OUTLINE
1. Introduction.2. Poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and food insecurity need global cooperation.
3. The first step to peace and prosperity is eradicating societal evils.
4. UN Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) cannot be met without member state collaboration.
5. The world cannot thrive without cooperation to meet current challenges:
- Terrorism is a global scourge; global effort is required to combat it.
- Global warming cannot be reduced by a single nation alone.
- Natural calamities and their impacts can only be minimized by world cooperation.
- Cooperation across the borders is required to curtail smuggling, human and drug trafficking.
- Cooperation among nations breeds peace which discourages arms race.
- Pandemics also highlight that global cooperation is required.
- The international economy is highly interdependent and, at times, volatile.
- Cybercrime has been identified as one of the fastest-rising threats across the world.
- Food security has become an international crisis.
- The scale of forced displacements has also reached record highs.
- Environmental degradation is a problem facing the world.
- International cooperation makes a significant contribution to hastening progress in various areas of science.
- Maritime security and freedom of navigation Is of paramount importance tha require concerted efforts.
7. Competition caused WWI and WWII.
8. Due of competitiveness, India and Pakistan have always been close to conflict.
9. Fortunately, regional and international organizations promote international cooperation.
10. The UN and ASEAN are notable examples.
11. Conclusion.
In today's world, there are numerous challenges that need to be addressed. To overcome these challenges, it is essential for the global community to work together, ultimately resulting in peace and prosperity. Competition, which has the potential to lead to war, is not desirable, particularly when the goal is to establish peace and prosperity. In order to address poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and food insecurity worldwide, it is essential for countries to work together in a spirit of cooperation. Putting an end to the social evils mentioned earlier is the initial step towards achieving lasting peace and prosperity. Cooperation among member states is essential for achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. The world cannot thrive without addressing current challenges such as global warming, the arms race, human and drug trafficking, and natural disasters. It is essential to go above and beyond to mitigate these issues. In order to address these challenges, which are significant obstacles to global peace and prosperity, it is necessary for countries to work together in cooperation. On the other hand, history has shown that whenever the global community has moved away from cooperation and engaged in competition, it has resulted in catastrophic wars. This highlights the importance of collaboration and the benefits of healthy competition in promoting global peace and prosperity.
It is important to start by talking about why global collaboration is essential for peace and prosperity. To address poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and food insecurity, it is essential for the world to come together and cooperate. The world cannot progress towards prosperity without addressing these social issues. The European Union (EU) member countries have made progress in their social indicators through cooperation. In the past, the region experienced food insecurity, as well as high levels of poverty and unemployment. Through collaborative efforts and the exchange of innovative ideas, the region has achieved a surplus of food and created employment opportunities for citizens in other regions. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also holds true to this statement. Thanks to their cooperation, Southeast Asian countries are making progress in their socio-economic and political spheres. These countries are living peacefully together in addition to making progress and experiencing prosperity. The aforementioned discussion reinforces the idea that cooperation is essential for global peace and prosperity.
In addition, the United Nations has established 17 objectives that must be accomplished within the next 15 years in order to ensure global peace and prosperity. The official term for these targets is Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Achieving these targets is impossible without the cooperation of all member states. To achieve the SDGs by 2030, it is necessary for all 189 UN member states and 23 international organizations to collaborate with each other. Cooperation is essential for achieving these goals successfully. If member states fail to fulfil their commitments, the goal of achieving lasting prosperity and peace will be difficult to attain. In order to achieve favourable outcomes on a global scale, it is necessary to priorities international cooperation over competition.
Moreover, the modern world is confronted with numerous challenges. These challenges are obstacles to achieving peace and prosperity. Thus, it is imperative to meet one another in order for the world to achieve prosperity and peace as a place to reside. Addressing these challenges necessitates global cooperation. Terrorism is currently the most significant challenge that the world is facing. Terrorism has resulted in the loss of thousands of innocent lives worldwide. The daily occurrence of fundamental human rights violations is concerning. Terrorism is a global issue that affects all continents equally. Various terrorist organizations across different regions collaborate and provide assistance to one another in carrying out their atrocious acts of terrorism. When those who threaten humanity unite, it is necessary for the global community to work together to overcome them. The issue of terrorism is a worldwide problem that demands a collective effort to address. In order to achieve a peaceful and prosperous world, the global community must set aside their differences and work together to eradicate the threat of terrorism.
In addition, the issue of global warming poses a significant challenge to the globalized world. Collective action by the global community is necessary to mitigate the catastrophic consequences. It is necessary to establish a broader global agreement to decrease the release of greenhouse gases and other activities that contribute to the phenomenon of global warming. If we don't take action soon, the health, economy, and ecology of the world will be at even greater risk in the years to come. This scenario could significantly impede progress and prosperity. President Obama's words emphasize the seriousness of the issue: "A changing climate poses the greatest threat to our future." The world community must recognize the gravity of the situation and work together to find a solution. Attempting to address this issue through individualistic approaches and isolated efforts will ultimately be ineffective.
Similarly, the arms race is a further vexing problem in today's globe. Every nation in the world is striving to build up their military strength in order to gain an advantage over their rivals. Only a few countries aspire to achieve global hegemony, or at the very least, they seek to establish dominance over their neighbouring nations. If nations around the world work together, the billions of dollars spent on military expenditures each year could be redirected towards the social sector. The next generation can be educated using these financial resources. By investing in this cause, we can ensure a brighter future for generations to come. They will be better equipped to address global challenges in a peaceful manner. If the funds designated for the defence budget were redirected towards poverty alleviation programmes, it could potentially eliminate the current issues of hunger and poverty. The world community will become more tolerant and peaceful as a consequence. Hence, it is imperative for the global community to collaborate in order to prevent an escalation of arms and redirect the same financial resources towards human development and poverty reduction. In the long run, this budgetary approach will be more advantageous for the peace and prosperity of humanity.
Furthermore, intentional cooperation can help to minimize the catastrophic outcomes of natural calamities. Coordination can help prevent certain natural disasters, such as floods. Lower riparian countries can calculate the amount of water that would flow in their countries if upper riparian countries inform them about the magnitude of rainfall in their countries. Lower riparians can take precautionary measures to avoid any unfavourable situations. Foreign support is crucial in easing the burden on victim countries in the case of earthquakes and tsunamis. Cooperation is the only viable solution to overcome the challenges posed by today's globalized world.
Additionally, reducing challenges related to smuggling, human trafficking, and drug trafficking across borders requires the cooperation of the global community. International organizations tasked with monitoring smugglers and traffickers would lose their effectiveness if countries ceased to cooperate with them, despite their presence. The effectiveness of international organizations relies on the efficient coordination and sharing of information among various states whose borders are utilized for the illegal transportation of drugs or human beings. Furthermore, it is important to note that trafficking and smuggling not only violate international laws, but also have negative impacts on economic development. This is because providing criminals with billions of dollars can have negative consequences for social stability and economic growth. Therefore, it is crucial for the international community to enhance its collaboration to guarantee peace and prosperity in today's globalized world.
In the same way, pandemics also highlight that global cooperation is required. According to the World Health Organization, more than 7 million confirmed reported deaths and an estimated global economic loss of more than 12 trillion in 2022 were due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. No country, regardless of economic status, was capable of dealing with this pandemic alone. International cooperation led to cooperation and sharing of genomes, the development of vaccines in just one year, and also global efforts to give more than 2 billion vaccine doses to low and middle-class countries.
Furthermore, the international economy is quite interdependent. The global financial crisis that occurred in 2008 led to a potential loss of USD 2 trillion in global GDP and caused more than 100 million people to live in extreme poverty, as estimated by the World Bank. The spread of the global financial crisis from the U.S. to Europe, Asia, and developing countries through contagion was quite fast. The IMF, which provided over USD 1 trillion in emergency loans during COVID-19, is one of the international institutions that demonstrate international collaboration on finances.
In the same vein, cybercrime has been identified as one of the fastest-rising threats across the world. According to Interpol and cybersecurity sources, it is projected that the cost of cybercrime across the world exceeds USD 8 trillion every year, with estimates set to rise significantly every year. In most cases of major cybercrime, the servers, attackers, as well as the targets, are based in various countries across the world, making it challenging for law enforcement agencies to act alone.
Similarly, food security has become an international crisis. According to the UN Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), 736 million people are afflicted with chronic hunger in 2023. The major cause of this has been the effects of climate change. Also, the UN believes that about 40% of the world suffers from a shortage of water. Collaborative approaches in climate-resilient agriculture, joint management of water, and international food aid initiatives are need-of-the-hour in averting famines as well as conflicts.
Additionally, the scale of forced displacements has also reached record highs. Over 114 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced because of wars, persecution, and natural disasters. Developing nations house almost 75% of the refugees in the world despite having less capacity and infrastructure to deal with the influx. A collaborative effort is required to address the issue of humane migrations and create stability in the region.
Besides forced migration, environmental degradation is a problem facing the world. According to the UN Environmental Program, more than 1 million species are facing extinction. For example, the illicit trade in animals alone has been estimated at between 7-23 billion dollars each year. Given the fact that the ecosystem knows no boundaries in terms of national borders, the only effective means of addressing this issue is through collective approaches in the form of treaties on climate change.
Furthermore, international cooperation makes a significant contribution to hastening progress in various areas of science. Research indicates that publications containing international collaborations experience increased citations of up to 50%, thereby having more significant effects. International cooperation made it possible to sequence the COVID-19 virus in record time, along with the development of mRNA vaccines. International collaborations make significant research, such as space research, modeling, and medical research, feasible.
Similarly, maritime security and freedom of navigation is of paramount importance tha require concerted efforts. Containerized ocean transportation accounts for well over 80% of all global trade measured by volume, and this is currently under threat from piracy, illegal fishing, and maritime disputes. Navies patrolling together and international maritime law have reduced attacks to a very low figure, and for instance, attacks on vessels off the coast of Somalia are down significantly due to worldwide collaboration.
Historical events proves that competition ensues war. Ever since the emergence of the modern nation-state in the 19th century, international politics has remained largely driven by the dynamics of competition instead of cooperation. Nation-states now compete for power, territory, resources, markets, and ideological hegemony. Often, these competitions culminate in what is termed a security dilemma, as one nation chooses to enhance its military or economic strength in order to secure its safety, while others see such acts as a menace, leading them to adopt similar courses of actions. This, in turn, causes both nations to engage in these processes of weapon proliferation, alliance, and diplomatically rigid stances, as evidenced by history, as these kinds of rivalries hardly ever remain non-violent. Based on studies of historical conflict, most instances of massive conflict after 1800 pertain to great power rivalries.
Additionally, it amps up the levels of competition by presupposing an international relationship that relies on zero-sum thinking, where any gain for one person necessarily leads to loss for others. This has the effect of downplaying the significance of international diplomacy while making warfare seem more attractive.
Throughout human history, it has been observed that whenever humans deviated from cooperation and engaged in competition, atrocities have followed. In the past, conflicts between different nations led to two devastating World Wars. A staggering 64 million people lost their lives in the two wars, and the financial toll was incalculable. At that time, the global community made the decision to create an organization similar to the United Nations, with the goal of promoting peace and cooperation among nations worldwide.
The onset of World War I was not spurred by a single incident but rather by several decades of very aggressive competition among European nations. The competition for imperial territory led countries to extend their empires and their influence, especially in Asia and Africa. Economic competition, especially with a growing Germany and a well-established British Empire, escalated tensions. The increase in industrial power and naval forces by Germany challenged British supremacy and led to a naval arms race.
However, at the same time, this military rivalry resulted in the buildup of huge armies and war plans, such as the German Schlieffen Plan, which allowed very little leeway in terms of diplomacy. The system of rivalry created blocs in Europe, which converted localized matters into continent-wide crises. As soon as the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand took place in 1914, the system of rivalry ensured that war replaced diplomacy, which resulted in a world war involving more than 30 nations, causing approximately 16 million deaths, thereby demonstrating how rivalry among nations can convert an event into a disastrous war.
World War II was an even more evident example of the competitive and destructive tendencies of the nation-state model of international relations. The aftermath of World War I had established a set of resentments, especially within the German nation, which was experiencing the effects of economic failure and national embarrassment. These nationalistic tendencies placed the desire for national rehabilitation, which was to be achieved through territorial mastery, military armament, and ideological hegemony, into direct competition. Such competitive tendencies were not, of course, the exclusive domain of the German nation, since the goal of imperialist expansion in East Asia was to guarantee the supplies and markets of Japan, while the desire for Mediterranean supremacy was the objective of the Italians.
Economic competition in the Great Depression further fueled these rivalries. As international trade dwindled to nothing, nations resorted to protectionism and territorial gain in their struggle against economic adversity. International cooperation on foreign policy and international institutions that otherwise would have controlled aggressive nations proved ineffective. The Second World War ended up deploying over 100 million servicemen and claimed 70 to 85 million victims, positioning this global conflict with armies and civilian populations in their crosshair sights at the top of the list in human history with the highest death toll.
After discussing the importance of global cooperation in addressing current challenges for long-lasting peace and prosperity, it is relevant to conduct a comparative analysis of two distinct regions of the world. One of them is making progress day by day thanks to the cooperation among its neighbouring countries. However, the second one portrays a bleak outlook on socio-economic aspects of life. There is a constant exchange of verbal hostilities in this region due to the competitive nature of the neighbouring countries.
The ASEAN member countries in Southeast Asia are making remarkable progress in both socioeconomic and political aspects. These countries coexist peacefully. Certain states have been successful in elevating their per capita income from a lower level to a middle level. Vietnam is a clear example in this regard. Furthermore, within the span of a decade, the entire region has successfully lifted 20% of its population out of poverty. Finally, it is worth noting that the area enjoys political stability and social tranquilly.
In contrast, South Asian nations, particularly India and Pakistan, have been in rivalry since their establishment. As a result of this competition, they have not gained any positive outcomes. Instead, they have experienced three devastating wars and a poor socio-economic situation. This region is home to nearly 20% of the world's population, yet it only generates 2% of the world's GDP. Additionally, a significant portion of the population residing in this area is impoverished, lacks education, and is underdeveloped. Competition can lead to disastrous outcomes, and all the factors involved contribute to this result. Many believe that if the countries in the region had cooperated with each other, similar to how European and Southeast Asian countries have, the region would have been able to achieve peace and prosperity.
The primary objective behind the establishment of the United Nations was to promote peace and harmony among various nations across the globe. In addition, various regional organizations have emerged at different times. There are several regional organizations across the world such as the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Africa, the European Union (EU) in Europe, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Asia, and others. Undoubtedly, these organizations have played a significant role in bringing countries at war closer together. At various points in modern history, they have played a significant role in promoting peace and reconciling opposing nations. However, further efforts are necessary to secure the collaboration of the global community in order to achieve enduring peace and prosperity.
In conclusion, it is only through cooperation that sustainable peace and prosperity can be attained. The world must come together to reduce poverty, eradicate illiteracy, and combat unemployment. Without ensuring this, the world cannot truly achieve peace and prosperity. In addition, it is essential for countries to cooperate in order to address the challenges that the modern world presents. Terrorism, global warming, and the arms race pose significant obstacles to achieving global peace and prosperity. The eradication of hindrances to peace and prosperity can be ensured through the cooperation of the global community. Competition, unlike cooperation, fosters animosity among nations, ultimately resulting in warfare and devastation. Throughout history, it has become clear that when countries prioritize competition over cooperation, it often leads to atrocities in the form of wars. Therefore, it is not desirable to have competition among the states. Cooperation is essential as it fosters a favourable atmosphere for peace and prosperity.
LINKS AND RESOURCES TO READ MORE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATION FOR PROSPERITY
- Why global cooperation is more important than ever in a world at war.
- Diplomacy for peace.
- Global cooperation for peace, development, and human rights.