An emerging new global order.docx

By ERIK SOLHEIM China Daily Global Updated: 2023-08-22 07:33Anemergingnewglobalorderf*in+MAXUEJING/CHINADAILYThechallengesandconflictsofthe21stcenturywillhavetobesolvedthroughcooperationbetweenmanynations.BRICShasakeyroletoplayinthatlandscapeBRICSisoneofthemostimportantinstitutionsinthemultipolarsystemwhichwillbetheworldorderofthe21stcentury.TheBRICSnations一Brazil,Russia,India,ChinaandSouthAfrica-accountfor42percentoftheworldpopulationand32percentoftheglobaleconomy.BRICSbringsnewdynamicstotheinternationallandscapeandgivesstrengthtodevelopingcountriesinaworldorderthatuntilrecentlywasdominatedbytheUnitedStatesandtheotherWesterncountries.BRICSobtaineditspresentshapein2010,withtheadmissionofSouthAfricaasafullmember.ItwascraftedattheunipolarmomentaftertheColdWarwhentheUSalonedominatedtheworld.PerceivedasareactiontotheUSmilitary,sunilateralcampaignsinIraqandotherplaces,BRICScanmoreimportantlybeseenasaresponsetoWesterneconomicdominanceandWesternresistancetoreformoftheWorldBankandotherfinancialinstitutionsundertheircontrol.BRICSrepresentsastrongforce,aimingtorebalanceaworldwhich,inthewordsofIndianForeignMinisterJaishankar,is"leavingtoomanynationsatthemercyoftoofew.TogetherwiththeG20,theBeltandRoadInitiative,theShanghaiCooperationOrganization,theAsianInfrastructureInvestmentBank,andotherelements,BRICSispartofawiderframeworkreflectingtheworldofthe21stcentury,amultipolarworldwhereallcriticalissuessuchastheenvironment,climate,terrorism,regionalwars,economicdevelopmentandpandemicscallforinternationalcooperation.TheseinstitutionsjointlymirrortheneedsofarapidlychangingworldandprovideananswertotheveryslowpaceofreformsoftheUNandtheglobalfinancialinstitutions.WhileweneedaUN-ledworldorder,theUNislargelyonthesidelinesofmostcriticalglobalissues.Itremainsstuckin78-year-oldparadigms.NoheadquartersofanysignificantUNinstitutionislocatedinEastandSouthAsiawherehalfofhumanitylives.EventheirstaffmembersareoverwhelminglyWestern.BRICSstartedwiththevisionofcreatingafairerworldorder,withaproperrepresentationfortheGlobalSouth.Intheearlydays,thefocuswasonpromotingeconomicgrowth,whileveryrapidlythesubjectscoveredhaveexpandedtosecurity,health,education,theenvironment,counter-terrorismandmanyothers.Sincelastyear,theworldhasseenastrongmovementfromtheGlobalSouthforcreatinganalternativetotheUSdollarastheglobalcurrency,andBRICShasbeenattheforefrontofpromotingtheideaofde-dollarizationoftheworld.In2015,BRICScreatedtheNewDevelopmentBank,whichisheadquarteredinShanghai.FormerBrazilianpresidentDilmaRousseffisitscurrentpresident.AlongwiththeAsianInfrastructureInvestmentBank,itformsasupplementtoandadifferentnarrativefromtheWest-dominatedbanks.BRICSmaygivetheimpressionofbeinganartificialgroup,becausetheBRICSnationshavelittleincommon.Theyrepresentdifferentversionsofhumancivilizationwithdifferentpoliticalsystems.Theyarelocatedinfourdifferentcontinents.Economically,Chinaismuchbiggerthantherest.WhatbroughtthemtogetherwasthedesireforamorejustworldorderwithastrongervoicefortheSouth.BRICShasshownremarkableresilienceandacontinuousmomentum.The15thBRICSSummitisbeingheldinJohannesburg,SouthAfrica,onAug22to24.Interestingly,BRICShasnotdevelopedasaplatformagainsttheWest,butmoreasaplatformwherethemembersseekfreedomandautonomyofthoughtandaction.ItalsofunctionsasanintellectualhubfordebatesanddialoguesoutsidetheWest-dominatedspheres.BRICSismeetingatatimewhentheUkrainecrisisisontopoftheglobalagenda.NoBRICSnationhasjoinedtheWest-ledsanctionsagainstRussia.ButtheyallsupporttheterritorialintegrityofUkraine.BRICSnationsareamongthemostlikelycandidatesaspeacemakerswhentheconflictcomestoanegotiatedsettlement.Theissueofexpandingthegroupingwilltakethespotlightatthesummit.ItseemsallBRICSnationsareinprincipleopentoaddingmoremembers.Veryrecently,NalediPandor,SouthAfrica'sministerofInternationalRelationsandCooperation,said23countrieshaveformallysubmittedanapplicationtojoinBRICS.TheseincludeincrediblyimportantdevelopingnationssuchasIndonesia,Argentina,Egypt,Mexico,Vietnamandmanymore.AparticulargamechangerwouldbeSaudiArabia.ThecountrywouldaddmorefinancialresourcestoBRICS.Inaddition,itwouldalsostronglyunderlinethenewworldorderifatraditionalUSallysuchasSaudiArabiajoinedBRICS.AninterestingareaforastrongerBRICSfootprintistheenvironment.IparticipatedinaBRICSEnvironmentMinisters'MeetinginTianjinafewyearsago.ThisforumplaysanimportantroleinadvancingenvironmentalcooperationamongtheBRICSstates.IndianPrimeMinisterNarendraModihasrecentlysuggestedaBRICS,workstreamonglobaldevelopmentofgreenrail.TheBRICSmembersareworldleadersingreendevelopment.Chinaaloneaccountsfor60-80percentofglobalsolar,wind,hydropower,electriccarsproductionandhigh-speedrail.BrazilianPresidentLuizInacioLuladaSilvahasjustputBrazilinthefrontseatonprotectingtheAmazon,bringingdeforestationtoaseven-yearIowjustafterhalfayearinoffice.IndiawillsoonbethesecondbiggestsolarpowerintheworldafterChinaandislaunchinggreenplansbytheday.1.ookingbackontheUSforeignpolicyaftertheColdWar,RichardHaass,aUSforeignpolicyexpert,saiditwas"squandered",mainlyduetotheUS,wishtodominatetheworldandinsensitivitytoothers.Whateverthe21stcenturybringsintermsofchallengesandconflicts,onethingisforsure.Theywillallhavetobesolvedinamultipolarcontext,throughcooperationbetweenmanyandverydifferentnations.BRICShasakeyroletoplayinthatlandscape.Thecallofthetimeisdialogueandrespect.Let'srespecteachotherandfindcommongroundthroughdialogue.Theauthorisvice-presidentoftheGreenBeltandRoadCoalitionandformerexecutivedirectoroftheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme.TheauthorcontributedthisarticletoChinaWatch,athinktankpoweredbyChinaDaily.TheviewsdonotnecessarilyreflectthoseofChinaDaily.Contacttheeditorateditor.