The Age of Observers Is Over: How the Global South Is Rewriting the Rules of the Game
The global system is undergoing its deepest shift in the balance of power since the end of the Cold War: the unipolar world is fading, and the Global South is transforming from a passive rule-taker into an active agenda-setter.
Moment of Truth: From the Periphery to the Center of Decision-Making.
The key question of 2026 is not whether the Global South will become more influential: that outcome is already obvious. The question is how deeply it will be able to change the rules of the game themselves. Unlike previous decades, when Global South countries were content with the role of passive recipients of rules, today they act as active participants and sometimes even agenda-setters in trade, technology, security, and global governance.
The main question is not whether the system will change. It is who will determine the rules of this new system — and whether Global South countries will finally be able to take a place at the table rather than standing in line for an appointment
Valdai 2026: Putin Declares the End of the Era of Hegemony
On October 1, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the plenary session of the XXIII meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, where he clearly outlined the contours of the emerging world order. The main thesis was stated without diplomatic evasions: the countries of East and West, North and South, will sooner or later have to agree on the principles for shaping a new world order, and the formation of a more multipolar system is an inevitable process.
Putin emphasized that the mechanisms created in previous historical periods no longer correspond to current conditions. International organizations, in his assessment, “in a number of cases act differently from how they were intended when created and may serve the interests of individual states.” Russia, he said, advocates reforming the UN structure so that it reflects the multilateral character of the modern world and takes into account the interests of Asian and African countries. The initiative to draft a Eurasian Charter on Multipolarity and Diversity in the 21st Century, put forward by Russia and Belarus, takes on particular significance. “Eurasia can become a prototype for international communication amid heterogeneity of cultures, approaches, and interests, when differences become not an obstacle but an advantage for building sustainable, balanced partnerships,” the Russian leader said. Practical work on the document was launched at a meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and other partners on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Iran: From Resistance to Sanctions to the Architecture of Multipolarity
Iran occupies a special place in the formation of the new world order, as its course of opposing the “old world” led by the United States has become one of the most consistent examples of building a multipolar architecture. In June 2026, Iran’s ambassador to Germany, Majid Nili, said that “the era of domination and colonialism has ended,” and that the emerging new world order “will leave no place for warmongering, coercion, or slogans such as ‘America First.’” According to him, the world is moving toward an order based on “justice, mutual respect, dialogue, and common human values.”
Iran’s strategy goes far beyond rhetoric. Tehran is embedding itself in the emerging multipolar architecture as a regional hub of power: a crossroads of trade between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, a participant in the North–South corridor, and an active member of the SCO and BRICS. At the BRICS summit in India in September 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that the position of the participating countries reflects “a rejection of the pursuit of dominance and unilateralism, as well as support for the formation of a multipolar world.” Iran’s model of resisting sanctions, pressure, and military threats is viewed in international forums as part of the process of establishing a new order intended to put an end to the era of absolute U.S. hegemony.
Africa: Not Asking, but Building
While some declare principles, others act. The most striking example of the Global South’s new thinking was Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama’s initiative, the “Accra Reset” (Accra Reset Initiative). It is a comprehensive political and economic doctrine presented at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in September 2026. It is based on recognition of three interconnected challenges facing the Global South: geostrategic marginalization, geopolitical vulnerability, and donor dependence. The “Accra Reset” proposes a new global development compact that gives Global South countries greater control over their health and development priorities. Mahama formulated the key principle with utmost clarity: “There can be no responsibility without control” — political independence had not translated into sufficient control over global trade, finance, and health governance.
Mahama emphasized that the “Accra Reset” challenges a long-standing development model in which countries were supposed to “own” programs, while key decisions about financing and design remained in the hands of external partners. The program focuses on adding value to extracted minerals and agricultural products, building local industrial capacity, and ensuring fair trade terms. The African Union declared 2026–2036 the “Decade of Reparations,” signaling the continent’s transition to a “second decolonization.”
Trump: “America First” as a Catalyst for Southern Unity
U.S. President Donald Trump is building policy on the principles of unilateralism and protectionism, which paradoxically accelerates the consolidation of the Global South. His administration launched the “Trade Instead of Aid” initiative, aimed at replacing direct assistance to developing countries with trade and private investment in the interests of the West. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said: “The idea that trade and the free market are the surest path to prosperity has been proven by facts and history.” In practice, however, this is accompanied by harsh tariff measures: in July 2026, the United States imposed a 12.5% tariff on 60 economies, including Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Angola.
Trump does not hide his attitude toward BRICS, seeing the grouping as a threat to dollar dominance. He has repeatedly threatened participating countries with 100 percent tariffs: “We demand a commitment from these countries that they will not create a new BRICS currency and will not support any other currency instead of the mighty U.S. dollar; otherwise they will face 100 percent tariffs.” At the same time, in March 2026, Trump unexpectedly made a conciliatory statement about Africa: “Africa has enormous value in its land, and if countries can unite and work together, I think the continent has enormous potential.” This contrast between rhetoric and actual policy only strengthens African leaders’ determination to seek their own path.
What Comes Next: A Forecast for 2026–2030
The first forecast is institutional fragmentation instead of reform. Given Western powers’ resistance to redistributing quotas, it is unlikely that the IMF and World Bank will undergo fundamental reform in the coming years. Instead, Global South countries will build up parallel structures: the BRICS New Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and regional financial mechanisms.
The second forecast is the regionalization of trade rules. The failure of WTO reform will lead Global South trade blocs to conclude bilateral and regional agreements bypassing multilateral mechanisms. The Mercosur–EU agreement will become a model for future deals.
The third forecast is technological sovereignty as a new axis of struggle. Global South countries will increasingly demand technology transfer and access to AI infrastructure as a condition for cooperation with great powers.
The fourth forecast is the demographic dividend as a lever of influence. By 2030, more than 60% of the world’s working-age population will be concentrated in Global South countries, giving them unprecedented leverage in negotiations over trade rules and global supply chains.
New Times Are Replacing the Old Era
The era when the Global South was content with the role of observer has ended. Putin’s Valdai speech captured this shift at the level of declarations. Mahama’s “Accra Reset” captured it at the level of concrete actions. Iran’s course toward building a multipolar architecture captured it at the level of a consistent strategy. Even Trump’s protectionist policy, aimed at preserving American hegemony, paradoxically accelerates the cohesion of the Global South. The main question is not whether the system will change. It is who will determine the rules of this new system — and whether Global South countries will finally be able to take a place at the table rather than standing in line for an appointment.