The Global South Economic Forum 2025 in Abu Dhabi will convene leaders to address the $4 trillion annual development finance shortfall impacting the Global South.
Abu Dhabi: With a widening $4 trillion annual gap in sustainable development financing threatening progress across the Global South, world leaders, economists, and innovators will convene in Abu Dhabi for the inaugural Global South Economic Forum (GSEF) on June 17, 2025.
Organised by the Centre of Geoeconomics for the Global South (COGGS) in partnership with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), China’s Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS), and the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, the event aims to reimagine economic systems and foster regional cooperation.
The forum will open with a keynote address by His Excellency Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of State for Economic and Trade Affairs, UAE. The plenary panel will feature notable global voices, including Jawad Al Anani (Former Deputy Prime Minister, Jordan), H.E. Christian Cardona (Former Trade Minister, Malta), H.E. Seyed Sajjadpour (Former Deputy Foreign Minister, Iran), and H.E. Nickolay Mladenov, DG of AGDA.
According to a recent UN report, the finance gap for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has surged 60%—from $2.5 trillion to $4 trillion annually—driven by climate change, conflict, and geopolitical instability. This shortfall threatens to derail progress in poverty eradication, climate resilience, and sustainable infrastructure.
GSEF 2025 will spotlight urgent solutions to reshape development finance, regional integration, and technology-enabled growth. Sessions will explore geoeconomic shifts, AI and green innovation, digital finance, and stronger South-South cooperation through trade blocs and infrastructure alliances.
The forum will also stress the power of narrative-building, aiming to amplify authentic voices from the Global South and correct global misperceptions. The UAE’s unique role as a connector between the Global North and South will be underscored, highlighting its leadership in logistics, investment, and innovation.
Mohammed Saqib, Founder and Convenor of COGGS, said, “The Global South is now shaping the world economy. GSEF 2025 will forge pathways for a fairer global financial architecture and unlock new potential for shared prosperity.”
The event will host over 100 delegates, including more than 20 state representatives. India’s participation is being facilitated by the Bureau of Research on Industries and Economic Fundamentals (BRIEF India).
