world" (Clause 19 of the FPC).

The SCO understands existing difficulties and is taking steps to systematise multilateral cooperation, developing common goals and objectives, as well as strengthen the mechanisms for their achievement by the organisation’s members, writes Sergey Mikhnevich. Read his articles:

🔹 ‘Globalise It’: The SCO and the Future of the Economic Agenda in the Organisation's Globalisation

🔹 The SCO and the Restart of the Trade System

#WiderEurasia #SCO

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