Beyond the West: How the Global South is Redefining Regional Power

by Lāsma Kokina

In this paper, we discuss:

• The Global South’s shift toward regional and South–South cooperation as alternatives to Western-led institutions.
• The emergence of self-directed regional security and trade frameworks, reflecting a more multipolar order.
• Cyprus’s proposal for a Middle East regional security body and the push for an ASEAN–GCC Free Trade Agreement as key case studies.
• How recent geopolitical shocks have accelerated demand for regionally controlled governance mechanisms.

Download PDF: Regionalism December 2025