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Saturday, June 20, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
South-South
BOLIVIA: Dam Spells Hope and Fear for Small Jungle Town
Arturo Sánchez, 72 years old and nearly blind, dreams of bringing ecotourism to Cachuela Esperanza, a Bolivian town of 1,336 people on the Beni river, and hopes the construction of a huge hydroelectric dam will give a boost to his dreams.Rights Groups Take on “Ex-Gay” Ministries
Groups peddling the widely discredited notion that gay people can be "cured" of their sexual orientation are encountering staunch resistance to their message, even as converts insist that they are leading happier lives.U.S.: Activists Fight Deportation of Bi-national Gay Couples
After Erwin de Leon successfully defended his dissertation, he felt relief at being closer to earning his doctorate in public and urban policy. But the achievement also meant that time was running out to find a way to stay in the United States.
BOLIVIA: The Boomerang Effect for Morales
It wasn't easy to get to the Bolivian city of Riberalta from Brazil. The adventurous journey included potholes on the Brazilian highway, a rickety boat that ferried us across the Mamoré - the border river - and an unnerving ride on a motorcycle taxi. But the biggest complication was the roadblocks.
Q&A: ‘Common Concern, Not Common Action’
The summit of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries showed up both the strengths and the limitations of the caucus of emerging economies, says former Indian foreign secretary Shyam Saran in an interview to IPS.Emerging Markets Clash with Anachronistic Institutions
The first weeks of April have witnessed a maelstrom of multilateralism – from the chambers of the annual Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) here to the round tables of the BRICS summit in the resort island of the Hainan province in China – leaving in its wake a tome of unanswered questions regarding the contours and configurations of the new world order.BRAZIL: From Development Aid Recipient to Donor
Although Brazil's international development funds are still small compared to those of the industrialised world, the South American giant's foreign aid has grown considerably in the last eight years, and the country has gone from beneficiary of development assistance to donor.DEVELOPMENT: IBSA Fund Packs Small But Sustainable Punches
Despite only three million dollars a year coming into the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Fund for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation, it aims to pack punches above its weight with small but sustainable projects.DEVELOPMENT: IBSA’s South-South Funding With No Strings Attached
Development donors typically impose strict conditions on recipient countries. Now a different South-South approach to funding is taking shape through the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Fund for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation.
Emerging Powers Harnessing Neighbours’ Hydroelectricity
Emerging countries like Brazil and China are building numerous hydroelectric dams at home and abroad to help drive their economic growth. But while in Latin America the phenomenon is touted as an integration process, in Asia it has generated tension over the shared use of rivers.
BRAZIL: Sugar Cane Fields Turned into Industry in Sertãozinho
"A disappointment" was his first impression of his new city. It was small, half the size of his hometown of Barretos, and had "weak lights," says Marcelo Pelegrini, remembering his family's move to this southern Brazilian city when he was nine years old, after his father got a job transfer.DEVELOPMENT: India and South Africa — Ever-Tightening Relations
Much is made about China’s footprint in Africa but what about its emerging markets rival India?
BRAZIL: Belo Monte Dam Faces Endless Hurdles and Controversies
The Xingu river flows around small isles and islands and across rapids and waterfalls in Brazil's Amazon jungle, and has a dramatically reduced flow during dry season. Navigating it presents constant hurdles and risks.DEVELOPMENT: BRICS to Promote More Inclusive Global Partnership
At the upcoming Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) summit, to be held on the tropical Chinese island of Hainan Apr. 14, discussion will focus not only on deepening economic ties among members, but will also likely touch on global political events, including the crisis in the Middle East and North Africa. But China insists the club has no political agenda.
IBSA States Do Not Always Have Common Positions on Trade Issues
"IBSA what?" is the question you most often get in Geneva when enquiring about the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) dialogue forum, established in 2003 between these three multicultural democracies and emerging markets "to contribute to the construction of a new international architecture".
WORLD HEALTH DAY-BRAZIL: First Map of Clusters of Antibiotic Resistance
Scientists in Brazil have created the first map of clusters of antibiotic resistance in Brazil, linking the phenomenon to abuse of the drug and opening doors to guide public policies for antibiotic prescription and sales.
Brazil Beefs Up Nuclear Emergency Plans
The Brazilian government is tightening safety procedures at its two nuclear power stations. Although this South American country is not prone to earthquakes or tsunamis, it is not exempt from natural disasters like landslides and flooding that could jeopardise evacuation plans if a radiation leak occurred.
Swaziland’s Middle-Income Status Reflects Only King’s Lifestyle
While Swaziland struggles to alleviate its fiscal crisis with foreign aid because of its World Bank classification as a lower middle-income country, the government has increased the budget for King Mswati III, Africa’s last remaining absolute monarch and one of the richest royals in the world.
TRADE: Southern African Rulers Eyeing the Money, Not Development
A new revenue sharing formula in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) could boost development but has met with resistance from the governments of poorer states in the sub-region that are interested in "just getting the money".SOUTH AFRICA: Who Says Research Can’t Be Dramatic?
In the early 1990s, a group of researchers set off for a small rural village in the eastern part of South Africa. Their intention was simple: teach the community how to rehydrate sick babies.
INDIA: EU Trade Deal May Curb Affordable Drug Supply
As India prepares to seal a sweeping trade and investment deal with the European Union (EU) in April, civil society groups are campaigning to limit the agreement's repercussions within the local generic drug industry here upon which millions of people around the globe depend.« Previous Page — Next Page »
South-South cooperation – collaboration between developing countries - is a growing and dynamic phenomenon, an important process that is vital in confronting shared challenges. Led by emerging giants India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) the South is a tremendous source of tested solutions to development challenges including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Nairobi Outcome of the 2009 High Level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation in Nairobi, Kenya highlights growing political and economic ties within the developing world, as countries from the South assume leading roles in decision-making on hot global issues ranging from economic recovery to food security and climate change.
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