Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
A WEAKER INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE MAKING
In the last quarter century, the world has undergone a fundamental reconfiguration due to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. These dramatic world events ended the Cold War and the East-West divide that had existed since the end of World War II.
They have also changed the international political system so much so that if it were possible today to bring back to life some of the people who died in 1985, they would have great difficulty recognizing the current global landscape. They would want to know why there is one Germany instead of two; where has Yugoslavia gone, what happened to the Soviet Union and why apartheid no longer exists in South Africa.
They would also want to know how communism vanished from the global landscape and how the communist states of China, Cuba and North Korea have opted for economies, which are essentially capitalist in nature.
If these persons who died had lived in Guyana, they would have been surprised to see the changes that took place in the political landscape of the country in 1992 and in 2015.
Since Donald Trump assumed the presidency of the United States and vowed to put “America first” and “make America great again” the world has entered a new phase of political uncertainty. The isolationist position of the Trump administration and a weaker Britain due to its pending exit from the European Union (EU), have fueled discussion among international experts about the direction of the world that seemed poised to undergo a fresh round of sweeping radical changes.
Since the end of the Second World War, the vast majority of countries have largely looked to the United States and to the United Kingdom for leadership and direction. This Anglo-American alliance was mainly responsible for putting in place the economic, military, diplomatic and other arrangements that have shaped international relations today.
Mr. Trump’s isolationist policies and the unexpected vote by the British people for Britain to exit the European Union has not only threatened to derail the post-Cold War international system, but they have also made the system much weaker.
However, Mr. Trump’s resentment of Obama and his eagerness to vilify him are driven by a biased agenda to diminish his achievements. This is evident in his decision to pull the U.S. out of the Climate Change Paris agreement, his withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear arrangement and his plan to scrap the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) programme that gives temporary protection to undocumented children in the US.
His actions are a clear indication that the era of U.S. diplomacy has ended and that the international system is poised for an interesting period that would make it much weaker.
It is without a doubt that President Trump’s policies have negatively impacted and weakened the international system. They have spurred uncertainty and could destabilize the existing global order.
America can no longer boast of having strong global leadership required to strengthen the inter-national system and steered the world in the right direction.
The Brexit vote and the election of Emmanuel Macron as president of France have revitalized the Franco-German alliance by making it more powerful and genuine. Meanwhile, a climate change alliance has emerged between China and the EU as the former extends its international influence by positioning itself as the leader on environmental issues.
These developments could have serious implications for Guyana and the Caribbean because they are not major players on the international stage.
The time may eventually come when Guyana and the Caribbean countries could find themselves overwhelmed by international events that are beyond their control.
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