New York, September 22 (Daily Kiran) : During the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly, India, along with six other nations and the European Union, unveiled the ‘Partners for Multilateralism’ (P4M) initiative. This announcement was made during the inaugural P4M summit held in New York.
The summit emphasized the need to strengthen multilateralism and reform global institutions. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the event, highlighting the importance of collective action in addressing global challenges.
The founding co-sponsors of P4M include India, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Kenya, and the European Union. This initiative aims to unite countries from different regions and continents to bolster the multilateral framework, ensure respect for international law, and promote peace and inclusive prosperity.
In the joint declaration issued after the summit, the participating countries acknowledged that the world is undergoing significant changes. They expressed concern over rising polarization, expanding conflicts, violations of international law, protectionism, coercive politics, and threats of force. These trends pose challenges to global peace and security, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced international collaboration.
The declaration reiterated that a multilateral system based on the United Nations Charter remains essential. However, it must be adapted to the complexities of today’s interconnected and multipolar world. The need for reforms to make multilateral institutions more effective, representative, and inclusive was emphasized.
Jaishankar pointed out that the current global order is under pressure, necessitating a stronger role for multilateralism. He called for more inclusive dialogue and transparent decision-making processes. He also addressed global challenges related to fuel, food, fertilizers, and finance.
The need for new frameworks and safeguards to tackle risks associated with emerging technologies was highlighted. Additionally, diversifying supply chains was deemed crucial to mitigate the impact of disruptions in any critical route or region on the global economy.
The P4M declaration reaffirmed commitment to principles of international law, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of disputes. It also called for a halt to the use of force or threats thereof, alongside respect for international humanitarian law and human rights.
Furthermore, the declaration stressed the necessity of comprehensive international cooperation on issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, global health, and development finance. It underscored the importance of making global supply chains more diverse and robust, as well as improving international trade and financial systems.
The P4M initiative also prioritizes UN reform. The co-sponsoring nations committed to working together to strengthen multilateral institutions, making them better equipped to address current global challenges. Support for UN reform initiatives, such as UN80, was included in the declaration.
European Council President Antonio Costa noted that there is a shared understanding among countries from various continents and backgrounds that no single nation can tackle the existing global challenges alone. He stated that the P4M initiative will serve as a platform to translate shared principles into concrete actions.
The co-sponsors of P4M expressed their intent to keep this initiative open to other countries from all sectors. They agreed to establish a mechanism for coordination among senior officials and to identify key areas for collaboration.
India’s involvement in this initiative comes at a time when issues such as reforming the multilateral system, global peace, economic instability, climate change, emerging technologies, and international law are central to discussions at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The P4M declaration emphasized the need for collaboration, international law, and shared responsibility to address these challenges.
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