On The Need For A Global Compassion Based Leadership

The world in which we live today, has arguably undergone many changes since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the start of pandemic, many people were forced to work and study from home at a time when major outdoor events were being cancelled.

However, as much of the world is now staring at the pandemic in the rear view mirror, nation states and the whole of humanity confront many serious global challenges.

Over the last couple of years, massive labour shortages have gone hands in hands with spiralling inflation.

Many analysts believe that this has eroded any gains that workers may have earned due to higher wages.

The war in Ukraine and increasingly tight lockdowns in China have only made matters worst for the already thin supply chains.

These tight supply chains are exerting strong inflationary pressures while also risking exacerbating situations of income inequality and food insecurity globally.

On top of all that, it goes beyond a doubt that climate change would likely be the biggest challenge confronting humanity in the twenty first century.

Global challenges require a global compassion based leadership that prioritises trade over aid.

What is also needed is free global transfers of knowledge, education and investments in order to further strengthen global cooperation and entrepreneurship.

It has been quite well articulated that along with climate change, pandemic preparedness is also an area that warrants global cooperation.

This would not happen unless there is a change in the concept of leadership and governance that is needed at the highest level.

In a recent book on this subject, Fareed Zakaria has also put emphasis on the need for strong countries like China, Russia and the USA to put aside their political differences.

He has emphasized on the need of working with developing countries in order to prepare well coordinated approaches and responses to deal with the pandemics of the future.

Arguing something similar, global billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates remarked on a recent visit to Pakistan that we may not be too far from the next pandemic.

He lamented on the lack of open-mindedness that was out there to deal with challenges that could have global implications.

Nation states, their governments and bureaucracies often make decisions based on perceived national interests and political aims, even if they lead to regional or global conflicts.

This approach towards foreign and domestic policies is one major factor due to which many countries in the world are now witnessing levels of political polarisations that had not been seen in decades.

It should be mentioned here that what we are now witnessing unfold in front of us, is a clash of ignorance and political interests.

This is arguably preventing the governments and civil societies world over from forming global alliances based on mutual respect, friendship, trade and easy transfers of knowledge.

Experts have warned that the time we have on hand to deal with climate change and to prepare for the pandemics of the future is shrinking with each passing day.

The time to address grievances and act proactively, is now.

The writer is an independent researcher, a freelance journalist and a graduate from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.