India joined the European Union (EU), Australia, Brazil and Canada to launch a platform aimed at defending multilateralism and promoting peace and inclusive prosperity on the margins of the UN General Assembly, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar emphasising the need for participative deliberations and transparent decision-making.
World Leaders Gather for P4M Summit in New York
On September 21, a significant gathering of global leaders took place in New York at the inaugural Partners for Multilateralism, International Law, Peace and Prosperity (P4M) Summit. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was among the attendees, joining prominent figures such as European Council President Antonio Costa, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mario Vieira, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Kenyan President William Ruto.
But today, we have shown that we are not walking it alone,” he said. Carney helped catalyse the initiative, building on his remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January that urged middle powers to close ranks to defend multilateralism. “That would provide the hope and the optimism which is clearly needed by the UN system. And it would reinforce our resolve to work together. “That commitment extends across continents, regions and political traditions. The road ahead will not be easy.
“Reformed multilateralism is therefore essential.
The initiative was first outlined in a joint op-ed article by Costa, Carney, Ruto and Brazilian President Inácio Lula da Silva, who said they will support reform of the UN and other multilateral institutions to make them more representative, effective and trusted, instead of creating “another exclusive bloc”. Jaishankar, who is leading the Indian delegation to the UN General Assembly, noted that India is glad to join the initiative as a co-sponsor at a time when the global order is “under stress”. Extreme competition, geopolitical tensions and conflicts have impacted an ongoing rebalancing of the international order and it is essential for multilateralism to assert itself at this juncture, he said. More participative deliberations and more transparent decision-making are both overdue,” he said at the meeting. “Multilateralism will be best served when international law, rules and norms are scrupulously observed,” Jaishankar said. European Council President Costa said the meeting demonstrated that there is still a strong shared commitment to cooperation in a world of growing divisions. A joint declaration issued at the meeting described the multilateral system founded on the UN Charter as “indispensable” but said it “should be renewed and reformed to be more effective, representative, inclusive and fit for purpose”. Leaders will work jointly to reform and strengthen multilateral institutions to ensure they are better equipped to prevent conflict, respond to crises, deliver sustainable development, promote fair trade, protect the rule of law, and address existing and emerging global challenges, it said.
