Rivalry and disunity within developing regions

Lack of sense of community and solidarity within developing countries
Tradition-bound rivalries

Nature

Rivalry and disunity within developing regions refer to persistent conflicts, competition, and lack of cooperation among neighboring countries or groups within less economically advanced areas. This problem often stems from historical grievances, ethnic divisions, border disputes, and competition for resources. Such internal discord undermines regional integration, hinders economic development, and weakens collective responses to shared challenges like poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment. Rivalry and disunity can also attract external interference, exacerbate instability, and limit the effectiveness of international aid, ultimately impeding progress toward sustainable growth and social cohesion in developing regions.

Background

Rivalry and disunity within developing regions gained international attention during the post-colonial era, as newly independent states in Africa, Asia, and Latin America struggled with inherited borders and competing national interests. The phenomenon became more widely recognized in the 1960s and 1970s, when regional organizations such as the Organization of African Unity and ASEAN confronted persistent internal divisions, highlighting the challenge of fostering cooperation amid deep-seated historical, ethnic, and political rivalries.

Incidence

In the Arab world, on the Indian subcontinent, in Africa and in Latin America, solidarity is lacking and developmental rates are slowed by intra-regional rivalries and misunderstandings. In South America rivalry between Argentina and Brazil is notable, and there is a sense of difference between Andean countries and other OAS members. In Southeast Asia, ASEAN members and non-members cannot unify on a regional basis to further development. In Southern Africa, the region is neglected while civil wars and international hostilities continue. The lack of, or a weak sense of regional identity afflicts the Caribbean, the less developed countries of the Mediterranean basin including insufficiently developed parts of Europe, and it afflicts central Africa.

Claim

Rivalry and disunity within developing regions is a critical obstacle to progress, perpetuating poverty, instability, and underdevelopment. Instead of uniting for shared prosperity, internal divisions waste resources, fuel conflict, and undermine collective bargaining power on the global stage. This fragmentation allows external exploitation and stalls vital reforms. Addressing this problem is urgent—without unity, developing regions will remain trapped in cycles of dependency and missed opportunities, unable to secure a better future for their people.

Counter-claim

Austria and Turkey, North Korea and Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium are all examples of near neighbours who have mutual differences. What is it about the "developing country" label that allows the most simplistic slurs to find their way into acceptance ? The perception that a developing country is part of a homogenous region is a convenience of international organizations who for developmental aid purposes are largely responsible for introducing the regional concept, at least in the developmental perspective. The regional concept has more reality in international funding budgets than anywhere on the ground.