North-South Dialogue and Global Inequality: Meaning, Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

General inequality in development between global North and South is identified as a major source of crises threatening global peace and security. North-South Dialogue is an approach designed to use summits, conferences, dialogues, negotiations, and meetings to achieve agreements, and programmes that can reduce this imbalance. However, analysts have argued that North-South Dialogue is characterized by words without actions based on the persistent socio-economic and political inequality existing between the two divides. This paper looks at the meaning and yardstick for classifying North and South. It shows the manifestations of this inequality and identified factors that contributed to it. We looked at some of these dialogues and x-rayed those problems that undermined North-South Dialogue from achieving its objectives. Insincerity in words and actions from both Northern and Southern participants is identified as a major setback for achieving the targeted objectives. For the North, national and business interests, selfishly perceived, are seen to have constituted major hindrances to the implementation of agreements and programmes reached in the dialogues. Again, corrupt practices, and poor leadership are spotted as major hindrances undermining south's strength in the struggle to reduce the gap.