– Dr. Christian Cardona
Europe stands today at a turning point. The wars in Ukraine and Palestine have revealed more than just the fragility of its security architecture. they have exposed the erosion of Europe’s credibility. By defending sovereignty and international law in one conflict while appearing to ignore them in another, Europe has invited the charge of double standards. The Global South has noticed and, crucially, it is no longer content to remain silent.
The Global South is not the passive partner of yesterday. It is a dynamic bloc of states shaping trade, energy markets, and diplomatic agendas across the globe. In the UN, at the G20, and through coalitions like BRICS, the South is setting terms rather than merely receiving them. For Europe, this is not a challenge to be managed but a reality to which it must adapt. Without meaningful engagement, Europe risks isolation in a world that is increasingly multipolar.
For Malta, these shifts are not distant abstractions. Our geography places us at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. regions where the strength of the Global South is already tangible. We see it in the growing assertiveness of African states demanding fairer migration and trade policies, in the energy partnerships that link the Mediterranean to the Gulf, and in the moral clarity with which Latin America and others speak about Palestine. The South is no longer waiting for Europe’s permission it is charting its own course.
Prime Minister Robert Abela of Malta has rightly raised these realities within the European Council, urging Europe to move beyond selective morality and embrace a consistent vision of peace and security. Likewise, Foreign Minister Ian Borg has underlined that Malta’s diplomacy must be rooted in dialogue and neutrality, principles that give us credibiAdd a heading (1)lity as a bridge between continents.
But credibility is also undermined when Malta’s voice at the highest European level becomes indistinguishable from that of larger powers. Roberta Metsola, as President of the European Parliament, has too often served as an unquestioning mouthpiece for Brussels’ dominant interests. Her readiness to adopt strong positions on Ukraine while remaining hesitant, or silent, on Palestine reflects exactly the inconsistency that alienates the Global South. In moments of crisis, leadership demands independence and courage. To simply echo the agenda of the powerful is not leadership but abdication.
What Europe must now accept is that the Global South is not asking for recognition but is demanding it. Its collective economic power, demographic weight, and moral authority are reshaping the balance of the international system. Europe can either engage with this reality as an equal partner, or it can continue clinging to outdated hierarchies and watch its influence fade.
[ Agency is more important than Geography: Dr. Cardona on Global South at Global South Economic Forum 2025, Abu Dhabi, hosted by COGGS and AGDA]
Malta understands this better than most. As a small state, we know that influence does not come from size but from credibility. And credibility today means consistency — consistency in upholding international law whether in Kiev or in Gaza, consistency in dialogue, and consistency in respecting the equal voice of the South. The wars of our time should be Europe’s wake-up call. A Europe that dismisses or lectures the Global South will be a Europe left behind.
[Dr. Cardona is former Economy Minister of Malta, International Trade Law Specialist and Advisor COGGS. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of COGGS.]
