Acting Secretary-General of the Global South NGO Platform, Ramil Iskandarli, has stressed the urgent need to strengthen South-South cooperation and support locally led initiatives to eradicate poverty, dismantle colonial legacies, and foster peace and justice across the Global South.
Speaking to DA News on the sidelines of the just-concluded African Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, Iskandarli emphasized that the continent and other regions in the Global South should be seen as engines of climate solutions rather than perpetual recipients of aid.
“We need to support ideas and initiatives developed in local communities of Africa and other continents in the Global South. This is key to eradicating poverty, overcoming colonial legacies, and fostering justice,” he said.
According to Iskandarli, the Global South NGO Platform is committed to building capacity for NGOs working directly with marginalized groups, including young children, people from poor households, and persons living with disabilities.
“We must accelerate capacity-building for NGOs in the field, to work more effectively with communities who are the most affected. My presence in Africa is part of our commitment to support these initiatives,” he added.
He underscored that inclusive civic engagement is central to achieving climate justice and sustainable development, stressing that grassroots organizations must not be sidelined in policy and financing conversations.
Building a united Global South front
Founded officially in Baku, Azerbaijan, in April 2025 with participation from 116 countries, the Global South NGO Platform seeks to foster partnerships and collaboration among NGOs across the Global South.
Its mission is closely tied to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17, which prioritizes global partnerships and cooperation.
Iskandarli revealed that the organization will hold its elective General Assembly in 2026 in Baku, where members will chart the next phase of the platform’s global cooperation strategy.
He further emphasized that South-South collaboration is no longer optional but essential for empowering local NGOs and scaling solutions that directly address the needs of vulnerable populations.
Iskandarli’s remarks align with the summit’s central message, where African leaders called for a new global partnership with a decisive focus on financing African-led solutions.
The forum highlighted Africa’s growing demand to shift the global narrative from being portrayed as vulnerable to climate impacts, to being recognized as a leader in climate innovation and resilience-building.
The Addis Ababa summit has set a tone for the Global South to demand equity in global climate financing frameworks while advancing homegrown innovations.
For the Global South NGO Platform, the task ahead is to amplify local voices and strengthen cross-border solidarity in tackling the twin crises of poverty and climate change.
“Communities in the Global South have the ideas and resilience to address the climate crisis. What they need is recognition, cooperation, and financing to scale their solutions,” Iskandarli concluded.
By Dare Akogun, Addis Ababa
