UAE: World Grappling With 'Crisis Of Trust', Diplomats Say At Summit

The international system is grappling with a“crisis of trust” as resurgent nationalism, weakened multilateral institutions, and intensifying great power rivalries deepen global instability, diplomats and strategists warned at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi. Former EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the global system was in a period of profound transition rather than entering any kind of“new normal.”

“They want to be safe, secure, educated, to live well, to see their children grow, and have opportunity. It's universal. So, for me, this is about transition, not normal.”

Reflecting on Europe's role, she likened the current moment to pieces thrown into the air with no clear outcome yet.“We don't quite know what the structure is going to look like when they land. And that's our job, with the support and help of the institutional framework that we finally see when the peace is settled.”

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Former Mexican ambassador to Washington Martha Bárcena Coqui argued that middle powers such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, India, Brazil and Mexico must take the initiative, whether through the G20, BRICS, or new mechanisms for consultation.

“We have to act with increased dialogue among those so-called middle powers... Either we do it through G20, or through BRICS, or through new mechanisms for consultation,” she said.“But we have to do it. And we have to do it with no fear. No fear is key, because sometimes we say, okay, let's do the standstill... Standstill is not an option. We have to go forward with no fear.”

She urged a focus on tolerance and values over radical nationalism, warning that the latter“will not take us anywhere.” Bárcena also called for urgent UN reform, recalling her shock at the paralysis of the Security Council when Russia invaded Ukraine.“We need UN reform. We will have an election of a new Secretary General next year. When Russia was invading Ukraine, they were denying it in the Security Council.”

“What we were looking at was the complete paralysis of the UN. We cannot allow that. We have to push for a reform which gives voice and upholds international law. International law is key for all these middle powers and for the developing world. If we don't uphold international law, then we will not be able to do this transition,” she added.

From New Delhi's perspective, Ambassador Navtej Sarna described today's reality as one of unpredictability and weakened institutions.“At one level, the new normal... is essentially 40s. It's Trumps, tweets, tariffs, and tantrums. Because a lot of what is emanating as a new normal is just a sense of unpredictability.”

He said that middle powers need to respond by forming flexible, issue-based groupings.“The future is going to be more coalitions of the willing, issue-based coalitions. If the middle powers do hang around together, it will help.”

Ambassador Welile Nhlapo of South Africa highlighted Africa's vulnerability to Cold War rivalries and current conflicts, stressing the importance of UN reform.“All the conflicts that are taking place in Africa dominate the agenda of the Security Council. But as a continent, we are not integrated in a manner in which we can effectively make a contribution. The attempt to establish cooperation between the United Nations and the AU has not yet materialised,” he noted.

Nhalpo underlined that Africa would not accept being shaped by outside powers again.“For us, the new normal will be whether the emerging multipolar world has brought about any promises. And we're prepared this time not to be shaped by events, but to contribute towards shaping the world in which we can live.”

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