Eurasia Press & News
Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world at the heart of Eurasia, is holding the Astana International Forum this week with the aim to amplify the voices of countries seeking a less polarised international order and greater collaboration in addressing humanity’s biggest challenges.
Looking at the state of our planet today, it is clear why there is a need to advance multilateralism, international cooperation, and dialogue. The world has become increasingly polarised and divided. Eroded trust in the international law-based order is prevalent and increased calls for the use of weapons to resolve international crises are becoming louder. Global powers are reluctant to find a compromise to enhance global security. Alarmingly, the so-called Doomsday Clock, which attempts to gauge how close humanity is to destroying the world, is currently set at 90 seconds until midnight — the closest to the hour it has ever been. Midnight represents a point of no return – the end of our civilization as we know it. Unfortunately, great powers are currently struggling to reverse this trend.
So-called ‘middle powers’, which have moderate influence and international recognition, can take the reins instead and aim to find solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Kazakhstan is well-suited in this regard.
The Central Asian country has positioned itself as a suitable mediator in international conflicts. For the past several years, Kazakhstan has hosted negotiations on the Syrian conflict as part of the Astana Process. In 2013, Almaty, Kazakhstan’s commercial capital, hosted two rounds of negotiations on the Iranian nuclear deal. Two decades earlier, in 1992, Kazakhstan proposed to establish the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which today has developed into an influential multi-national forum. The country was also elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2017 to 2018, the first country from Central Asia to be represented at the UN Security Council.
Kazakhstan’s push for dialogue and mutual understanding is especially important today when global stability is at an all-time low. The international community should therefore take seriously Kazakhstan’s efforts to restart global cooperation and diplomacy through the Astana International Forum, which will assess and discuss ways to tackle global challenges, including climate change, water scarcity, energy security, and wider international development and sustainability. The plenary session, which will focus on the current state of the world and the way forward toward peace and greater economic progress, will be attended by the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva, Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay, among others.
Of course, no gathering can be a silver bullet that can resolve all the world’s problems in an instant. Yet, initiatives that can facilitate dialogue should be welcomed and supported if they can make diplomacy the preferred option in resolving global challenges.
While this will not be straightforward, it can be done. Even though China and Europe do not always see eye to eye, increased trade between them promotes diplomatic cooperation. That’s why Kazakhstan, as a bridge between East and West has been actively developing trade routes. An example of this is the ‘Middle Corridor’ route that links China and the EU via rail, sea, and road. This Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is a critical new trade artery traversing Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Turkey, spanning the Caspian and Black Seas. Through increased trade, countries are more likely to keep their relations stable. Essentially, economic interests can keep political interests in check.
Kazakhstan’s strategic geographic position and credibility as a diplomatic bridge builder means it is well-suited to bring together representatives of different countries and regions.
Ultimately, if the Astana International Forum can succeed, it can demonstrate to the world that middle powers can facilitate valuable discussions on issues that are high on the international agenda right now and find viable solutions. While great powers will always remain key to the overall trajectory of our planet, middle powers can have a significant influence on the direction we are heading.
