Sustainable Multilateralism

Sustainable Multilateralism is any social, political and economic action that fully facilitates;

1. A complete fulfilment of local needs and;
2. A complete fulfilment of a country’s international obligations such that when the Sustainability Values of (1) and (2) are calculated and consolidated it yields the highest Sustainability Performance Index (SPI) for that action.

Multilateralism is a solution-intensive thinking and behaviour. It is neither based on shallow thinking nor on an empty practical gesture. The current practice by many internationalists is the assumption, wrongly or rightly, that by partially catering for or fulfilling (1) and (2), everything is OK. Well, not quite. For such an assumption will be blown wide open when the SV’s of (1) and (2) turn up in the resolution pool with negative values for consolidation into the SPI of the action in question. For example, if you turn up at the global stage to negotiate a trade deal on behalf of your country, the resulting agreement must completely meet both your country’s local needs and your international obligations needs. It’s pointless negotiating a deal that leaves one or the other worse off.

No one denies the fact that every man’s first gut reaction instinct naturally tends towards always thinking about your own country first, hence consequently, you would always tend towards getting the best deal for your country with little or no thoughts about your opponents. But the reality of this is that if you pick up the courage to calculate the SPI of your action post-trade agreement, you would be shocked to see how the consequences of a partial agreement that puts your opponent at a disadvantage may very well discount and degrade the Sustainability Performance Index of your action potentially to unsustainable level.

A clear thinking and clean-minded Internationalist ought to fully embrace and always think of (1) and (2) as an essential and unavoidable criterion of Sustainable Multilateralism. Thinking about and actioning one without the other naturally piles up negative values over time that immediately and subsequently defeat the whole purpose and essence of Sustainable Multilateralism.

Frankly speaking, before seeking international co-operation and collective action on any issue, it is advisable and prudent to always arm oneself with clear thoughts and full appreciation of (1) and (2).

Get this widget!