Seizing Opportunities for Global Justice in 2025

ASAP's Initiatives and Outlook

As we enter 2025, the global landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for advancing justice and combating poverty.Thomas PoggeASAP’s President, notes: “As the virus of national selfishness proliferates, policy talk drifts toward security and armaments, and the policy space for achieving real progress on poverty and theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs)is shrinking. Still, two factors create a special opportunity for 2025. Both theG20and theCOPhave good leaders (South Africa and Brazil), providing a small window for reform before the US and Australia take over in 2026. Also, realizing that they can no longer trust the US to direct their foreign policies, European states are more open to independent engagement with countries of the global south and even with China. Let us seize this opportunity to achieve at least one striking step toward global justice.”

This unique moment aligns perfectly with ASAP’s ongoing initiatives and our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). South Africa’s leadership of the G20 is particularly significant, as ASAP has longadvocated for greater representation of African nationsin global governance. This development, coupled with theAfrican Union’s inclusion as a permanent G20 member, presents an unprecedented opportunity to amplify voices from the Global South in shaping international policy.

In response to this pivotal moment, ASAP has launched the inauguralNelson Mandela Essay PrizeCompetition. This initiative aims to nurture young African scholars, encouraging them to address pressing continental issues and propose innovative solutions for global governance. By providing a platform for emerging African voices, we hope to contribute to a more inclusive and diverse dialogue on poverty eradication and sustainable development.

Our ongoingAmartya Sen Essay Competitioncontinues to play a crucial role in fostering critical thinking on global justice issues. The 12th round, focusing on illicit financial flows and their impact on poverty, directly addresses SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). By encouraging scholarly examination of these complex issues, we aim to generate innovative ideas that can inform policy and practice.

The ASAP Fellowship Program,now in its second year, further supports our commitment to nurturing the next generation of poverty scholars and activists. This initiative, which aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), provides mentorship and networking opportunities to emerging researchers, particularly from lower-income countries.

"Sustainable poverty reduction depends on turning evidence into practical institutional reform."