On September 15-16, 2025, the ETTG, alongside the Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) and the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), co-hosted a two-day workshop in Istanbul. The event, “New Directions in Development,” offered a comparative analysis of how Turkey, the European Union, and China engage with the Global South.
In an era of significant geopolitical shifts, the workshop convened leading policymakers, academics, and experts to dissect the distinct approaches of these three key actors.
We analysed the distinct development models of key actors shaping relationships with the Global South:
- The EU’s value-driven approach, navigating a world where national interests are more pronounced.
- China’s state-led, infrastructure-focused strategy, which is rapidly reshaping economic landscapes.
- Turkey’s pragmatic and flexible positioning as an influential middle power building diverse alliances.
The first day featured a high-level public panel discussion, which set the stage by outlining the strategic interests and narratives of each player.
The second day consisted of a closed-door roundtable, allowing for a candid and in-depth exploration of the economic partnerships, development effectiveness, and geopolitical implications of their respective strategies.
The key takeaway is that 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗶𝗱. The future lies in building 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 and skillfully 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Stay tuned for the outputs !
