Kathmandu, Nov 23 , 2024: Former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal has said that transition to a multipolar world presents both challenges and opportunities for Nepal. Addressing at the conference held at Russian House in Kathmandu on the theme “Emerging Multipolarity: South Asian Context”, he cleared that Nepal must take a correct path of national development and transformation suited to the emerging national and international development.
Here’s Khanal’s full speech on the theme “Emerging Multipolarity: South Asian Context” as chief guest:
Mr President Mitrakunja
Distiguish Guiest Prof. Dr alexander dugin
Special gueists
Distinguish speaker prof. Ivan nikolaevich Zolotukhin
Dear friends and participants
Ladies and gentlemen
Good afternoon, everyone!
First of all I would like to express my happiness for organizing such a relevant interactive program in the context of changing world scenario. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the Russian political scientist Dr Alexander Dugin for his participation and making a thought provoking presentation in this program.I think, today’s program also will help in strengthening friendship between Nepal and Russia.
Since a long time in our history, Chinese and Indian economies were the largest economy in the world. But in the last few centuries, their position was taken over by the imperialist and colonial powers of the west as these Asian giants entangled as they were in internal conflicts fell down miserably in their path of economic development. Despite many other ups and down, most part of the twentieth century, a Cold War between two superpowers of USA and USSR persisted. That order was also ended with the fall of Soviet Union in the last decade of that century. That gave an opportunity for a single superpower for some time to dominate in the world.
The international situation and balance of power is changing very fast. Now gone are the days when the imperialists and colonialists could flagrantly violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the different third world countries. The exploitation of resources and people of the third world by those powers have also now ending with the rise and success of national independent and social liberation struggles in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania, with the rise of third world and with the fast economic growth of global south.
The world is again at a crossroads. The global order is giving way to a new reality – a multipolar world, where power is distributed among multiple nations and blocs. Nowhere is this shift more apparent than in south Asia, a region brimming with potential and navigating complex geopolitical dynamics.
For much of the 20th century, we witnessed a bipolar system, primarily dominated by the US and the USSR. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to a brief period of unipolarity with the US at the helm. But the 21st century has ushered in a new era, characterized by the rise of emerging powers around the world challenging the existing order dominated by western powers.
The turn of the century marked the emergence of China as a major force on the world stage, wielding significant economic, military, technology and political clout. The resurgence of Russia, alongside the growing influence of countries like India, Turkey, and Brazil, the formation of BRICS and SCO, evolution of alternative global financial institutions like new development bank and Asian infrastructure investment bank (AIIB) and the latest development of BRICS 16th summit and its Kazan declaration from the historic city of Russia further underscores this shift towards multipolarity.
This shift is not merely about economic or military might but it is due to the fast development of technological and trade might too. This is all driven by a growing desire for national independence, sovereignty and identity of global south countries. Today in a world wide scale counties, Nations and peoples of the world are increasingly seeking alternatives to the traditional Western-led outdated and unjustly Briton wood systems, forging new economic, political and technological partnerships. This has been a great transformation going on in the world unseen in one century despite turbulences, tensions and regional wars created by the west by their aggression, provocation and plunder.
South Asia is witnessing the transformation inside and outside. The region is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, a burgeoning population, and a renewed sense of assertiveness on the global stage. India, with its remarkable economic growth and the world’s largest population, is poised to be a pivotal player in the emerging multipolar world.
Let’s look at some key factors shaping the South Asian context:
•The Rise of China: China’s growing economic, military and technological power, coupled with its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, world development initiative, world civilization initiative and world security initiative have significantly increased its influence in South Asia. Its investments in infrastructure, trade, and technology have made it a crucial partner for many countries in the region, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Manmare, Afghanistan Maldips and Nepal. The trade in larger volume between China and India is also ever growing. The relation between China and India has been improving recently particularly agreeing to maintain a peaceful environment in their long border.
•Revival of Russia:- Despite western powers proxy wars, interferences and restriction to weaken Russia, President Putin is resisting resolutely to the western powers and NATO in a heroic way and gaining strength for Russia. Now she is trying to expand relation and cooperation to many countries around the world including Nepal. This has brought another bright opportunity before us to develop a wider and deeper cooperation between Nepal and Russia as before in the period of Soviet Union. Russia could play an important role as a development partner in Nepal and south Asia. We have not been able to tap this opportunity yet.
•India’s Resurgence: India’s economic development and its growing military capabilities have positioned it as an emerging power in the world. India is also actively maintaining its partnerships with countries like the US, Japan, and Australia, seeking to secure its strategic interests in the region.
•Regional Dynamics: The complex interplay between India and Pakistan, marked by historical tensions and ongoing disputes, continues to shape the security landscape of South Asia. The rise of regional organizations like SAARC and BIMSTEC offers opportunities for cooperation, but progress has been very slow due to political differences.
•The Role of Smaller Nations: In this very context, countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and maldeps, though smaller in size, could play a crucial role in the region’s dynamics. They are navigating this complex geopolitical landscape by strategically balancing their relationships with neighbors, major powers and leveraging their unique strengths.
Nepal,sandwiched between the two Asian giants, has a unique perspective and opportunity in this multipolar world. With the background of two rising global powers on the flank, Nepal should play very carefully, boldly and vision fully. To have two such big powers on north and south itself may be great opportunity for Nepal. If we act smartly, we can work in this situation to our benefit by establishing multi-dimensional network link with our both neighbors and between China and India particularly in the development of multidimensional modern connectivity related to infrastructural development. In that way Nepal could be a unique bridge between these two giant neighbors.
At this time countries, governments, experts and intellectuals around the globe are organizing discourse in many parts through many ways on the methods and policies to adjust in the emerging new situation. A great transition has been going on every parts of the globe. It is a painful situation for some powers. But it is a historical necessity for the global south. This transition to a multipolar world presents both challenges and opportunities for Nepal. But Nepal must take a correct path of national development and transformation suited to the emerging national and international development. Nepal is not a poor country in resources. But we must be ready to properly utilize those resources according to the above all interest of the country and people. We must develop people and nation centric policies and programs instead of selfish, undemocratic and power hungry polices and efforts with frequent alignment and realignment among political forces taking benefit from the hung parliament. There is no necessary to have any kinds of alignment at the cost of the interest of the people and country. We must be ready to correct the course of the country to the correct path of fundamental transformation in the socio-economic structure. For that purpose we have to move By embracing strategic thinking, strengthening our institutions, improving our public policies and governing system and fostering a spirit of cooperation, we can ensure that Nepal not only withstood the challenges of the time but thrives in national development and transformation in the context of new upcoming global order that is bringing us new and wider opportunities.
Finally I would like to extend my special thanks again to Prof. Dr Alexander Dugin for his thought provoking keynote speech from a far distance. I would also like to extend my thanks to distinguish speaker Prof. Evan Nikolaevich Zolotukhin for his important speech. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the professors’ and speakers for their important contribution. Also I would like to extend my thanks to the Mitrakunja for organizing this important program in this historical place-Russian House.
Thank you.
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