Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 22 September (BelTA) - Globalization must become more equitable, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei told the United Nations General Assembly on 21 September, BelTA has learned.

According to the minister, increased globalization has undoubtedly contributed to progress and economic development worldwide. But, it has not been without the downsides of its own. “What appears to matter is that the majority of the world’s population did not enjoy those fruits, especially over the last few decades. As a result, we have not been able to eliminate poverty, while inequality has been steadily on the rise,” said Vladimir Makei. Much has been said in recent years, including from this rostrum, about the underlying economic causes. If simply put, the global economy has not been guided by a “win-win” approach. Instead, it operated in the interests of corporate capital, not of ordinary people. Consequently, the economic globalization has not become a wave that would lift all boats," the minister added.

The Belarusian minister of foreign affairs mentioned certain grounds for optimism. “We base it on two factors – regional integration and new creative ideas in the global economy,” he said.

Vladimir Makei named regional integration a key feature of the contemporary world. “In places where it is successful, it leaves less room for political fragmentation.

Belarus has been deeply involved in a number of integration processes in its region,” he said.

Belarus has been vigorously advocating the ideas of cooperation and interconnectivity among regional processes for the last couple of years as part the “integration of integrations” approach. “It stems from the assumption that, in terms of structural functionality, the current world is composed not just of countries, but also of regions. We are thus convinced of the need for regional integration processes to engage with each other in broad cooperation, in a manner similar to the patterns of cooperation that exist among states,” the minister explained.

“When it comes to new creative ideas, we certainly point to the initiative called “One Belt, One Road” promoted by the People’s Republic of China. This initiative stands as a new type of economic multilateralism. It is seeking to bring benefits not only to its individual participants, but to the global economy as a whole. It is a true “win-win” approach. The Republic of Belarus both participates in and supports the initiative. In our view, the “integration of integrations’ and the “One Belt, One Road” initiative can help us shift the global economy from the path of divergence to one of convergence,” the minister said.