G77 summit in Cuba calls for new global order

The Group of 77 developing countries (G77) called for a new global order at a two-day summit in Havana, Cuba, which wrapped up on Saturday.

The G77 was established in 1964 to advance the collective economic interests of the Global South. The bloc has since expanded to include 134 members.

"After all this time that the North has organized the world according to its interests, it is now up to the South to change the rules of the game," said Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who currently chairs the organization.

Diaz-Canel said that developing countries were the main victims of a "multidimensional crisis" in the world today, which ranged from "abusive unequal trade" to global warming.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also said that these countries are "trapped in a tangle of global crises," pointing to climate change and foreign debt.

"The world is failing developing nations," he said in Havana.

World leaders gather in Cuba

A number of Latin American leaders were present at the summit including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Colombia's Gustavo Petro, and Argentina's Alberto Fernandez.

Other world leaders who attended include Angolan President Joao Lourenco and Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.

China, which is listed as a member by the bloc, maintains that it is not a G77 member but supports the organization's mission.

Representing Beijing was Li Xi, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, who said his country "will always make South-South cooperation a priority" in its dealings with the outside world.

Touching on the summit's theme of science and innovation, Li said that China "remains committed to building technological change that will reduce digital divides."

zc/mm (AFP, Reuters, AP)