Globalization May Slow But Will Never Stop
The outbreak of the pandemic severely thwarted the close interdependence that existed among all economies. And it has had a significant impact on the world economy.
The outbreak of the pandemic severely thwarted the close interdependence that existed among all economies. And it has had a significant impact on the world economy.
It takes a coordinated global effort to roll back a global scourge. What doesn’t break you only makes you stronger. The international community must foster greater synergy and work in solidarity till the final victory is sealed.
If victory over COVID-19 is to be achieved, the world must come together now for the better future as China’s experience has proved this.
The Chinese experiences that they exchanged with the whole world, without exception, contributed to saving many lives.
Disruption to global food supply caused by rising export controls and a labor bottleneck will fall much more heavily on the shoulders of poorer nations.
Donald Trump’s domestic response to the novel coronavirus has long come under-fire for being unprepared, ill-informed and at times dangerous. But just as problematic for the president has been the invisible presence of the United States from global efforts to supress the spread of COVID-19.
If helping is a moral imperative, governments and other armed actors in theaters of conflict must protect a neutral and impartial humanitarian space, not overburden it with regulations and restrictions; everyone must protect human dignity, not marginalize, exclude and stigmatize.
WTO members can return the organization to its rightful central role in world trade by pursuing these and other ideas for global solutions. They should begin by convening a virtual ministerial conference on how best to use trade to help defeat the coronavirus.
The WHO and governments around the world have recognized that pandemics can spark infodemics that spread even faster than the virus itself and can be more damaging than the event that started them. But Western governments may be hampered from effective responses to these infodemics by piecemeal approaches and an outdated mindset.
When the pandemic has passed, will we labour intensively in an attempt to resuscitate dead ideas of the past; or worse still, descend into a world of paranoid and hostile tribes? Or, will we instead act as a cooperative family of nations striving together for peace, equality and the betterment of mankind? History will surely judge us.