Cooperative Security for a Safer World after COVID-19
In just a few short weeks, COVID-19 has unleashed a global health emergency that has upended life as we know it. As the virus relentlessly races around the globe, it is taking a devastating toll; thousands of lives have already been lost and millions more might perish.
It is too soon to know how this crisis will play out, but we are already witnessing far-reaching consequences that threaten international peace and security.
With half of humanity under lockdown, skyrocketing unemployment and severe economic hardship are following close on the pandemic’s heals.
Democracy has come under pressure. In many countries, emergency measures restrict freedom of movement and public assembly or allow the use of surveillance technologies to track the virus, which risks undermining fundamental rights and liberties.
These are all triggers that could spark social unrest and political instability. They could also fuel existing conflicts, or set off new ones.
A crisis of this scale will have profound and long-lasting effects, and we cannot expect to return to business as usual. The post-pandemic world will certainly be different.
Some experts predict that the pandemic could usher in a new world order, one in which states prioritize their own security at the expense of others and reject international cooperation. Trust in multilateral institutions has already eroded in recent years, which has weakened the agility of the multilateral system in responding cohesively to global crises.
With COVID-19’s rapid spread throughout the world, we have seen a patchwork of national strategies to contain it, with many countries closing borders and turning inward. At first glance, unilateral approaches might seem pragmatic, but in the face of this pandemic, they are neither effective nor sustainable. The guiding principle should be cooperation for the greater good. No one is safe until we all are.
We don’t need a new world order after COVID-19. Instead, we must use this window of opportunity to reignite a more cooperative approach. We should build on the system we have, and improve it where needed.
In confronting COVID-19, the short-term goal is saving lives. In the mid-term, the focus will be on reviving the economy and restoring people’s livelihoods. But we also need to tackle the pandemic’s spillover effects on security.
In the OSCE, we have long held that security is common, comprehensive and indivisible. Our founding document, the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, concluded that solidarity leads to better relations and a safer, more peaceful world. Firmly grounded in East-West consensus, the Final Act articulated a concept of comprehensive and cooperative security built on shared principles that fostered trust and reduced Cold War tensions.
Today, our biggest security challenges are global and, like COVID-19, they transcend borders and demand cooperative responses. The pandemic must not stop diplomatic efforts to respond to conflicts or prevent us from seeking cooperative approaches to shared challenges. This crisis gives us the chance to reassess what’s really important.
First, we must reaffirm our shared principles and commitments – above all, our commitment to cooperative security, and to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
Second, we should make better use of existing tools for cooperation. We already have effective multilateral mechanisms for crisis management – and not only for health crises. States should utilize global and regional platforms to share experiences and best practices, to find solutions to shared challenges, and to coordinate joint responses.
In the current crisis, we are already starting to see how critical international cooperation is to saving lives as states share health equipment, scientific research that can lead to a vaccine, and best practices for mitigating or suppressing local epidemics. International organizations like the UN and the OSCE can also contribute. Indeed, we have a golden opportunity to demonstrate that we can effectively mobilize coordinated and mutually reinforcing responses, including on the ground.
Third, we need to lay the groundwork for more coordinated policies to ensure that we are well prepared to tackle future security challenges. This calls for closer cooperation among states and closer partnerships between international organizations.
Cooperation builds up common understanding, solidarity and trust. These are the antidotes to conflict. The UN Secretary-General’s call for a universal ceasefire is a plea for solidarity and peace so that we can devote all our energies to stopping the pandemic. In his words, “There should only be one fight in our world today: our shared battle against COVID-19.”
If we cooperate in tackling COVID-19, not only can we end the pandemic faster, but we can rebuild trust, create resilience in the face of future crises, and strengthen security for us all.