Shanghai, China. – The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) participated this Thursday in the Third Global South Think Tanks Dialogue, organized by the Global South Think Tanks Alliance (GSTTA), with remarks delivered by Dr. Víctor Alejandro Villanueva, Director of Special Projects of the institution. Villanueva represented the president of GFDD and former President of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Leonel Fernández, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to international cooperation, knowledge exchange, and bridge-building among emerging regions.
The meeting, held in the city of Shanghai on December 3 and 4, 2025, brought together delegations and think tanks from more than one hundred countries to analyze pathways to modernization, the challenges of global governance, and opportunities for cooperation between China and the Global South.
During his remarks, Villanueva stated that for GFDD it was “a great honor to participate in one of the most relevant forums for emerging nations, and to do so in Shanghai, a global symbol of innovation and progress.” He also expressed his gratitude for the invitation on behalf of President Fernández and the institution’s Executive Director, Dr. Marco Herrera, highlighting that GFDD has “25 years of promoting global exchange, quality education, and social and economic development as fundamental pillars of progress.”
Villanueva underscored the international standing achieved by the foundation, recalling that, according to the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report of the University of Pennsylvania, GFDD ranks among the 40 most influential think tanks in Latin America, with special recognition in environmental policy, international affairs, and digital communication.
In his speech, he emphasized the importance of strengthening alliances between the countries of the Global South and China. “The cooperation we need is not only commercial; it must include the exchange of technology, knowledge, innovation, and human development,” he affirmed. He also stressed that current challenges—climate change, social inequality, and the accelerated development of artificial intelligence—“cannot be addressed by any country in isolation.”
Villanueva highlighted the parallels between China and Latin America in the fight against poverty, educational expansion, and the construction of modern economies. “Our experience demonstrates that even a small nation can build trust, invest in its people, and preserve its commitment to peace,” he noted. In this regard, he maintained that China has followed a similar path, marked by “long-term vision, hard work, and national unity.”
The GFDD representative called for strengthening more equitable cooperation between both regions: “The relationship between China and Latin America must be a two-way bridge, built on equality, respect, and mutual benefit. We do not seek dependence, but shared progress.”
The speech concluded with a message of commitment to global cooperation: “The future does not wait. It depends on what we are capable of building today, with solidarity, respect, and hope. From GFDD, we reaffirm our willingness to continue working alongside those who share our mission.”
GFDD’s participation in the GSTTA consolidates its role as a regional reference in knowledge production and in the articulation of strategic agendas for the sustainable development of the Global South, strengthening its presence in the most relevant international debates.
