Breathe
By Stephanie Henaro
There are places where the future is simmering. And there are moments when you just have to be there to understand that the world as we knew it has begun to change. I am in Turkey, where tomorrow the Antalya Forum, a diplomatic summit that will bring together heads of state, foreign ministers, analysts and strategists from all corners of the globe, will kick off. I am where the world is about to be rewritten.
And it's not a metaphor.
While the international spotlight is preparing to focus on this summit, in Washington, Donald Trump - no longer as former president, but as acting president - has unleashed a tariff war that is shaking the planet. He is imposing tariffs of 125% on China. To Mexico, 25% on more than half of its exports. Turkey, from where I am writing, is already trying to renegotiate the 10% imposed on it. And this is just the beginning.
Trump did not return to the White House to dialogue, but to impose. His logic is one of punishment, not of pact. And the world knows it. That is why he arrives at the Antalya Forum with a new tone: that of urgency.
This Monday was called "black" in the international markets. Not because of drama, but because of reality. The rules of global trade are shaken. Mexico is trying to dodge retaliation, but it will not be able to avoid the blow. The 25% will affect jobs, supply chains and investor confidence. All this is happening while other countries are signing treaties, consolidating blocs and securing their place on the new chessboard.
And us, where are we?
That is why it is vital to be here. In Antalya, no truisms are repeated. Countries that do not usually have a microphone will be heard here. And it will be understood that the Global South no longer wants to be a spectator: it wants to be an actor.
I have spoken with diplomats, analysts and delegations already beginning to arrive from Central Asia, Africa and the Balkans. There is a shared awareness: no one wants to be trapped between China and the United States. They are all seeking to diversify partners, strengthen their blocs and gain room for maneuver. Multipolarity is no longer a slogan: it is a survival strategy.
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