Modi calls for a new world order to deal with covi-like challenges
Premium- Narendra Modi calls on countries to close ranks and work together to defeat the pandemic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for a complete change in mindset and the creation of a new world order to deal with challenges like the covi-19 pandemic crisis that countries were trying to cope with.
Speaking at the opening session of the 6th Raisina Dialogue that was also addressed by the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, Modi called on countries to close ranks and work together to defeat the pandemic.
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2 min read . 10:41 AM IST“All the governments of the world at all levels are trying to contain and control this pandemic. Why did it come to this? Is it perhaps, because in the race of economic development the concern for welfare of humanity has been left behind? Is it perhaps because in the age of competition, the spirit of cooperation has been forgotten," Modi said.
Modi’s remarks echoed that of Rwandan president Kagame whose message was played out before Modi’s speech. Kagame acknowledged India for the despatch of vaccines to Africa. “Covid is a public health crisis, but it is also a crisis of international cooperation. Access to vaccines is highly unequal… India despite its own challenges, has produced most of the vaccines doses sent to Africa under COVAX."
In his comments, Modi said that in the wake of the two World Wars, a new world order emerged whose whole sole aim was to prevent a third war. While all out war may not have happened, “a number of proxy wars and unending terror attacks" ensured that “the prospect of violence is ever present," Modi said.
“The covid-19 pandemic has presented us an opportunity to reshape the world order, to reorient our thinking. We must create systems that addresses the problems of today and challenges of tomorrow. And we must think of the entire humanity and not merely of those who are on our side of the borders. Humanity as a whole must be at the center of our thinking and action," Modi said. His comments on Tuesday echo some of his comments in the past, where he had called for reformed multilateralism ie a bigger say for countries like India in global matters. Both Modi and Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar have said that reform of multilateral institutions like the UN Security Council was imperative to reflect current realities and resolve pressing problems of today.
Speaking of India’s own actions during the pandemic, Modi said that New Delhi had tried to protect its own people while trying to support the pandemic response efforts of others.
Referring to India dispatching the drugs -- remdesivir and paracetamol -- to more than 150 countries in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic breaking out. Modi said, “We understand fully, that mankind will not defeat the pandemic unless all of us, everywhere, regardless of the color of our passports, come out of it."
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“That is why, this year despite many constraints, we have supplied vaccine to over 80 countries. We know that the supplies have been modest. We know that the demands are huge….At the same time we also know that hope matters," the prime minister said.
Touching on another issue of global importance – ie climate change, Modi “while we may be used to having Plan A and plan B, there is no Planet B, only planet Earth. And so we must remember that we hold this planet merely as trustees for our future generations."
Climate change was the theme of Danish prime minister Frederiksen’s speech. She warned that the climate change crisis had a more far reaching impact that the pandemic urging all countries to make a success of the Conference of Parties-26 meet that is to be held in Glasgow in November.
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