The push for reforming the global bodies and correcting the way their system functions is gathering momentum with calls for pragmatic changes peaking over the last two months. Though raised in different parts of the world, the voices are one and the same—the world should heed to the voices made both in Europe and Central Asia.
Most recently, on the heels of a Summit for a new global financing pact that France hosted on June 22 and 23, 2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) tweeted as problems are being stockpiled in Africa.
The Prime Minister eventually recommended applying reforms. He said “We can only tackle cocktails of interconnected crises that we face—cost-of-living crisis, financial crisis, growth crisis and climate crisis—head-on if we implement reforms to strengthen the global financial architecture.
Similarly, Kenyan President William Ruto boldly had argued in a panel discussion that French Pres. Emmanuel Macron moderated and whose video is available at a We Love Africa Facebook post. It seems that Ruto wants to see a global financial system that middle and small powers can reserve their own say. “We need a financial transaction tax at the global level where even countries like Kenya pay. We don’t want anything for free. You pay bigger because you have bigger economy, and we will pay commensurate to our economy. We want those resources not controlled by IMF and the World Bank, because you have the final saying. We want another organization of equals.”
What is more, Kazakhstan’s geostrategic location in Central Asia seems to have opened a window of opportunity for it to play a different role in international politics. This was manifested as the country’s President Kassim Jomart Tokayeve proposed a new track for world politics urging major powers to heed to the voice of ‘Middle powers’ at Astana International Forum (ASF) 2023 earlier in June.
Though lacking a precise definition as to which countries could exactly fall in the list of middle powers, it at least gives a clue that superpowers or the winner camp of WWII represent only a minority of the world’s population. But, whether one likes it or not, they have a profound influence in the world’s politico-economic activities.
For instance, their actions are bringing about a seemingly divided world these days. Worse still, regions like Africa could suffer the most due to various reasons.
Kazakhstan and other like-minded countries believe that they are able to build a bridge to help humanity cross the gulf. Another instance to such middle power politics could be the African leaders peace mission headed to Kyiv and Moscow. Africans show indifference in matters that affect them directly and indirectly.
The world had seen a similar diplomatic approach from mid-50s onwards. A figure counted countries were able to sense that the international community’s landscape had started to crack and they sat together in Bandung in April 1955, eventually bringing to the fore what was then called the “non-aligned movement”.
It is good that the AIF brings to attention to the world leaders that “a cold-war-like” crisis is haunting humanity’s civilization— and they are trying to show that there is a way to curtail the eminent danger lying ahead of us.
Astana entitled a panel discussion held at the capital’s magnificently architected conference hall as; ‘acting when others can’t: Middle power diplomacy in challenging times’. There is no doubting the fact that “others” are the superpowers. It is much symbolic that a country that implemented Non-Proliferation Treaty, Kazakhstan, has started pushing for the effectuation of alternative global diplomacy.
The panel discussion held on the sidelines of AIF attracted the attention of many foreign journalists, and almost all seats at the venue were taken.
Danny Qua, a professor of Economics at the National University of Singapore had been crystal clear when he articulated his thoughts.
He argued that if democracy is the rule of the majority, then middle and small powers represent 80 percent of the world’s population. Therefore, according to him, the majority must decide the fate of humanity. He was epitomizing it that the “zero-sum game” of superpowers that represents 20 percent of the pie, has posed a a great danger on the doorsteps of humanity.
The professor stressed; however, as middle powers should be “extra clear’ in what they want to achieve. “We need to shake the shackles of realism. Realism comes with the idea that the great powers do what they will, and the rest of us suffer what we must.”
He furthered the concept as he went on to say, “We don’t want a world where trade opportunities are removed, sanctions cobble our economic prosperity. Trade conflict and techno nationalism, as IMF managing director, suggested could result in a seven percent reduction in the global economy.
Per Worldometer’s available data (2017), the global GDP is as big as over 80 trillion USD, losing seven percent could be slashing approximately 5 to 6 trillion USD—an equivalent of Japan’s economy. The same argument was made by WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in Astana Forum.
Danny was bold enough to say that the middle powers should not take either the sides. “We don’t want to be dragged into other people’s conflicts.”
He strongly argued that middle powers have a concrete role to play.
The Ottawa Arms Treat of the 1990s which is still relevant into 2000s was made by a collection of third-world and small nations to get rid of the world from landmines. Great powers disagreed first. Eventually, Joe Biden also agreed.
Reports show that the landmine treaty was signed first by countries like Mauritius, Ireland and Canada. Ethiopia as well signed and ratified this document in 1997 and 2004 respectively.
Similarly, the Vienna Declaration of Human Rights of 1993 was a movement by middle powers and small nations to get great power in a way to acknowledge human rights around the world. And superpowers have come on board to be part of it.
Danny argued that middle and small nations to at least be non-aligned to either side.
Most African countries including Ethiopia remained non-aligned during the cold war being parties to the Bandung principles of course. But panelists like Amb. Thomas Greminger, Director of the Geneva Center for Policy since May 2021, seems to have perceived that the dividing lines have already haunted the world.
He called it a cold war 2.0 that visibly surfaced on the heels of the Ukraine-Russia war. “The cold war 2.0 comes with different confrontation, but with the same similarly, like the Cold War 1.0, having similar repercussions.”
He cited the fact that there is an emerging ideology and breakdown of dialogue and cooperation. North America and Western Europe are taking the Western camp while some remaining multi-vector policies, and others still unable to decide—countries in the global south including Africa seem to have been waiting as to what could happen in the power competition among the superpowers.
What next?
Middle and small powers have proven that they could put their impact to shape a better world. What is the missing link then?
The answer, as many would agree, is the lack of a fair and inclusive international system. This Link completes the international political and economic machinery so that it operates for all. No doubt, the Link cannot come by simply because we simply talked about it. Actors such as leaders of Africa should continue to get the nerve to demand their rights.
Particularly, there is a need to make the UN look like its members. Today’s UN resembles, by and large, the superpowers. It is their interests that ultimately take center stage. Middle and small powers are only bystanders, to say the least. Or at least, they should sway to this or that side to make their interests protected even if they don’t like to.
Let this writer conclude with what President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in his speech at the Plenary Session of AIF: “For it to survive, the global system must work for everyone, promoting peace and prosperity for the many/ rather than for the few.
BY WORKU BELACHEW
The Ethiopian Herald June 29/2023
