Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called for enhanced inter-regional and inter-continental cooperation among countries in the Global South as a necessary step to tackle shared challenges and promote sustainable development.
Speaking at the Parliamentary Dialogue Fora in Morocco, where he is leading the ECOWAS Parliament delegation, Mr. Afenyo-Markin emphasized the urgent need for dialogue as a foundation for building trust, resolving disputes, and strengthening parliamentary diplomacy.
He noted that the world is facing a growing crisis of trust, which can only be addressed when leaders engage citizens through language they understand, respond to their concerns, and reconcile facts with perceptions.
In his view, the absence of dialogue fuels discord, misinformation, and disconnection between governments and the people they serve.
He stressed that inter-regional dialogue is essential in confronting common challenges such as terrorism, food insecurity, irregular migration, and rising youth unemployment.
He warned that neglecting such dialogue could lead to severe consequence including global inflation, protectionism, disrupted supply chains, and weakened economic competitiveness.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin urged participating countries to use the forum not only for discussion but as a space to forge stronger collaboration, deepen cooperation among parliaments, and translate the collective aspirations of their people into meaningful policy actions.
He reaffirmed the shared destiny of countries in the Global South and the responsibility of their leaders to unite, deliberate, and overcome any misunderstandings that may hinder development and progress.
