Global South must rely on itself to avoid repeat The Vulture and the Little Girl

Thirty years ago, the South African photo journalist Kevin Carter captured a haunting image of The Vulture and the Little Girl. This picture, which depicts a vulture staring at a starving girl, has become an enduring symbol of hunger, poverty, and suffering in the Global South. Three decades on, however, hunger and poverty remain far from eradicated. Worse, income inequality continues to widen at an alarming pace, presenting unprecedented challenges to the Global South. According to the United Nations Development Programme, nearly 700 million people globally live in extreme poverty, with 237 million of them facing severe food insecurity—mostly in the Global South. In sub-Saharan Africa, the hunger rate stands at 18.4 percent, significantly higher than the global average.

To escape from hunger and poverty, Global South countries cannot place their hopes on external support. Western neoliberalism has not only perpetuated inequitable trade practices, but also marginalized developing nations through global value chains, severely limiting their socioeconomic development. While Western countries have provided some aid, it often comes with strings—such as the imposition of Western political systems and values—that frequently result in chaos, conflict, and even war.

The collective rise of the Global South, however, marks a turning point. With newfound determination, capability, and confidence, the Global South has an unprecedented opportunity to break free from poverty. The solution lies in strengthening South-South cooperation and sharing development opportunities.

The path to poverty alleviation must reflect the unique experiences and aspirations of the Global South. For example, China's targeted poverty alleviation has lifted nearly 700 million rural population out of extreme poverty in the last decade, eradicating absolute poverty once and for all. India's National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) provides a legal guarantee for 100 days of employment per year to every rural household, stimulating rural employment. In Kenya and other African nations, free compulsory education and initiatives to end hunger have improved literacy and food security. These are the remarkable results of the Global South's explorations of poverty reduction.

Similar histories, comparable developmental stages, and shared aspiration to eliminate poverty have made it easier for Global South countries to understand, support, and identify with one another's path to poverty alleviation, and share experience on economic development and poverty reduction. More and more countries are coming together to set up partnerships tailored to the Global South's unique needs, and offer ideas, manpower, funding, and material assistance. At the recent G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil proposed the establishment of a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty to facilitate international collaboration on addressing hunger and poverty through consultation, policy making and fundraising. China also unveiled its eight actions for global development at the summit, providing robust support for international cooperation on poverty reduction and food security.

Through the lens of history, poverty in the Global South is by no means doomed to last forever. The fact that the world's four great ancient civilizations originated in the Global South underscores that there is no such thing as "poverty gene" among Global South countries, and they are fully capable of reclaiming their past glories and reaching new heights. By boldly breaking free from the constraints of internal and external inequities, leveraging their own efforts, and fostering solidarity, Global South countries can create a life of prosperity and dignity for their people. The awakening of the Global South signals the advent of a historic new phase in the global fight against poverty.

The author is a Beijing-based international affairs commentator.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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