From North-South to South-South power relations: The changing dynamics of interregional cooperation and its effects on South America’s sustainable development

Abstract

In an international context characterized by a growing multipolarity, formerly predominant North-South interregional ties are now being challenged by renewed South-South relations. Following this transformation, South America has been diversifying its alliances by engaging in new interregional arrangements that include other regional partners in the Global South. Seeking to contribute to international relations' literature on the role of interregional cooperation and understanding sustainability as a precondition for equitable development, the article assesses the limits and opportunities provided by traditional (North-South) vis-à-vis newer (South-South) interregional partnerships for South America's sustainable development. We discuss that even when South-South interregional cooperation constitutes a relevant contemporary development that puts under scrutiny the role of the European Union as the exclusive hub of interregionalism, these new forms of association are not yet prioritizing sustainable and equal development as a guiding value in its cooperative actions. This finding stands out as particularly evident in the region's strategic associations with extra-regional emerging economies.