The 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) concluded with a series of successful diplomatic activities and bilateral meetings, highlighting the strengthening and resolute voice of the "global majority" advocating for justice, rights and equality. In the U.N., comprising 193 member countries, the Global South, represented by 123 member countries, plays a pivotal role alongside non-U.N. members, collectively representing 125 countries. This global majority, encompassing 6.5 billion people, stands in stark contrast to the Global North, which represents a population of merely 1.5 billion, despite its territory covering 58 million square kilometers (22 million square miles) compared to the Global South's 93 million square kilometers.
As a natural consequence of this data, the population per square kilometer is 27.4 people in the Global North, while the same figure is 69.2 people in the Global South. While the Global North represents a gross domestic product (GDP) of $62 trillion, the Global South represents $39 trillion. However, we see the gap between the Global North and the Global South narrowing in purchasing power parity (PPP): $69 trillion versus $72 trillion. The coming period will see the Global South multiply its claim in education, qualified employment, innovation, science and technology. The most concrete result will be the jump in the rate of added value and high-technology products produced by the Global South.
For this reason, the coming period will also point to a process in which cooperation between Global South countries to produce "domestic and national" ("yerli ve milli" in Turkish) technology will intensify. This means that we will witness the rise of the economic dominance of the global majority.
The rise of the economic sovereignty of the global majority will indicate a period where the countries that make up the Global South will build corridors with their own means and capabilities that will deepen economic and commercial cooperation among themselves without the need for power centers.
In the context of inclusiveness and the pursuit of lasting solutions rooted in the "win-win" principle, the world's major economies have recognized Türkiye's significant global influence, acknowledging it as one of the top five countries with immense opportunities and capabilities worldwide. They are cognizant of Türkiye's reputation spanning across regions, including Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Consequently, they seek to emphasize the pivotal role of strategic cooperation with Türkiye as a catalyst for the success of transcontinental networks and projects.
The "Development Road" initiative, unveiled by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, symbolizes a tangible step in the collaborative efforts of the global majority, prioritizing sustainable development and fostering economic, commercial, logistical and transportation ties between the Gulf Countries, Iraq and Türkiye. As its name implies, the Development Road project is poised to expedite regional progress in Türkiye, Iraq and the Gulf Countries. This initiative is expected to make a significant impact in terms of alleviating unemployment and poverty by promoting the establishment of production hubs, industrial zones, transportation and logistics centers, as well as enhancing transportation infrastructure in the region.
President Erdoğan's vision for the Development Road project signifies the initial stride toward illuminating the path of progress in a region where dark forces have long been entrenched. Furthermore, the introduction of the TURANSEZ (a special economic zone in Turkistan, Kazakhstan), as unveiled by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan during the U.N. Security Council, underscores the substantial impact of Türkiye's pivotal role as a "playmaker" in the Eurasian landscape, fostering sustainable development in the surrounding regions. TURANSEZ is poised to invigorate the joint investment fund established within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), further propelling collaborative economic endeavors.
During the era marked by the ascension of the global majority's economic prowess, we will collectively observe the evolution of Türkiye's standing as a strategic partner into a source of substantial added value, marked by exponential growth, propelling Türkiye beyond the thresholds of the first, second and third trillion-dollar milestones.
