Today’s international society faces many serious problems that cannot be solved by one country alone. Let us understand the current conditions and backgrounds of global-scale issues, including the North-South problem, poverty, population issues, refugees, and regional conflicts.
Basic Knowledge
The North-South problem refers to the economic gap between developed countries, which are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere, and developing countries, which are concentrated in the Southern Hemisphere. Developing countries face problems such as low income, dependence on primary products, and accumulated debt. There are also gaps among developing countries. The gap between countries closer to the “North,” such as oil-producing countries and newly industrializing economies (NIES), and least developed countries (LDCs) is called the South-South problem.
It is estimated that about 700 million people worldwide still live in extreme poverty (less than 1.90 dollars per day), according to the World Bank standard. Regarding population issues, the world population exceeded 8 billion in 2022. Much of the population growth is occurring in developing regions such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where shortages of food, water, and jobs are serious.
Refugees are people who have crossed an international border to escape war, persecution, natural disasters, or other dangers. The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) protects them. Regional conflicts are armed conflicts within or between states over ethnicity, religion, resources, and other issues, and increased after the end of the Cold War. They are also causes of many refugees and internally displaced persons.
North-South problem (the economic gap between developed and developing countries)
South-South problem (the economic gap that has arisen among developing countries)
Least developed countries (LDCs) (countries among the developing countries whose development is particularly delayed)
Refugee (a person who has crossed an international border to escape persecution or conflict. Protected by the UNHCR)
UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Responsible for the international protection of refugees)
Regional conflict (an armed conflict within or between states over ethnicity, religion, resources, and other issues)
Further Study (Background and Significance)
The historical background of the North-South problem includes colonial rule. Many developing countries were once colonies of developed countries and were forced to specialize in exporting primary products, which hindered industrialization. In 1964, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established to represent the interests of developing countries, and calls were made for a New International Economic Order (NIEO) with the slogan “Trade, not aid.”
The refugee problem has become more serious in recent years. The Syrian Civil War in the 2010s produced more than 6 million refugees. The problems of asylum seekers, who are not recognized as refugees and are left in a gap in protection, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are also important. Regional conflicts have complex causes, including the spread of weapons left by proxy wars during the Cold War, ethnic and religious conflicts, and struggles over resource interests. These issues are interconnected and difficult to address with a single solution.
- North-South problem: the economic gap between the “South,” or developing countries, and the “North,” or developed countries
- South-South problem: gaps within the developing world (the difference between oil-producing countries and NIES and LDCs)
- The world population exceeded 8 billion in 2022; much of the increase is in developing regions
- Definition of a refugee: a person who escaped persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or other grounds
- Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are outside the scope of the Refugee Convention and are likely to receive less protection
- Regional conflicts often involve a combination of ethnic, religious, and resource-related factors
Points to Note (Easily Confused Concepts)
① Difference between refugees and migrants: refugees are people escaping persecution or conflict, while migrants move voluntarily for economic or other reasons. ② North-South problem and South-South problem: the former concerns the gap between developed and developing countries, while the latter concerns gaps among developing countries. ③ The UNHCR (Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees) and UNICEF (Children’s Fund) are different organizations. ④ LDC does not mean “Last Developed Countries”; its official name is Least Developed Countries.
Practice
- Explain the historical background that gave rise to the North-South problem.
- Describe the difference between refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the perspective of protection.
- Give and explain several factors behind the frequent occurrence of regional conflicts.