global northlatest news & developments

Age of cruelty

The rise of darkness indeed splits the world … It divides us into those who believe in humanity and those who feel entitled to do whatever they want

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
The rest of us: Gen Zs in Kenya, Indonesia, Peru, Mexico and beyond are rising to show that they will not be silent while their futures are stolen. Photo: wetheninetynine

The billionaire house of cards

The 99% are done waiting. Billionaire fortunes hit a record high and the G20’s effort on inequality has been deleted

  • Library
4 min read
Speaking in tongues: While Washington sought to scupper the success of the G20 Leaders’ Summit hosted by South Africa and actually boycotted the event, American business was in the plenary halls and vocal at the B20.

B20: A catalyst for Africa’s luxury renaissance

The world is moving from borrowing African aesthetics to embracing African authority

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
President Cyril Ramaphosa told delegates that all G20 members except the US had signed the declaration.

Breaking with G20 custom, world leaders adopt declaration at start of annual summit

President Cyril Ramaphosa told delegates that all G20 members except the US had signed the declaration

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
G20: President Cyril Ramaphosa will host leaders from 42 countries at the two-day G20 leaders’ summit in Johannesburg this weekend. Photo: GCIS

G20: All eyes on Ramaphosa

The absence of US President Donald Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin puts the spotlight squarely on President Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africa

  • Eyaaz
6 min read
SA must use its G20 presidency to show it is serious about ending inequality and narrowing the gap between the rich of Sandhurst and the poor of Alexandra.

South Africa must use the G20 to reset its climate legacy

Advancing climate and sustainability action will require that all arms, spheres and levels of government lead an integrated and interdependent response to climate change

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
South Africa’s push for a permanent Y20 council met strong resistance, exposing divisions on climate, gender and technology and leaving the forum without a final communiqué

G20’s youth forum split over wording and accountability structure

For the first time in 14 years, the G20 youth engagement group (Y20) closed its summit last week without issuing a communiqué — the set of recommendations that usually feeds into a declaration by world leaders at their annual summit, this year being hosted in Johannesburg in November. In June, the Y20 submitted a communique […]

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
National sovereignty has been a key undercurrent from delegates representing the Global South.

G20 youth confront challenges of multilateral cooperation, national sovereignty

The Y20 summit revealed disparities in youth-driven calls for climate justice, inclusive growth and sovereignty between the Global South and North

  • Des Erasmus
7 min read
Lessons learned: During the Covid-19 pandemic, Global South countries such as South Africa were the last to get vaccines, ventilators and personal protective equipment, with these items delivered to wealthier nations first and surplus vaccines left to expire. Photo: David Harrison

Reform legislation to boost the Pandemic Treaty

Business interests and intellectual property laws privilege the wealthy and leave the rest scrabbling for life-saving medicine

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
Going for gold: Salimah Valiani’s anthology of poetry iGoli eGoli is a socio-political examination of the city. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Johannesburg: A city laid bare in lines of poetry

Salimah Valiani’s beautiful, insightful anthology explores Johannesburg and its inhabitants

  • Eyaaz
5 min read