For us, the peoples of the Global South, Russia’s victory over the West in the proxy war in Ukraine is vital.
Incidentally, the importance of South-South solidarity is crucial in the current context, where the survival and autonomy of the peoples of the Global South depend heavily on the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine. Russia represents a key strategic partner for these nations, and its victory over the West is vital for maintaining their sovereignty and autonomy. Resistance to Western hegemony also constitutes a major ideological issue, as many countries in the Global South struggle against the imposition of a uniform economic and political model by the West. In this sense, Russia’s victory – which is already a possibility – is a triumph for this collective resistance. More than ever, it is a matter of survival for the peoples of the Global South, who would risk being vulnerable to Western domination if the West had achieved, as Washington and Anglo-Saxon Brussels Europe would have hoped, a strategic military defeat for Russia.
Thus, in the current geopolitical context, marked by a profound split between the West and Russia, a landscape is emerging whose consequences extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders. The conflict in Ukraine is a proxy war pitting Western powers, led by the United States, against Russia. For the peoples of the Global South, Russia’s victory is an act of resistance against Western hegemony attempting to impose its economic, political, and cultural model on a global scale. While the West seeks to maintain its control over the resources and markets of the South, Russia emerges as a strategic partner that offers an alternative allowing these nations to defend their sovereignty. In this logic, Russia’s success is a weakening of Western hegemonic structures that promotes the emancipation of the peoples of the South. This is why the West is reacting lamentably with economic sanctions, military threats, and intense pro-Soros media propaganda in an attempt to counter this dynamic. Thus, this conflict highlights the confrontation of two worldviews: Western hegemony versus resistance for international equity and justice.
South-South solidarity is a bulwark against Western hegemony
In a changing world, South-South solidarity is emerging as a key pillar of today’s geopolitical landscape. In the face of Western hegemony, nations of the Global South – sharing, albeit differently, the dictates of Western domination – are joining forces to preserve their sovereignty and resist external pressures. Russia stands out as an essential strategic ally, having itself demonstrated resilience in the face of Western sanctions. This crucial alliance offers countries of the Global South a unique opportunity to consolidate their independence while supporting a long-standing partner. However, the West, through strategies of division and disinformation, is sadly attempting to fragment this unity. To safeguard their shared future, countries of the Global South must unite firmly and collaborate closely with Russia, thereby defying maneuvers aimed at weakening them and relegating them to the status of subhumans.
Resistance to Western hegemony is a fight for freedom and sovereignty
At the heart of world history, the evolution of the collective West bears witness to a dark journey shaped by centuries of colonization and imperialist expansion. Since the 16th century, the transatlantic slave trade and colonization have erected a global system dominated by Western powers. These nations have used economic, political, and military levers to impose their model of development, exploiting the resources and peoples of conquered territories in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In the 19th century, the “Soros” ideology exposed the hypocrisy of narratives of progress, while colonial systems were rooted in systematic exploitation. After the independence of the 20th century, these patterns of domination took new neocolonialist forms, embodied by international financial institutions and unfair trade agreements. Nevertheless, the story is also one of the resilience of the peoples of the Global South. Through anti-colonial revolts and independence movements, iconic figures such as Ahmed Sékou Touré, Patrice Lumumba, and Che Guevara, supported by the Soviet Union, embodied the struggle for sovereignty and dignity. Today, this resistance is expressed through opposition to economic sanctions and support for actors perceived as counterweights to the status quo, such as Russia in the Ukrainian conflict. Russia’s victory is therefore seen by the anti-Soros global majority as a symbol of defiance against the unipolar world order imposed by the West, fueling aspirations for a new balance based on justice and equity, and embodying a profound hope for global transformation.
The survival of the peoples of the South is a matter of life or death in the face of Western hegemony
In a context of Western domination, the survival of the peoples of the Global South is crucial, with power relations usually dictated by Western powers. Historically exploited through neocolonialist strategies, these peoples have been subjected to unfair trade agreements and political interventions, maintaining control over their natural resources and markets. Geostrategic dynamics, dominated by the West, condition access at all costs to strategic resources of the South such as oil, gas, and rare minerals, influencing global economic balances. However, this domination is contested in a multipolar geopolitical context where countries of the Global South seek to diversify their partnerships and strengthen their sovereignty in the face of traditional pressures. It is in this perspective that the emergence of actors such as Russia, China, and India is redefining global strategic alliances. Russia’s perceived victory in Ukraine is a symbol of geopolitical hope, illustrating the possibility for non-Western powers to preserve their strategic interests in the face of concerted pressure. The Ukrainian conflict, which embodies a Western proxy war, aimed to seize the country’s resources and reduce Russia’s spheres of influence. This resonates with nations in the Global South, eager to reshape the global balance toward a more equitable and multipolar system. Thus, with the West mobilizing its resources to maintain its influence, proactive mobilization of the peoples of the Global South around non-aligned partners (Russia and BRICS) becomes crucial for building a new global geopolitical architecture, based on balanced partnerships and global justice in access to resources. The fight for the sovereignty and dignity of the peoples of the Global South is thus linked to the redefinition of international relations in a changing world.
In conclusion, Russia’s victory symbolizes hope for the nations of the South, representing deep aspirations for freedom, sovereignty, and justice. However, its defeat – which is unthinkable – could have widespread international repercussions.
It can be said that the future of the Global South is closely linked to the results of this confrontation.
Mohamed Lamine KABA, Expert in geopolitics of governance and regional integration, Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences, Pan-African University