New Delhi, February 26 Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday made a strong case for multilateral cooperation, saying that in these times of protectionism, giving up on multilateralism was not an option.
Delivering the inaugural Dr. Manmohan Singh Lecture, she referred to the US-led protectionist trade policies and said that the world order had been shaken.
She also called for regulation of artificial intelligence and new technologies, including social media, saying that all had to come together to do so, as no single country could solve the problem.
Referring to the multiple challenges the world is facing, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine, wars, and tariffs, Merkel said that the right of territorial integrity of states was being treated with contempt, and democracies were under pressure.
She said that what we are losing sight of is that life on earth is in peril, and we have no choice but to cooperate on a multilateral basis.
The first of the lecture series was organised by the Manmohan Singh Trust, set up to carry on the legacy of India's prime minister, who is known for ushering in economic reforms in the country. Singh was the country's 14th prime minister from 2004 to 2014. His family now runs the trust, and Singh's wife, Gursharan Kaur, was present at the lecture.
Among those who attended the event were Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former finance minister P. Chidambaram, former Jammu and Kashmir governor N.N. Vohra, and several other dignitaries, including diplomats.
Noting that multilateralism is under stress, Merkel said that the US is weakening international organizations and openly questioning the role of the United Nations and its Security Council as a platform for resolving conflicts, adding that the order of cooperation the world has known so far has now been replaced with the dictum "might means right".
"In Europe, the principle of territorial integrity was violated with the attack of Russia on Ukraine, and thus forced the European order into a corner after the second world war. Thus, the right of territorial integrity and sovereignty was trampled. Multilateralism as a concept for our international cooperation is under pressure," she said.
"The USA, under President Donald Trump, has weakened international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, or the Paris Climate Agreement. They even openly question the role of the United Nations as a place of international cooperation or replace it with unilateral action. Thus, the previous order of cooperation is replaced by an order in which might means right, instead of the strength of the right," she said.
Merkel recalled Manmohan Singh's address to the US Congress in 2005, where he had said, "The real test of democracy is not what is stated in the Constitution but how it functions on the ground," as she stressed that nations should not make any compromises on democracy.
She said that when protectionist trade warnings are stifling growth, Singh's warnings are in order.
Merkel also lauded the path shown by Singh in promoting multilateralism, even as she lauded the economic reforms initiated by the former prime minister, which she described as courageous.
Describing Singh as a simple man who grew from a humble background, she said that he had a strong personal integrity and had the ability to convince people but was not intimidating.
The topic of the lecture was "Germany and India in times of global change". Merkel spoke in German, which was simultaneously translated into English.
She also lauded India's growth over the years and said that being the most populous country on earth, it has for many years seen an annual economic growth of over 5 per cent, and thus has an "inescapable economic development potential for the future".
Noting that India has a younger population compared to Germany, she said that the country also has the demographic advantage.
Calling for regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) and global technology, including social media, Merkel said that if regulation does not happen, "multilateralism will ossify".
"Technology should be subjected to regulation. Regulation for AI applications is needed. Such a demand seems utopian. When countries globally leading in the field like China are either setting their own rules or trying to prevent regulation, the way must be found to pave for regulation. If not, multilateralism would ossify," she said.
She hoped that today's event can also make a very small contribution to the strengthening of the relations between the two countries, as she recalled how first inter-governmental consultations were started under Singh and her at the helm in Germany.
Singh's daughter, Upender Singh, welcomed the guests and gave a brief history of his life. Her sister, Daman Singh, thanked Merkel and all those who attended the event in memory of the former prime minister.
