This was the crux of the presentation by IPI President Terje Rød-Larsen who highlighted global mega trends that pose risks and challenges to global peace, security and stability.
He was speaking as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Advisory Council of the International Peace Institute (IPI) has held its inaugural meeting, attended by 16 members of the diplomatic and business communities, religious leaders from amongst Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths, amongst others, as well as civil society members.
The presentation made comparisons and links between the extremist movements of today, including Daesh, Al Qaeda, the Houthis in Yemen, and state-backed militias such as Hezbollah, with Europe’s Nazi fascist, and Stalinist movements of the early 20th century.
The presentation highlighted historical examples, going back to Christian fundamentalism in the 16th century, which were strikingly similar in ideology and action with the ones today.
Rød-Larsen said all these extremist and violent ideologies, occidental and oriental, are representing a totalitarian mentality that builds on a confused conception of a utopian paradise on Earth, and a belief that terrorism is not only a legitimate, but also a necessary means to achieve these objectives.
He added that politicized religion and totalitarian mentalities were not exclusive to present-day misused and politicized Islam.
Rød-Larsen gave a comprehensive overview of the major global challenges that face states and multilateral instiutions today, including populations’ shifts, migration, fragile states and cities, sustainable development, climate change, terrorism, and beyond.
In response to such challenges, the IPI has launched a new initiative, the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM), which will produce an in-depth analysis of the key trends.
Its primary aim is to identify urgently required policy proposals to enhance the multilateral system’s ability to respond to contemporary and long-term challenges.
The Commission is chaired by Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister of Australia, and its Secretary-General is Hardeep Singh Puri, former Permanent Representative of India to the UN.
Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the Foreign Minister, is a member of the ICM’s Ministerial Board.
The MENA Advisory Council was established in order to assist IPI’s recently opened Middle East and North Africa Regional Office.
It is comprised of people with expertise in the fields of international affairs, business, and civil society.
The Council will provide advice with respect to research, analysis, policy development, outreach, convening, and other programmatic activities of IPI.
IPI is an independent, international institution dedicated to managing risk and building resilience to promote peace, security, stability, and sustainable development. To achieve its purpose, IPI employs a mix of policy research, strategic analysis, publishing, and convening.
In April last year, the IPI opened its Middle East and North Africa office located in Manama. The office was established in Manama to promote policy research on global peace and security within the Middle East region. The IPI’s MENA office is headed by Nejib Friji.
The office work includes increasing the focus on issues of the region that contribute to the international community‘s efforts to strengthen the collective capability regarding conflict prevention, multilateral diplomacy, mediation, peacekeeping, and peace-building.
It also addresses critical challenges within the region, including armed conflict, state fragility, political extremism, humanitarian crises, transnational organized crime, terrorism, and energy security.
The office seeks regional partnerships, in support of peace, security, and development. The Council will meet once a year in Manama to discuss current activities and future work.