Multilateralism in the crisis: Germany's role in global change!

Multilateralism in the crisis: Germany's role in global change!

Multilateralism is not an empty keyword in German foreign policy, but a fundamental strategy that stands for peace and stability worldwide. Germany sees this form of international cooperation as a system that applies to all states and aims to cope with global challenges together and prevent disasters such as World War II. The United Nations (VN) play a central role in that they act as the guardian of international values ​​and norms, as [Germany.de] (https://www.deutschland.de/de/topic/politik/multilateralism-als-maxime-German foreign policy).

But in a world full of crises, from conflicts in the Middle East to Ukraine to urgent topics such as climate change and die of species, multilateralism has come under pressure. UN Secretary General António Guterres expressed concern about this development and emphasized that universal values ​​are eroding and democratic principles are questioned. The German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also sees the situation critically and warns that our liberal international system based on finding solutions together is at risk. This is not only evident in the difficulty of developing new international norms, but also in retreats from states from important agreements, such as the USA from the climate agreement, such as Zeitschrift-vereinte-nations.de.

The challenge of multilateralism

The challenges that the multilateralism faces are diverse. On the one hand, there is the pressure that is exercised in particular by the United States on the international order. On the other hand, there are states such as China and Russia that support multilateralism and face the existing norms and values. These tensions not only affect the principles that the system wear, but also the way national policies are coordinated. Multi- or even minilateralism, where only a small group of states cooperates internationally, could be an answer to the current challenges, as stated in the analysis of swp-berlin.org.

Effective multilateralism, however, requires real willingness to compromise and the ability to act together. German foreign policy has an axiomatic importance here, which can also be felt in EU foreign and security policy. The “Allianz for Multilateralism” from Germany and France initiated in September 2019 aims to strengthen international order.

future perspectives

The future of multilateralism remains uncertain, but the consensus remains: it takes a rethink. The UN annual summit 2020 could not only offer an opportunity to establish new standards, but also to attribute multilateralism to a stable foundation. The German approach of not going alone, and the emphasis on a common strategy with European and international partners will be crucial to be successful in the long term.

in a world in which states are increasingly insisting on national interests, politicians have to do cleverly formulated analyzes of their own vulnerability and that of the partners and opponents. The persuasion will also gain in importance in order to strengthen your own power base and that of the allies. Multilateralism remains not only a cornerstone of German foreign policy, but also an essential concept for a peaceful and cooperative coexistence at a global level.