The first-ever Global South Economic Forum was held Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), bringing together nearly 100 policymakers, scholars, and think-tankers from over 20 developing nations to address the most pressing issues facing the Global South and to promote a more equitable and inclusive global economic order.
The Global South now accounts for 85 percent of the world's population and over 40 percent of global GDP, becoming an important engine of global economic growth, and showing great potential in terms of resource endowment, market size and industrial upgrading. Organized by the Center of Geoeconomics for the Global South in partnership with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, and the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, this high-level forum aspires to reimagine economic frameworks for a more equitable global future.
According to the organizers, the Global South Economic Forum was especially held at the same time as the G7 Summit to convey the voice of developing countries to the world, emphasize the need to reform the international economic governance system and promote multilateralism.
"The world is on a new economic world order that is setting up now. We are on the cusp of change and I think now the Global South has enough voice that we can come together collectively and make our own decisions. So far I think we have been ruled by the G7 or you can say the Western world. But now things are changing and they are changing very fast," said Mohammed Saqib, founder and convenor of the Center of Geoeconomics for the Global South.
"The 21st century belongs to the Global South. So we need a new world order. The core of this world order is multipolarity and sustainable, more equal, inclusive and resilient development. I think such important goals require joint efforts of the Global South countries," said Zhao Yuezhi, chair of humanities at China's Tsinghua University.
This year's forum focused on new challenges facing developing countries, including geopolitical conflicts, the sustainable development financing gap, and competition for technological sovereignty.
The world's developing nations are facing an unprecedented 4 trillion U.S. dollars annual financing shortfall in sustainable development. This gap represents a significant increase from previous years, with factors like climate change, conflict, and geopolitical uncertainty driving up the need for development finance, said a recent United Nations report.
Anil Trigunayat, a former Indian diplomat, called on the international community to find ways to stop at all costs the disastrous air war between Iran and Israel that entered in its fifth day Tuesday.
"And this escalation has to be contained, must be stopped before it is too late. And I hope that the all the countries in the world, especially the United States, takes a proactive role to arrange to stop this war, because without that we are going to see a very major conflagration," he said. Chinese Ambassador to the UAE Zhang Yiming delivered a keynote speech at the forum, pointing out that development is a common aspiration of the Global South. He expressed the hope that China will work with other Global South countries, including the UAE, to further voice for peace, seek a path to development, consolidate the foundation for cooperation, and jointly write a new chapter of prosperity and development in the Global South.
Global South Economic Forum held to address pressing challenges
Li Yuhua, a farmer-turned forest ranger from a mountainous village in Dulongjiang Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, has spent nine years protecting the forests in her hometown while helping local people increasing their incomes.
Li's family was once a registered impoverished household, relying mainly on corn farming for living. Things began to change for her family in 2016 when China launched a policy allowing registered impoverished population to work as ecological forest rangers, and Li became one of the first ecological forest rangers in the town.
"When I first began to work as a forest ranger, it was hard for me even to climb mountains, let alone climb rocks and cross rivers. But I told myself that since the country gave me this opportunity, I must do it well. I worked hard to improve my physical fitness and learn new skills, always actively taking the missions of patrolling mountains," said Li.
As Li often wears a colorful, vibrantly striped "Dulong blanket," a traditional clothing of the Dulong ethnic group, the villagers call her the "rainbow ranger."
"I think the name 'Rainbow Ranger' is beautiful. It makes me feel like a rainbow for us women of Dulong ethnic group guarding our homeland," Li said.
Dulong is a mountain-dwelling ethnic group in southwest China. It is one of the least populous of China's 56 ethnic groups, and the people were known for "direct transition" from primitive life to the modern socialist society at the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Most Dulong people live in Dulongjiang Town, where an inhospitable mountainous terrain used to thwart the place's development for decades. The town remained to be one of the poorest areas in Yunnan Province and even in the entire country. Thanks to government inputs and the development of industries with local features, the Dulong people have been experiencing remarkable life changes. In 2018, the Dulong ethnic group shook off poverty as a whole.
Beyond safeguarding forests, Li took the lead in developing non-timber forest-based economy in the town, guiding local residents to grow plants like Chinese black cardamom and wild-simulated lingzhi mushrooms as well as raising cattle and bees.
In 2025, the total output value of the town's non-timber forest-based economy reached nearly 30 million yuan (around 4.3 million U.S. dollars), with the annual average income of 43 households increasing by more than 20,000 yuan (around 2,900 U.S. dollars) each.
Li also established a cooperative for Dulong blanket making, attracting more than 170 women to learn traditional weaving techniques. They have developed 12 types of cultural and creative products, including shawls and scarves, and sold them worldwide through livestreaming, generating wealth for themselves.
"In the past, we only wove blankets for our own use. Now she teaches us to make the cultural and creative products and sell them. Last year, I earned more than 4,000 yuan (around 580 U.S. dollars) from weaving. I spent the money on my children's school fees and new appliances for my house," said Mu Jianying, member of the cooperative.
Li's dedication to both forestry and rural revitalization has earned her widespread recognition. In 2024, she was honored as model of ethnic solidarity and progress and received the title certificate from President Xi Jinping. She was also awarded the title of National March 8 Red-Banner Pacesetter, the highest honor presented by the All-China Women's Federation to the country's outstanding women, ahead of the International Women's Day observed on March 8.
Li said her achievements are the result of collective efforts.
"I often think that one person's strength is very limited, but the strength of a group is great. There are 195 ecological forest rangers like me protecting this land in the Dulongjiang Grand Canyon," she said.
As a female forest ranger, Li shared a message for women ahead of the International Women's Day.
"To mark the International Women's Day, I want to say to all my sisters: No matter what position we are in, as long as we are willing to endure hardship and work hard, we will surely weave our own rainbow," she said.
Forest ranger dedicated to guarding green mountains in Yunnan
Forest ranger dedicated to guarding green mountains in Yunnan
