Addis Ababa, May 19, 2025 (FMC) – The Secretary-General of the Organization for Southern Cooperation (OSC), Manssour Bin Mussallam, has called on nations of the Global South to act boldly, deepen cooperation, and move beyond hesitation and formality in the pursuit of a shared, sovereign future.
“History has no place for those who hesitate,” he noted, urging OSC member states to build practical synergies, integrate regionally, and construct lasting bridges between their peoples.
“South-South cooperation will not be sustainable without agreements among our countries of the Greater South, without genuine integration. We must establish a framework for cooperation that enables the building of bridges to strengthen ties between countries of the South, allowing our peoples to get to know each other and exchange their cultural riches, to face challenges together and to project a shared horizon.”
The statement was made during celebrations marking Global South Day, held at the Ashenafi Kebede Performing Arts Center of the Yared School of Music, Addis Ababa University.
The occasion commemorated the fourth anniversary of the OSC’s Constitutive Charter, which entered into force in 2021, establishing the OSC as the only intergovernmental organization of the South with executive capacity to lead transformational programs across member states.
Speaking to Fana Media Corporation after the event concluded, the Secretary-General reflected on the significance of the day: “Here we are at Addis Ababa University, hosting a principal lecture by the renowned Argentinian intellectual Ricardo Forster, who spoke of the need to renew with utopias and reconnect with our memory if we want to build the future,” he said.
“This day is about much more than commemoration—it’s about rethinking development and reaffirming our identity as sovereign nations of the South.”
Addressing the theme of the celebration, “Utopia and Memory in the Greater South,” the event featured a keynote lecture by Ricardo Forster, titled “The Half-Erased Traces of Utopia: A View from the South.” Forster emphasized that utopia is not merely an abstract dream, but a “renewable energy” that arises from the collective memory, cultural heritage, and language of the South.
“It is a force that drives peoples toward action and renewal,” he said, highlighting the deep desire within Southern societies to reclaim their historical narratives and chart their own paths.
Bin Mussallam emphasized that true South-South cooperation cannot be reduced to formal agreements alone. “There won’t be South-South cooperation if we limit ourselves to the agreements signed among us,” he stated. “We must tap into our resources, pool our capacities, and intensify collaboration to accelerate progress and forge our brighter future.”
He also highlighted a powerful symbolic moment: while Forster addressed the gathering in Addis Ababa, a Senegalese intellectual was delivering a parallel lecture in Buenos Aires. “This is about building bridges between our peoples,” the Secretary-General said. “South-South cooperation has no future without those connections.”
Bin Mussallam outlined the six core pillars of the OSC’s transformational agenda:
Building knowledge-powered societies
Becoming drivers of the technological revolution
Accelerating inclusive and balanced education transformation
Revitalizing cultural and artistic expression
Creating green, shared prosperity
Intensifying South-South cooperation and integration
The event, attended by diplomats, senior officials, and representatives of member states from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, was a vivid display of unity. The flags that adorned the stage symbolized the rich cultural diversity and shared aspirations of the Global South.
With a clear message of urgency, Bin Mussallam concluded that the time for action is now. “This is not a moment to pause or doubt. The future belongs to those who move together—with purpose, courage, and solidarity.”