Former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan Djoomart Otorbaev has called for stronger South-South cooperation to amplify the voice of developing nations amid global turbulence.
Speaking to China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Wednesday at the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2026, Otorbaev said that reforms to ensure smaller countries are heard could help prevent more powerful countries from undermining global security.
"Indeed, in the last couple of years, the law of the jungle became more and more used, capturing leaders or elected leaders in different parts of the world, bombing independent countries, killing innocent civilians, not bringing our world to a safer environment. So we need to discuss how to make the world at least more stable. Many already, in a few first meetings, agreed that we have to brainstorm what to do, including [the role of] multilateral institutions like the UN -- what to do with the UN, especially with architecture of the UN Security Council, how to ensure the voices of smaller entities are heard," he said.
Otorbaev emphasized that China is making strong efforts to enhance security across Asia and beyond, and urged greater South-South cooperation to unite developing nations and make their voices heard globally.
"China (is an) undisputed leader in Asia in many aspects -- economic aspect, political aspect, social aspect -- big country, making all attempts to make our continent safer, and then going around the world. So my statement is that we should focus on South-South cooperation. So the Global South have all chances to get united and to get our voice heard around the world," said the former prime minister.
With Asia projected to account for half of global GDP within a decade, Otorbaev said the region should set an example of cooperation and security, pointing to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a potential model and suggesting closer integration with ASEAN.
"Asia very soon, within ten years, will be producing 50 percent of world GDP. So we must get together to set an example of how to work together on the planet. Can we establish a format for cooperation and security? And I believe that the format of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be example for strengthening and increasing its influence. I don't see the reason why Shanghai Cooperation Organization can't be somehow merged with ASEAN. I don't see the reason why we can't do things together. But this might require time. And the Boao Forum is the place where these types of ideas and new formats could be discussed and further moved to political circles in order to do it well. We have here many ASEAN participants, Central Asian participants, European participants. So all of us just wanted to make things happen," he said.
He added that deeper regional cooperation should serve as a pathway to global cooperation.
This year marks the its 25th anniversary of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference. The forum opened on Tuesday with the theme of "Shaping a Shared Future: New Dynamics, New Opportunities, New Cooperation," and will run to Friday.
Founded in 2001, the forum has grown into a key platform for addressing Asian issues and strengthening cooperation both within the region and globally.
Former Kyrgyz prime minister urges South-South cooperation amid global "law of the jungle"
