The Global South must forge a new path and take the lead in reshaping international cooperation as the stability and security of the world economy are being actively undermined by the current international system, says foreign minister Mohamad Hasan.
Speaking at the BRICS Partners Foreign Ministers Meeting 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, he said the flurry of tariffs which had sent shockwaves through the global community was not a threat, but a revelation and an opportunity.
He said the Global South, as a collective, was becoming a key actor in global realignment and must not be content with a passive role in global decision-making.
“This is an opportunity to reshape international cooperation in ways that reflect our strengths and better serve our needs.
“We must be proactive, forward-looking, and united in shaping a cooperative, just world order. Malaysia stands ready to work with BRICS and all partners who share this vision,” he said at a dedicated session called “The Role of the Global South in Reinforcing Multilateralism”.
Citing Asean as the world’s fifth-largest economy with a combined GDP of US$3.8 trillion, he said the region offered significant purchasing power, strong export performance, and open-minded diplomacy.
Mohamad said that with this emerging role in mind, Malaysia, as this year’s Asean chair, was guiding the region towards unity, economic cohesion, and strategic diversification.
“Through our commitment to an open, rules-based, and inclusive regional architecture, Asean is focused on strengthening intra-regional trade, developing resilient supply chains, and embracing emerging industries that place sustainability and innovation at their core,” he said.
He said that BRICS, too, was a force for economic resilience, political balance, and social advancement.
“Together, we have the power to reshape the contours of international cooperation – not just as critics of the outgoing system, but as the architects of a fairer one,” he said.
Mohamad also voiced Malaysia’s support for Brazil’s leadership as chair of BRICS this year as well as its priorities, which he said were timely and essential.
