Global Governance
Adelina Marini, May 11, 2007
A catholic organization made a proposal for improvement the effectiveness of the international institutions for more effective approach towards different global problems like migration, poverty and the climate change. This proposal is about the establishment of global governance but not a government. The global governance is a type of approach towards global problems but without the establishment of global government. In other words this is a proposal for the creation of a closer cooperation among the existent international organizations. The goal is engagement of national governments for more effective solving of global problems and for the creation of a broad international institution called Group for global governance with the participation of national leaders. The idea is presented by the Commission of Bishop’s Conferences of the European Community, a catholic organization, participating actively in the formation of the policies of the European Union with proposals and ideas. For a beginning the authors have decided to use the mechanism of work of such international institutions as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank because this could guarantee that the most important world economies would be involved and on the other hand other countries of the world would be represented too. The Commission published recently its report on the state of the global governance for last year. One of the co-authors of the document is Stefan Lunte, assistant to the secretary-general of the Commission of Bishop’s Conferences of the European Community:
QUESTION: What is the goal of the establishment of Global Governance – the bad functioning of the already existing international organizations or something else?
STEFAN LUNTE: They are not effective enough in a way that they cannot offer feasible methods for fighting the world poverty, the expanding inequalities related to the globalization and the work on climate change is also not sufficient enough. We have enough international prestige, if you wish, to fight efficiently international terrorism and I think that there are several aspects where the existent mechanisms do not work well.
QUESTION: In the first chapter of the Report on Global Governance for last year the words religion and general prosperity are often mentioned. What is the role of religion when we talk about prosperity in general?
STEFAN LUNTE: The main conclusion is that we need consensus on some basic values and the most important of them is respect of human dignity. This includes besides the personality but also every human being in the world. Respect of human dignity should be the starting point. From this point on no matter if the Christian world or other religions should and can help for the distribution of this concept for Global Governance which we could also call value consensus.
QUESTION: How can this be achieved since we know that the Muslim world usually retires in itself, especially when we talk about sharing values?
STEFAN LUNTE: It is a bit difficult for me to talk about Muslim world. It will be good for us to learn that there is no such thing as Muslim world – there are just different forms of expression of Islam and I think that we have to involve those Muslims who feel open to share these common values.
QUESTION: One of the biggest challenges, shown in the report, is international migration. Why?
STEFAN LUNTE: Because this process of poor countries to lose almost half of their young population shouldn’t go on. If we really wish to fight poverty there must be guarantees that the best educated people of a poor country, let’s say in Africa, will remain there. I think it is necessary for us to reconsider this whole issue of migration because for the rich and developed countries it is important to attract well educated immigrants but, on the other hand, this increases the inequality among poor and rich countries because when good people leave poor countries they become even poorer.
QUESTION: What is the solution then?
STEFAN LUNTE: The solution could be realistic reasonable actions to help those countries which lose significant number of people. These people should be offered realistic alternatives at home. Let’s take as an example the European Union – the less developed member states get support from the rich so as to achieve equality in development.
QUESTION: In the conclusions of your report it is pointed out that in a way 2006 is the year of missed opportunities worldwide. Tell us a little bit more about this conclusion?
STEFAN LUNTE: This is about the Doha Round – the negotiations for removing trade barriers for the developing countries, for the missed chance for real reform of the UN, for the limited success in reforming the institutions, created in Bretton Woods – like the International Monetary Fund and also for the insufficient work on the establishment of an international organization for protection of environment.