Global Governance Has Failed: PM Modi's Cautious But Stern Message To G20 Foreign Ministers' Meet

At the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Delhi today (2 March), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that global governance had failed and that multilateralism was in trouble.

In a recorded statement, PM Modi said that the group members are congregating at a juncture of immense worldwide dissension.

He noted that the events of the past few years, like the financial crisis, climate change, pandemic, terrorism, and wars, all demonstrate that global governance has failed.

"We must all acknowledge that multilateralism is in crisis today. The architecture of global governance, created after the Second World War, was to serve two functions. First, to prevent future wars by balancing competing interests. Second, to foster international cooperation on issues of common interests," he said.

"The experience of the last few years - financial crisis, climate change, pandemic, terrorism and wars - clearly shows that global governance has failed," he said.

He asserted that multilateral institutions had been unsuccessful in addressing the gravest issues that the world is presently facing.

After years of progress, we are at risk today of moving back on the Sustainable Development Goals, he said.

"Many developing countries are struggling with unsustainable debt, while trying to ensure food and energy security for their people. They are also the ones most affected by global warming caused by richer countries," PM Modi said.

"This is why India’s G20 Presidency has tried to give a voice to the Global South," he added.

He further said that no group can claim global leadership without listening to those most affected by its decisions.

PM Modi said that as the leading economies of the world, the G20 nations also have a responsibility towards those who are not represented in the group.

He also urged the G20 nations to strive to not allow issues that cannot be resolved at the meeting to affect issues that can be solved.

"The world looks upon the G20 to ease the challenges of growth; development; economic resilience; disaster resilience; financial stability; trans-national crime; corruption; terrorism; and food and energy security.
In all these areas, the G20 has capacity to build consensus and deliver concrete results," PM Modi said

"We should not allow issues that we cannot resolve together to come in the way of those we can," he added.