Global Commons

Collective dialogue, action critical to addressing global challenges

FORUM Staff

A commitment to multilateralism never has been more important as nations increasingly collaborate based on like-minded values and governmental systems to tackle universal challenges such as climate change, pandemics and emerging technologies. The United Nations’ International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace on April 24, 2023, focuses on positive exchanges and accomplishments among nations despite their differences.

“I call on all governments and leaders to renew their commitment to dialogue and global solutions that are the only sustainable path for peace,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, pictured, said in a news release.

His call resonates in the Indo-Pacific, where some nations don’t adhere to the rules-based international order. The People’s Republic of China, for instance, continues to disregard an international tribunal’s 2016 ruling on maritime rights in the South China Sea. And North Korea has defied U.N. Security Council demands that it cease developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

“Has multilateralism become too dysfunctional, or can we still find the sweet spot where sovereignty and internationalism co-exist?” the Observer Research Foundation, based in India, asked in early March 2023. It recognized the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a coalition with a history of working together despite differences, though its status has ebbed somewhat since the February 2021 military coup in member nation Myanmar and the armed forces’ brutal suppression of resisters.

Newer organizations are gaining influence in the region, and some include security among their areas of interest. Examples include the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Australia, India, Japan and the United States) and AUKUS (Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S.). Indo-Pacific militaries routinely come together for exercises such as Balikatan, Cobra Gold and Rim of the Pacific. Along with drills, military personnel cooperate on community projects and build relationships with counterparts from other nations.

Among the regional institutions promoting multilateralism:

Pacific Forum: The nonprofit foreign policy institute collaborates with more than 30 research organizations throughout the Pacific Rim, disseminating its findings to opinion leaders, government officials and citizens.

Australia Pacific Security College at the Australian National University: The college focuses on climate and the environment, human and national security, cybersecurity, and transnational crime. It emphasizes regional connectivity and the need for discussion and collaboration.

East-West Center: The U.S.-based nonprofit institute promotes understanding among Indo-Pacific people and nations through cooperative study, research and dialogue.

Nanyang Technological University: The Singapore science and technology institution nurtures future leaders and influences society through education and research.

The Alliance for Multilateralism, an informal network of nations, maintains that an international approach is indispensable to securing peace, stability and prosperity. It proclaims that “the major challenges of our time, by their nature and global scope, cannot be addressed by countries separately but must be tackled jointly.”

“Multilateralism,” the U.N. says, “is based on founding principles such as consultation, inclusion and solidarity.” It is “both a method of cooperation and a form of organization of the international system.”

 

IMAGE CREDIT: AFP/GETTY IMAGES

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