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Call for a Global Leaders Forum
Towards a Global Leaders Forum that Promotes Democratic Global Governance and an Equitable and Sustainable Economic Recovery
International Civil Society Statement ahead of the 2010 G-20 Leaders Summit in Toronto
The world urgently needs democratic and global decision-making that puts the international economic and financial system at the service of equity, economic and social justice, human rights, and environmental sustainability. A forum recognized as legitimate and credible by all will be far more effective in addressing today's critical global issues.
In this vein, the G-20 can only be the first step. To achieve the broader goal of democratic governance, a global leaders' forum must include the effective participation of low income countries. The immediate inclusion of the African Union, followed perhaps by other regional bodies, would be a step towards a more comprehensive constituency-based system. It must respect democratic principles of inclusion, representation, transparency and accountability, and must provide avenues for hearing citizens' voices. In the medium term, such a forum needs to transition towards a democratic and global leaders summit process within the framework of the United Nations.
Context:
The world has been battered by a series of interconnected and unrelenting crises: food, fuel, finance and climate. These crises have exposed deep-rooted fragilities and imbalances in the global financial system and its governance, and have led to efforts to reform the existing international financial architecture.
In past years, various entities have underscored the need for a new multilateral leaders' forum to help govern the global economy, highlighting the failings of existing structures. In response to the global dimensions of the current crisis and the rising importance of several emerging economies, the G-8 has been transformed into the G-20, self-designated as the "premier forum for international economic co-operation." Since 2008, they have met three times at the Heads of State level, discussing reforms to the global economic system.
Compared to the G-8, the G-20 has a greater number and diversity of members, representing 65 per cent of the world's population and 85 per cent of global gross national product. But the G-20 remains a self-selected body and has no mandate other than its own regarding the global economy-or any other issue. The G-20 excludes all low-income countries. Indeed, more than 170 UN member states, many of whom are suffering disproportionate impacts arising from the crisis, have no representation at all.
While promising to repair the global economy and build an inclusive and sustainable recovery, G-20 leaders instead injected 1.1 trillion dollars into many of the same institutions whose economic, finance and trade policies exacerbated the speed, scale and impact of the crisis. Reforms have been superficial, and any shifts to the current economic paradigm still seem temporary, rather than long term.
Reforms to global governance must go hand in hand with an economic paradigm that promotes global equity, justice and environmental sustainability, in which governments respect their human rights obligations and all citizens are able to claim their rights.
For a leaders group to work effectively in form, and responsibly in function, it must respect democratic principles of inclusion, representation, transparency and accountability, and must provide avenues for hearing citizens' voices. Such a forum needs to be flexible and manageable in terms of its size and membership, while also ensuring that political leadership can be brought to bear on global challenges. Its policies must promote the interests of the global community in general, while reflecting the diversity of countries in particular. Ultimately, building an international leaders forum must be done within the context of strengthening multilateralism more generally and the role of the United Nations in particular.
2010 is an opportunity to ensure that the G-20's meetings in Toronto and Seoul are a force for democratic and sustainable change in the way the world is run. The undersigned organizations from around the world call on all governments to adhere to the following key principles and benchmarks for renewing multilateralism and building a truly global leaders forum:
Key principles for a more democratic leaders' forum for international cooperation:
1) Inclusive of the poorest countries - Starting with the AU. There is great diversity among developing countries. Brazil, India, China and South Africa have emerged as important new players, but they cannot be expected to speak effectively to the interests of Sub Saharan Africa or low-income countries and least developed countries (LDCs) in other regions. Recovery for these countries will require distinct strategies reflecting their specific realities. These include high debt loads, a narrower range of exports, a weaker industrial base, a large rural population, heavy disease burdens, greater dependence on aid, and recurrent internal conflict. As long as these countries are not at the table, the issues and solutions being discussed will likely fall short of their needs and lack credibility. As a first step for 2010, the African Union (AU) must be included in G-20 meetings-as a participant, not an observer. Over time there must be further representation for LDCs at the table.
2) Representative in composition. A global leaders' forum may need to be limited in size, but to be legitimate and credible, it must also be representative. Different regions must be engaged through a constituency system with decision-making by consensus, similar to the practices of other international institutions-with the important difference that countries should be free to choose their own groupings. The chair of each constituency should rotate on a periodic basis.
3) Transparent and accountable. Just as the G-8 has begun to modestly tackle transparency and accountability for decisions taken (through the pending release of a broader G-8 Accountability Framework), the locus of power has shifted to an institution that is even less transparent and accountable. In the short term, the G-20 must put in place measures to address these deficiencies by extending an Accountability Framework to all G-20 commitments. This should be supported by ‘expert groups' that are empowered to solicit and receive outside reports. The G-20 and its expert groups should operate transparently by making meeting schedules, participants and expert lists, agendas and background documents publicly available on websites. An accountability report drawing upon the work of the expert groups should be publicly available 30 days prior to the G-20's annual summit.
4) Strengthens the role of the UN. The G-20 needs to position itself as a forum that recognizes and strengthens the role of the United Nations. The leaders summit should be part of the UN framework. Recently, the UN Commission of Experts on the International Monetary and Financial System called on the establishment of a Global Economic Coordinating Council within the UN that can be a good model. It would meet annually at the Heads of State level to assess developments and provide leadership in economic, social and ecological issues, and help secure consistency and coherence in the policy goals of all the major international organizations. In the medium term, such a forum could replace the ad hoc measures proposed above.
5) Open to civil society. Non-state actors are increasingly important players in international processes. Civil society critiques and proposals have positively affected governments' understanding of the issues, policy agendas and methods of work. Institutionalizing evolving best practices of the current ‘Civil G-8' dialogue within the G-20, and encouraging the ‘expert groups' described above to solicit and receive formal civil society submissions for G-20 consideration would be an important step forward. G-20 governments and parliaments should also explicitly commit to effective consultations with civil society ahead of, and between, summit meetings.
If leaders fail to make this shift, the world will lack the
effective leadership forum it requires to deal with the present crisis
and avert future ones.
Signatories (As of March 11, 2010):
International
ActionAid International
The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)
CIVICUS
Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP)
Greenpeace
International Trade Union Confederation
Medical Mission Sisters International
Oxfam International
Third World Network
VIVAT International
Regional
Arab NGO Network for Development
European Network on Debt and Development
National
Campaña, Argentina
Australian Council for International Development, Australia
Jubilee Australia, Australia
Lokoj Institute, Bangladesh
Organization for Social Development of Unemployed Youth, Bangladesh
Associação Brasileira de Gays, Lésbicas, Bissexuais, Travestis e Transexuais - ABGLT, Brasil
Abundant Grace Foundation, Cameroon
Action pour l'Humanisation des Hôpitaux, Cameroun
LIVELIHOOD NGO, Cameroon
AIDS Committee of Ottawa, Canada
Canada Africa Partnership On AIDS (CAP AIDS), Canada
Canadian Council for International Co-operation, Canada
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Canada
Council of Canadians, Canada
Daughters of Africa International Inc., Canada
L'Entraide missionnaire, Canada
Global Network of People living with HIV/AIDS, Canada
Halifax Initiative Coalition, Canada
Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development, Canada
Make Poverty History Canada, Canada
Micah Challenge Canada, Canada
University of Ottawa, Department of Medicine, Canada
RESULTS Canada, Canada
Agrupación HAIN, Chile
Senderos Asociación Mutual, Colombia
Mecanismo Social de control y apoyo en Vih, Colombia
Asovihsida, Costa Rica
Finnish NGO Platform to the EU, Finland
Alliance Sud, France
VENRO, Association of German Development NGOs, Germany
Afro Global Alliance (GH), Ghana
Pathfinders Outreach Ministry, Ghana
TB Voice Network, Ghana
ONGD Africando, Gran Canaria (España)
Anti Debt Coalition (KAU), Indonesia
International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), Indonesia
CRBM, Italy
Fair, Italy
JANIC, Japan
African Women's Development and Communications Network/FEMNET, Kenya
African Child Peace Initiative (ACPI) Inc, Liberia
Fuamah Citizen Union, Liberia
Liberia Institute of Public Opinion (LIPO), Liberia
Liberia United for the Welfare of Children (LUWOC), Liberia
Council for NGOs in Malawi - CONGOMA, Malawi
Global Health Candlelight, Mali
Aids Candlelight Memorial Association, Ile Maurice
Varones Siglo 21, Mexico
Terra-1530, Moldova
Global South Initiative, Nepal
Rural Area Development Programme (RADP), Nepal
Both ENDS, Netherlands
Niza, Netherlands
Council for International Development, New Zealand
New Zealand AIDs Foundation, New Zealand
African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Nigeria
Afro Global Alliance (NIG), Nigeria
The Genius Generation, Nigeria
Grassroots Empowerment Network, Nigeria
The International Community of Women living with HIV and AIDS (ICW Nigeria), Nigeria
Noble Missions for Change Initiative, Nigeria
Stronghold Support Services, Nigeria
Womankind Nigeria for Women living with HIV and AIDS, Nigeria
Life Foundation, Pakistan
Youth Advocacy Network (YAN), Pakistan
Population Services Pilipinas Incorporated, Philippines
New Hope Federation, South Africa
Attac España, Spain
Foro Social de Murcia Francisco Morote Vidal, Spain
Intersindical Valenciana, Spain
Berne Declaration, Switzerland
Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law, Tajikistan
CSO "Equal opportunities", Tajikistan
Worldview, The Gambia
CILSIDA, Togo
Global Health International Institute, Togo
Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development, Uganda
Voice of the disadvantaged people, Uganda
BOND, United Kingdom
Bretton Woods Project, United Kingdom
Jubilee Debt Campaign, United Kingdom
Share The World's Resources, United Kingdom
War on Want, United Kingdom
World Development Movement, United Kingdom
Foreign Policy in Focus, USA
Global Financial Integrity, USA
Global Health Council, USA
Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project, USA
InterAction, USA
Looking Over Your Shoulder Ministries, Inc., USA
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, USA
New Rules for Global Finance, USA
Orange High School ONE Club, USA
Student Trade Justice Campaign, USA
Worldview, The Gambia
To sign on visit the Halifax Initiative website
6 Comments so far
Show AllI'm not sure how this "statement" was arrived at, and how many diverse viewpoints were incorporated into it - but some thoughts came to mind:
The statement, right at the top, has this: "Brazil, India, China and South Africa have emerged as important new players, but they cannot be expected to speak effectively to the interests of Sub Saharan Africa or low-income countries and least developed countries (LDCs) in other regions."
This may be an unfortunate reality *at the present moment* - but it also implies that the "establishment" in these countries represent their entire populations. Nothing can be more wrong, and that should have been obvious to this group called "Civil Society". It needlessly brushes off these four countries - but keeps harping on G20, forgetting that the G8 was expanded into G20 *precisely* to accommodate these four countries. The economic policies pursued by these countries have produced extreme inequalities within their own countries - so, if anything, there are millions and millions of people in these countries - supposedly the "emerging" economies - that need to be rescued from the neoliberal policies pursued by their governments.
This statement also makes no attempt to invoke history. Activists and leaders in India and South Africa have done great work in the past, even though their efforts were not fully successful. Their voices may be drowned by the "excitement" over economic development, but this is precisely the time that they need to be reached out to - to let them know that there is solidarity from similar groups around the world. There are victims of globalization everywhere.
Bring America Back !!!!
****I could swear that the United Nations and NATO were
conceived for these reasons.
****The Third World nations would do well to form their
own Global interest regional Groups, and recruit their
favored nations to sign on thereto. It is vital to their survival that they do so.
***It is well founded in modern history, the Veto Power given to self-interest Nations in the UN Security Council has worked to the detriment of the Third World.
****When Saviour Obama was yet a Senator, but was the
pre-eminent successor to the US Throne, 350 Latin American
leaders signed a letter to Him asking that his future policies treat them as Global Partners Equal, rather than the subordinate underlings of the "W" Regime. This hand of Global friendship has yet to be grasped by Team Obama !
Golden global opportunities down the drains of stupidity.
**Is it any wonder on his last trip to the UN, Hugo Chavez remarked the smell of burning embers of El Diablo (The Devil), his favorite name for King George, was gone !
**All those nations had caught the US red-handed trying to destabilize their Governments, with dirty tricks, and with Chavez--trying to assassinate him ! Some hand of friendship.
But if Chavez thinks the stench of burning flesh is gone at the UN, wait 'till he gets a whiff of Rahmbo Emmanuel !!
Whew and PeeeUUUUU.?
Good ideas. It's important that they're brought forth and stated. Only when someone or some groups try to implement the obviously needed is there any chance for it to happen.
From http://dons-review-law-politics-science-philosophy.com/philosophy:
Everyone’s talking about the newfound or oncoming “Age of Empathy.” In humanity’s history, after the Age of Faith and the Age of Reason, now comes the Age of Empathy, or so they say.
’Greed is out. Empathy is in.’ That's how Frans de Waal begins his book, “The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons For A Kinder Society” (Harmony, 2009; $25.99).
De Waal says it is long overdue that we jettisoned our beliefs about human nature--proposed by economists and politicians--that human society is modeled on the perpetual struggle for survival that exists in nature. De Waal says this is mere projection on our part. Nature is replete with examples of cooperation and empathy.
Empathy, de Waal explains, is the social glue that holds human society together. He argues that modern psychology and neuroscience research supports the concept that "empathy is an automated response over which we have limited control." One thing is clear—he better be right. More than six billion people are trapped on a tiny planet surrounded by trillions of miles of open, deadly space. It’s a bit like being on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific with only a one in a trillion chance of rescue. It’s also a bit like stuffing the Bidens, Obamas, the George W. Bushes, and the Cheneys into a one bedroom apartment. What do you think would happen if that were a reality? Would Cheney accidentally shoot Biden while getting his gun from the top shelf of the single hall closet? Would Obama be able to bring all viewpoints together in a calm, nonviolent discussion when mice and roaches infested the place?
We know the answers.
One can look at the earth as a one BR apartment with six billion tenants—and growing. If life as we know it is to continue for our kids and grandkids, an Age of Empathy had better develop. It may have been one of Obama’s goals when he took office. It may have been what Bill Clinton had in mind when he pushed for NAFTA in the 1990s. But they were both premature.
By reimagining faith and reason as intimate aspects of empathic consciousness, we create a new historical synthesis--the Age of Empathy--that incorporates many of the most powerful and compelling features of the Age of Faith (gods control us and everything) and the Age of Reason (our brains can overcome and control everything) into a human who meshes with his environment, including good guys and bad guys, while leaving behind the disembodied story lines that shake the celebration out of life.
The Enlightenment philosophers--with a few notable exceptions--eliminated the very mortality of being. To be alive is to be physical, finite, and mortal. It is to be aware of the vulnerability of life and the inevitability of death. Being alive requires a continuous struggle to be and comes with pain, suffering, and anguish as well as moments of joy. How does one celebrate life or mourn the passing of a relative or friend or enter into an intimate relationship with another in a world devoid of feelings and emotions?
New developments in evolutionary biology, cognitive science, and psychology are laying the groundwork for a wholesale reappraisal of human consciousness and leading the way to a more sophisticated approach to a theory of mind.
Researchers in a diverse range of fields and disciplines are beginning to reprioritize some of the critical features of faith and reason within the context of a broader empathic consciousness. They argue that all of human activity is embodied experience--that is, participation with the other--and that the ability to read and respond to another person "as if " he or she were oneself is the key to how human beings engage the world, create individual identity, develop language, learn to reason, become social, establish cultural narratives, and define reality and existence.
garlanddegreeff, interesting post, great points. I'm just not sure what you were trying to say about Obama and Clinton - but it's extremely hard for me to give them the benefit of the doubt. It may be a disturbing thought to some, but they probably knew exactly what they were doing, and are doing.
You ask, "How does one celebrate life or mourn the passing of a relative or friend or enter into an intimate relationship with another in a world devoid of feelings and emotions?". Actually this sort of mourning seems to be present among animal species too, and personally I have no doubt that animals are far more "intelligent" and can feel emotions than some humans give them credit for. Avoiding or minimizing the killing of animals could be the single most important decision, and also the easiest, that could help humanity in unforeseen ways.
I haven't read De Waal's book. I'm just curious how this will be received among the "pure" left. From time to time, I come across a somewhat puritanical streak among those who profess to be on the left. They seem to have an aversion to anything that sounds like mysticism or spirituality. Framing "empathy" as a biological phenomenon amenable to "research" may be acceptable to these people. But if it's talked about as "compassion" or the "oneness of life", I'm sure their feathers would be ruffled - as it would sound like some New Age spiritual mumbo jumbo. IMO, psychologically, such intolerance is not very different from the intolerance shown by the Church or authoritarian regimes to deviations from the officially sanctioned dogma. I suspect that one reason for their aversion is a belief or misunderstanding that such an approach to life is a sign of "weakness". They obviously haven't looked at the life of Gandhi closely enough.
Great post, 'garlanddegreeff'!
I much agree with your imagery, e.g. "six billion people are trapped on a tiny planet surrounded by trillions of miles of open, deadly space. It’s a bit like being on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific...". Though we're actually passing 7 billion people this year or next - 6.81 now; pop.growth 80-100 million annually, a literally devastating pace. Crowded? - for middle-agers global population has doubled since childhood. No wonder life seems noisier... Great growing market for cell-phones and such, of course, but we're gnawing away the living soil of the Earth.
If empathy doesn't kick into the habit of ignoring the nature-cost of gadgets soon, we'll be formalizing cannibalism next. - Unless we already have done so, cf. 24,000 daily dead from dysfunctions of our trade & profit-systems.
On the reading list re "The age of emphathy" don't forget:
- "The Plastic mind" ('plastic' not as in the resin-product, but in the sense of 'malleable') by Sharon Begley
- "The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis" by Jeremy Rifkin