By Florian Bigge and Julia Ganter
Germany and Europe are facing a dilemma: for decades, the U.S.-led liberal international order provided the security umbrella and economic framework from which they benefited immensely. The transatlantic partnership, the European security order, and the global trade order have been the backbone of European politics and society. Today, that spine looks fragile.
While the transatlantic alliance and Europe itself remain the central pillars of German foreign policy, today’s challenges cannot be met without also building complementary partnerships beyond the West. The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, celebrated each year on 12 September, is a reminder that international cooperation is far more diverse than many in the West recognize. In 2025, the chosen theme — “New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation” — speaks directly to Europe. Currently investing in its competitiveness and security capabilities, it can position itself as an attractive partner for countries in the Global South. Exploring common interests is essential, while at the same time acknowledging divergences in values and priorities that will shape cooperation, as well as opening up, accepting reforms, and confronting historical blind spots. Europe’s task is not one of choice, but of aligning old and new partnerships.
This raises a central question for us at Körber-Stiftung: how can a German foundation contribute to this alignment? Given our strong commitment to enable dialogue and understanding on the functionality of the international rules-based order, displayed in our Global History and Politics Dialogue series and the Körber Emerging Middle Power Initiative, we have a direct interest in exploring how South-South and triangular cooperation can reshape global governance — and what role Europe can play in it. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul recently underlined during his trip to Asia that Germany must build stronger ties with middle powers in the Global South. This shows: to remain relevant, Europe must play a stronger role as a constructive partner in multilateral reform.
With our engagement with the legacy of the 1955 Bandung Conference, Körber-Stiftung wants to enable reflections on such a constructive role — not by producing consensus but by staging informed conversations to identify where interests align, where and why they diverge, and which steps are feasible now.
While often overlooked in the West, Bandung is remembered in the Global South as a turning point and a foundation of the Non-Aligned Movement. Today, nearly three-fourths of the world is non-aligned or, more accurately, multi-aligned. Earlier this year, we marked this anniversary with a Global History & Politics Dialogue Roundtable in Indonesia, followed by the forthcoming publication Bandung at 70: Multilateralism in a New Era of Multi-Alignment. What we learned from the debates and discussions is that the Bandung Conference should not be read as a script to reenact, but as a toolkit for today. The impulses documented in the final declaration, also known as “Bandung Principles” (sovereignty, solidarity, and collective advocacy) can help frame workable proposals for renewed multilateralism.
Our dialogue activities in Bandung and beyond have shown that multi-alignment is not simply a trend but a pragmatic strategy in a multipolar world. Rather than defending the status quo, Germany and its European partners can serve as bridge-builders — listening to demands for reform, engaging with them seriously, and contributing constructively to reshaping institutions.
South-South and triangular cooperation play a role here. They demonstrate how solidarity and shared knowledge can generate new forms of collective action. For Europe, engaging with these forms of cooperation means acknowledging that today’s politics is also a contest of selective narratives. Competing stories about the global order – whether framed around sovereignty, multilateral reform, or accusations of double standards – shape international politics. Precisely here, South-South and triangular cooperation can provide spaces where these narratives are articulated and confronted, and where Europe engages as partner, acknowledging that both West and South carry their own inconsistencies. Such dialogue would explore how reforms and alternative visions of multilateralism might be made compatible.
Shared projects can only succeed if Europe takes seriously the historical legacies and grievances that shape perspectives in the Global South – and if it invests in building trust, which until now has too often been lacking, through concrete and reliable cooperation on specific issues. By treating reforms not as a concession but as a shared project, Europe can strengthen its credibility as a partner.
For Körber-Stiftung, the task is to keep this conversation alive — connecting history to politics, Europe to the Global South, and past lessons to future challenges. In a fragmented world, dialogue remains the best tool to navigate uncertainty and build cooperation.
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the United Nations.
Florian Bigge is Programme Director for the Körber History Forum at the German foundation Körber-Stiftung. Julia Ganter is Programme Director for International Affairs at the same institution.
