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Dr. Evgenij Kutovoy - PhD, ambassador at large,
professor of Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Moscow, Russia
Issues of global governance of the transition to multipolar world
World panorama of the contemporary world is being formed under the influence of the
powerful current of complicated global, regional and other problems, as well as
of the processes of globalization and regionalization.
They penetrate the whole system of
international relations and contacts, bring together national economies within
the framework of the world economy.
International relations are more and more influenced by the quickly growing scientific,
technological, trade, economic and financial exchanges among the countries,
transnational corporations and banks which participate in major joint economic,
energy, investment and ecological projects. Arising numerous problems which in
the UN circles are figuratively qualified as “problems without passport” are
easily crossing states` borders thus prompting, on one side, frictions and contradictions
among the countries and, on the other side, they lead to the emergence
of new international structures, institutes, ideas and processes reflecting the
reality of regional convergence.
Apart from traditional dangers the world community faces new challenges, threats and
risks of social, political and ecological nature. They include, inter alia,
demographic factor – the growing ageing of population in Western countries and
at the same time fast growing population in many countries of Asia, Africa and
Latin America. A growing volume of industrial production oriented
towards satisfying increasing demand on the part of 6,5 billion homo sapiens
accelerates consumption of the scanty resources of our planet. If the present
pace of its consumption is preserved there is a real danger that they will be exhausted even
during the lifetime of the nearest generations.
Global economic crisis adversely influences the economy of many states and living
standards of hundreds of millions people. According
to the opinion of economists from different
countries, the current crisis is “the result of a bad financial regulation in
the United States” and of “the global macroeconomic disbalances”.
International security is strongly affected by the danger of
the nuclear arms proliferation, introduction
of new highly effective means of war in the armed forces. Unregulated regional
and interethnic conflicts are another source of war danger.
International terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, transborder organized crime,
naval piracy represent a serious threat to the states` security and
the Human health. Drugs, alcoholism, dangerous
contagious deceases growing into global pandemics
are another source of
threat to the security of states. These and other factors destabilize
international relations, making their development towards the multipolar world
in many respects unpredictable in a medium and long term time.
While analyzing all the problems, challenges and threats facing humanity nowadays some
representatives of the world intellectual community view
their growing influence as an approaching
threat to the very existence of our civilization. Hence various futurologists,
philosophers, psychologists, specialists of other professions being concerned
with the main problem of nowadays – the problem of securing the mankind-
promote in this respect different considerations.
Some of them emphasize the necessity of radical changes in
the lifestyle itself, of reexamining by our generation deep-rooted views of the
nature and human society, of the role of the means of war in securing states` interests
in the world arena. Thus, some psychologists recommend to seek the ways of
mobilizing human natural fear that
induces actions and effective measures against the real danger of war, develops
intellect and increases the share of pragmatism, calculation and logic in actions
concerning the future, promotes careful attitude towards environment, uses
peaceful means of solving critical problems of human interrelationship. Hence,
they persistently call for displaying tolerance, peace-loving and
high moral qualities as the basic values that are necessary for the survival
of mankind and the preservation of civilization.
Although the author does not share an extreme point of view spread in some circles
concerning the future of the world
civilization, at the same time he believes that in a certain way the mankind is
indeed approaching the moment in its history when a growing complex of unregulated
problems combined with new challenges
and threats, if no necessary actions to overcome them are opportunely taken,
could lead to the degradation of life-quality of present and future generations
and could hamper the full achievement of global development goals put forward
by the heads of the UN member-states in the Millennium Declaration adopted by
UN General Assembly session in the Year of 2000.
The improvement of forecasting influence of new phenomena, regularities, trends on the
development of international relations, of an early revelation of different
threats and risks is particularly up-to-date at the time when the world system is
experiencing an uneasy period of transition from the monopolar to the
multipolar world.
Analyzing characteristics of the present complicated
balance of powers in the global arena the State foreign minister of
India Mr. Shashi Taroor in his speech in New Delphi on March 26,2010 said: ”With
the emergence of a significant number of countries with a greater
influence and potential in their particular regions and often outside, the United States
is not considered as the only power that determines the present global order.
Economic growth of China associated with its growing military capabilities
also raises the question, how long the word “super power” will be used in singular.
Namely in this context, - Mr. Taroor continues, - we are watching the birth of
the multipolar world.” And further: “India sees itself in a world where
various partner alliances could exist not fearing the contradictions with one
another”.
Breaking forth in a global development in the recent decades the states are seeking not only
to play a more active role in the global arena but to shape persistently their own polars of influence, to form
regional and subregional interstate structures according to their national
interests. On the world map they form an original network of diplomatic unions
according to coinciding interests and goals. In Russian diplomatic circles they are
called as a “network diplomacy”. Polars of influence
being formed in the context of regional and subregional structures lay a basis
for the
multipolar world – a world that denies one power hegemony. It contributes to
the creation of conditions which are necessary for maintaining a balanced world
order and achieving a just universe structure.
The future will demonstrate whether the “polars of influence” with the participation
of interested states with their very
different national and regional interests could peacefully coexist with one
another , ensure international security, solve the issues of providing stable
economic development and protecting environment. Much will depend on the
ability of the parties to such “polars`formations” to set effective mechanisms
for overcoming and even better for forestalling and preventing the arising
contradictions, to put forward ideas and proposals attractive for social and political
circles and above all which ensure interaction and are able to raise the interest of
respective participants with the attractive joint projects of mutually beneficial cooperation.
To achieve success on this very difficult and complicated track the governments
will have to raise their responsibility for social and economic development and
for stimulating high- quality governance on the national level. The mankind
faces a task of high importance – namely effectively regulating the problems
needed to be solved. But just to put this kind of task is not enough. To solve
it the global community should come to an agreement about the format and
principles needed to be followed in the process of solving it:
1. to define the succession or sequence of solving concrete problems;
2. to settle the measures that have to be undertaken;
3. to make a prognosis regarding the tracks to be used;
4. to coordinate a volume of necessary means, sources of financing as well
as a range of organizations to which these means will be provided for.
It is obvious that the realization of the task of such scale will need a
thoroughly developed systematic approach. This approach will be aimed at
creating a stable world system, within the framework of this system proper
international conditions should be secured both to maintaining universal
security and for ensuring a stable social and economic development of states.
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