‘World is in crisis, system is broken’, says Canadian PM Trudeau at UNGA

New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday (local time) issued a stark warning to the global leaders saying the “world is in crisis and the system is broken” and added that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that the world must change, as multilateral systems established decades ago are not working as they should.

Addressing the virtual 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Trudeau said that world institutions like International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank no longer serve us well enough on what they were designed for – defending multilateralism and international law, protecting human rights and open markets.

“We are in deadlock, The international approach we relied on since the second half of the 20th century was built on the understanding that countries would work together. But now the same countries are looing inward and are divided. We need to recognise where we are. The system is broken and the world is in the crisis. The things are about to get much worse unless we change,” he said.

Trudeau recalled that following war and economic collapse, previous generations established the UN, and international finance organisations in the mid-20th century, such as the IMF and the World Bank, thus laying the foundations for a rules-based international order and shared global prosperity.

“Today, all those institutions no longer serve us well enough on what they were designed for – defending multilateralism and international law, protecting human rights and open markets”, he said.

“That is what the crisis of COVID-19 has shown, beyond a shadow of a doubt. That things have to change. And not just on the world stage – but at home, too.”

The Canadian PM said governments do not do enough for their vulnerable citizens, such as the elderly and the homeless, adding that they are not going far enough to eliminate systemic injustice, be it racism, homophobia or sexism.

“In the difficulties of our citizens, we can see reflected the failure of the institutions of our world”, he said, switching to French.

Although COVID-19 has pushed many countries to the brink, and generated a humanitarian crisis, Trudeau warned of the greater threat of climate change. He called for “a new way of thinking” on climate, inequality and health.

“Too often, concerted action is blocked – the needs of our citizens are denied – as a result of gridlock at decision-making bodies”, he charged.

“And why? Because there are few consequences for countries that ignore international rules. For regimes that think might makes right. Few consequences for places where opposition figures are being poisoned while cyber tools and disinformation are being used to destabilise democracies.

“Few consequences when innocent citizens are arbitrarily detained and fundamental freedoms are repressed. When a plane of civilians is shot from the sky. When women’s rights are not treated as human rights. When no one has any rights at all.”

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