The world is witnessing a significant shift in international relations, with powerful countries increasingly imposing their own rules, eroding established norms and threatening global stability. This concern was recently voiced by Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko during an interview with China Media Group (CMG) at the 2025 Summer Davos Forum in Tianjin, China.
Sonko criticized the United States for hiking tariffs on its trade partners, highlighting how certain nations have historically used their influence to create rules that primarily benefit themselves. However, he noted that these countries are now seeking to break away from these rules as the world moves towards a more balanced order. “The concepts of international order, international rules, and the international community are losing their significance,” Sonko said, “because powerful countries unilaterally assume power and set rules for themselves, often at the expense of the rest of the world.”
The Senegalese Prime Minister emphasized that these rules were created by powerful countries to serve their own interests, but now that the world is becoming more balanced, they want to either break away from these rules or impose new ones. This shift towards a more multipolar world, where emerging economies like those in the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are gaining prominence, is seen as an opportunity for Africa and other regions to shape their own destinies.
Sonko underscored the importance of initiatives from the Global South, particularly within the BRICS framework, in fostering a more equitable and multilateral world. “What is being done in the Global South, and at the BRICS level, is quite important,” he said, “and such work must continue for a more balanced and multilateral world.” The 2025 Summer Davos Forum, which brought together over 1,700 influential figures from more than 90 countries and regions, provided a platform for discussions on how entrepreneurship and emerging technologies can drive dynamic and resilient economies.
As the world navigates this shift in the global landscape, the sentiments expressed by Prime Minister Sonko highlight the need for cooperation and a commitment to established international norms. The growing influence of emerging economies and the increasing importance of regional initiatives like BRICS are poised to shape the future of global relations, offering opportunities for more equitable and balanced international cooperation.
