Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Mulambo Hamakuni Haimbe, SC, MP, has emphasized the urgent need to reaffirm Zambia’s commitment to championing the interests of the Global South. He made these remarks during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025, where he participated in a high-level panel discussion under the theme “What Role for the Global South in Effective Multilateralism.Speaking during the panel discussion, Hon. Haimbe stressed that the Global South must no longer be a passive observer in global affairs but rather an active and equal participant in shaping the world’s future. He welcomed the recent admission of the African Union into the G20, describing it as a historic opportunity for Africa to influence global decisions on trade, debt, climate financing, and investment flows.“Decisions affecting the majority of the world’s population are still being made by a minority. This imbalance undermines legitimacy and erodes trust in international institutions,” Hon. Haimbe said, as he called for urgent and inclusive reforms in key institutions.He outlined Zambia’s position on critical reforms, including the need for permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council, the restructuring of voting rights in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to reflect current economic realities, and the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure that trade rules support inclusive development.Hon. Haimbe emphasised that these were not radical demands, but rational and necessary steps toward a more just international order. He added that addressing today’s global challenges ranging from climate change and pandemics to economic inequality requires the full participation of the Global South.In a separate climate-focused intervention, Hon. Haimbe underscored Zambia’s commitment to leading a just energy transition. “For us, the energy transition is not about switching off, it’s about switching on,” he said, highlighting Zambia’s Green Growth Strategy, the expansion of solar energy, and regional collaboration with the Democratic Republic of Congo on battery mineral value chains.
