New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Thursday said that the era of a Western-dominated world is over, and while this disruption is obvious, it will take some time to sink in across the West.
In his address at the inaugural ceremony of Raisina Dialogue here, Stubb also cautioned that “without a functioning world order, power vacuums will be filled by raw power, rogue behaviour, and predatory hegemons”.
The opening day of the flagship event was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Stubb, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, members of the diplomatic corps, and strategic affairs experts and thinkers from various countries.
In his address, Stubb said he was “deeply concerned” over the conflicts in the Middle East, in Sudan and in Ukraine, among others.
“My worry, though, is that these conflicts are incrementally becoming global. And my aim today is to try to find a pathway back to an international order in which institutions, norms and rules are respected,” he said.
Stubb added that without a functioning world order, “power vacuums will be filled by raw power, rogue behaviour, and predatory hegemons”.
“So today, we hear assessments that the rules-based world order is dead. That a wrecking ball is destroying all of the international institutions and rules that have been built since World War-II. And that the rupture of the old system is inevitable.
“Sure, we’re living through a major challenge in world politics. Sure, the old order is being challenged, questioned and attacked. But I would argue that the reality is actually much more complex,” he said.
The Finnish leader argued that the world should strive to provide “concrete normative proposals” on how to fix the global order and make it work better for all.
That is not idealism, it is motivated by interests and realism, he said.
“My thesis is very simple. I believe the Global South will decide what the next world order will look like. And India will be a major power, if not the force, in deciding whether the world will tilt towards conflictual multi-polarity, characterised by deals, transactions and spheres of interest, or whether the world will tilt towards a new cooperative, fair and representative multilateral global order based on international institutions, rules and norms,” Stubb said.
“The policy choices that India and other key powers make truly matter in this time of transition. They will set the direction of the future,” he added.
The world is changing much like it did after World War-I, World War II, and the Cold War, and it’ll take a few days to settle,” he said, asserting that the “global power balance has shifted”.
“The Global South has both demography and economy on its side. I mean, here we are in a country which is portraying growth rates of 7 per cent, probably projecting all the way to 2047. At the same time, it’s the biggest democracy in the world.
“But my argument is that the era of a Western-dominated world is over. That’s the disruption. This is obvious, but it will take some time to sink in across the West,” Stubb said.
The Finnish leader added, “We live in a time of power politics, a time where might seems to make right, with violence once again becoming a go-to foreign policy tool used around the world with very little restraint.” In Ukraine, Russia is trying to “subjugate a sovereign country” through a war that is a “blatant violation” of international law, he said.
“The way this war will end will have major consequences not only in Europe but globally. It is in all of our interests that the outcome does not reward the aggressor,” Stubb argued.
In the Middle East, the events have taken rapid turns, he noted.
It is now witnessing a regional escalation with countries which were pushing for diplomatic solutions, he said.
“I had the chance to speak to the president of the UAE yesterday and the Emir of Qatar today, while getting insights from the prime minister of India on how he sees the situation,” Stubb said.
“Currently, the rules-based trade system is not delivering as it should. And, trade is being wielded as a geopolitical tool, an instrument of power. In this area, India’s leadership is needed,” he said.
Stubb also said that “none of the previous world orders had been perfect” and the West should “drop the illusion of a perfect order”.
“At times, we offered advice and criticism, from our ivory towers, to those faced with a different reality. Now our holiday from history is over. Instead of preaching and teaching, it’s time for us to learn from others, and India would be a good starting point,” Stubb said.
“The foundations for the United Nations were built in San Francisco, much like the framework for our global financial system that was built in Bretton Woods. I think what the world needs now is a new San Francisco moment.
“And if I may, my procedural proposal is that we should have a New Delhi moment. In other words, India should gather world leaders in Delhi and begin the process of looking at what happens after wars.
“So, in conclusion, it is in our interest to make the international system more inclusive and fairer while maintaining its core values and principles,” the Finnish president said. PTI KND ARI
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