Many of the Global South's most important payment innovations were built first for domestic needs. The next challenge is to connect them without recreating the dependencies they were designed to reduce. Southeast Asia has developed cross-border links between national payment systems. Africa is building regional settlement infrastructure. Francophone markets span multiple regions and monetary arrangements, while countries across Asia and Africa are exploring new forms of direct financial connectivity. The address examines a central proposition: sovereignty and connection do not have to be opposites. The strongest basis for regional cooperation may be national systems capable enough to choose how, where and with whom they interoperate. How can these systems move from bilateral links toward durable corridors between emerging markets?