Redefining the Global Agenda: Old Guard vs New Players

Moderator: A. Craig Copetas – Editor at Large, TRT World
Karin von Hippel: Director General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Stephen Chan: Professor at the Department of Politics and International Studies, SOAS University
Gulnur Aybet: Senior advisor to the President of the Republic of Turkey
Pan Wei: Director of Centre for Chinese and Global Affairs at School of International Studies, Peking University
Kingsley Makhubela: CEO, Brand South Africa

Summary:
Moderator A. Craig Copetis posed the question:
“Are you willing to support change that will endanger your own position?”
The panel had a robust discussion on the root causes of terrorism, conflict, and whether intervention can cause more harm than good. The panel also discussed whether the new, liberal, world order is in decline and whether it’s time to ask what a post-Western world would look like. They emphasised the inherent problems with viewing change and reform from a Western lens and whether the inclusion of new powers into the strategic agenda will see the liberal, world order, descend into chaos. As mentioned by Gulnur Aybet, those nations who established the post-1945 world order still want to hold on to control, but are not able to, any longer. In the past, the old, liberal, global order categorised countries on the basis of their economic and military strength. Those which were considered ‘more powerful’ were balanced against each other, strategically, through trade agreements and military alliance. However, those powers, who were former enemies (such as Japan and Germany), needed to be controlled by economic intervention. Other, rising powers, were considered functional allies, but not strategic powers.
The world is now seeing new powers rise through emerging economies – including Turkey. These nations can no longer just be seen as mere, functional allies. Much of their influence is currently shaping the modern, world order. However, they are yet to be seen as strategic partners – the old guard are unsure of how to deal with this shift.