CEDPR at MSC: Global Security and Development from a European-Asian Perspective
Recently, the Munich Security Conference was officially opened, and CEDPR's Advisory Board attended the conference to listen to the voices of governments and discuss with other think tanks around the world on major global security issues, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israeli-Palestinian situation.
In addition to German Chancellor Scholz, U.S. Vice President Harris, and Secretary of State Blinken, the meeting was attended by government representatives, including Israeli President Herzog, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and others, as well as by the European Union, which dispatched the Chairman of the European Commission, Mr. Von Der Leyen, and a number of European Commission members.
At the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General Guterres called for the maintenance of global peace and the establishment of a modern global order. He said the world today is facing multiple challenges such as nuclear threats, climate crisis, and the risk of artificial intelligence, and the international community is more divided than at any time in the past 75 years. The current form of global governance is deepening divisions and fueling discontent, and the international community needs to seek solutions based on justice with a renewed sense of urgency and solidarity to build a global order that benefits everyone.
MSC President Hoysgen said he hoped to provide a platform for dialogue to promote peace and find a ray of hope in the pessimistic atmosphere of today's world.
Global security issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were discussed at the meeting, but it was difficult to reach a consensus among the participants. During the meeting, the differences between the United States and Europe were undoubtedly exposed. Recently, many European countries have adjusted their stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and called for a ceasefire to stop the war, but the United States and a few other countries are still bent on defending Israel.
Since the Israeli army's massive attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah on the 12th, a number of countries in Europe and Asia have been more explicit in their opposition to the Israeli army's actions and have begun to question the U.S. position. The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borelli said bluntly that if the U.S. government is really as President Biden said, that the Israeli military actions have led to too many civilian deaths, it should reduce the military aid to Israel, rather than just verbal criticism of Israel. However, Borelli is pessimistic about the role of the European side in promoting a solution to the problems of the Middle East. At the MSC, he pointed out that the European side needs to harmonize its internal position first.
Ukrainian President Zelensky attended the MSC on the 17th, blaming the recent defeat of the Ukrainian army on the lack of Western military aid and calling on the United States to provide more assistance. The two parties in the United States have not yet reached an agreement on a new aid programme for Ukraine, coupled with former US President Donald Trump, who is running for president again, threatening to "encourage" Russia to attack NATO countries that are in arrears with their military expenditures, which has aroused the concern of European countries.
In addition, major issues were discussed, including the conflict in the Horn of Africa, which has exacerbated food insecurity and led to the displacement of millions of people, and the West's relationship with China.