• World
    • Africa
    • Asia Pacific
    • Central & South Asia
    • Europe
    • Latin America & Caribbean
    • Middle East & North Africa
    • North America
  • Coronavirus
  • Politics
    • US Election
    • US politics
    • Donald Trump
    • Brexit
    • European Union
    • India
    • Arab world
  • Economics
    • Finance
    • Eurozone
    • International Trade
  • Business
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Startups
    • Technology
  • Culture
    • Entertainment
    • Music
    • Film
    • Books
    • Travel
  • Environment
    • Climate change
    • Smart cities
    • Green Economy
  • Global Change
    • Education
    • Refugee Crisis
    • International Aid
    • Human Rights
  • International Security
    • ISIS
    • War on Terror
    • North Korea
    • Nuclear Weapons
  • Science
    • Health
  • 360 °
  • The Interview
  • In-Depth
  • Insight
  • Quick Read
  • Video
  • Podcasts
  • Interactive
  • My Voice
  • About
  • FO Store
Sections
  • World
  • Coronavirus
  • US Election
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Business
  • Culture
  • Sign Up
  • Login
  • Publish

Make Sense of the world

Unique insight from 2,000+ contributors in 80+ Countries

Close

One Antidote to Coronavirus: More Multilateralism

Never before in history has mankind been better positioned than today to confront a health challenge like the coronavirus and its economic effects.
By Gary Grappo • Mar 30, 2020
Coronavirus pandemic, covid-19 news, coronavirus pandemic global leadership, Donald Trump news, Trump coronavirus news, US coronavirus crisis, global coronavirus crisis, Ebola epidemic, US global leadership, US coronavirus stimulus

© twenty1studio / Shutterstock

With nearly every government and populace around the world now mobilized to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the sort of broad-based international coordination often seen in previous global crises remains glaringly absent, and it’s holding us back from a solution. The reasons for this lack of overarching collaboration and coordination may be several, but one stands out starkly: the United States. The world’s wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation is focused almost exclusively on itself.

This is because of one man: President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump is an avowed unilateralist, as per his “America First” pledge uttered throughout his presidential campaign and repeated frequently when speaking to his supporters. That approach is hurting America as much as the rest of the world.

Strength in Numbers

Under previous US presidents dating back the Franklin Roosevelt, America took the lead to rally the global community against threats, whether to international security, the global economy or world health. It was George W. Bush who led the worldwide community against the threat of international terrorism following 9/11 and against HIV/Aids in Africa. He and his successor, Barak Obama, gathered nations large and small to mount a global effort to stanch the hemorrhaging of the global economy during the 2008-09 financial crisis, and Obama rallied the international community again in response to the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic.


COVID-19: Will We Learn the Lessons?

READ MORE


In these and so many other global challenges of the last 75 years, American leaders in both the White House and Congress understood that even with all of its resources, the US could not take them on by itself. But without the leadership of the world’s richest and most powerful nation, the efforts of other countries would also fall short.

Working together, however, the world was able to overcome crises that in a previous era would have devastated nations and economies and left millions either dead or destitute. Never before in history has mankind been better positioned than today to confront a health challenge like the coronavirus and its economic effects. Yet, in surveying the landscape, no coordinated international undertaking appears evident. That is holding us back.

What’s Missing

First, where is the global task force charged with monitoring the disease and advising on best practices? To be sure, separate agencies, like the World Health Organization (WHO) or national agencies, such as US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have tried to take on some of those tasks. But a single, internationally empowered clearinghouse, perhaps endorsed through a UN Security Council resolution, would make responses by nations so much more effective. Such an organization would also make coordination of aid appeals more effective and actions to meet them more responsive.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the US, Congress has passed and the president signed three major bills to help individual Americans, businesses and hospitals and health-care workers contend with the health and economic fallout of the pandemic. The last bill, signed on March 27 by President Trump, provides more than $2.2 trillion in relief to the country as well as modest funding for lesser developed nations. To put it into perspective, that’s 47% of the entire US federal budget for 2020.

Embed from Getty Images

One wishes, however, that elements of this legislation would have had the broader perspective of the global effort. For example, in its commendable effort to support research and development into the coronavirus and possible treatments, cures and a vaccine, factoring in what other nations may be able to contribute would have been useful. Furthermore, in a global pandemic, even the best of efforts on the part of the US will come to naught without other nations similarly mobilizing, within appropriate and relevant resource constraints, to address the crisis.

A second area in which a multilateral approach might prove effective is research on the virus and the development of a vaccine. Individual scientists, researchers and institutions around the world have mobilized in a massive undertaking to learn all they can about the coronavirus and ultimately identify a vaccine. Most of them doubtlessly have their own formal and informal networks for sharing data and work results in order to take advantage of the latest developments.

Nevertheless, integrating the appropriate experts within an international coordinating task force not only would facilitate their work but also the allocation of global financial and scientific resources. In addition, when a vaccine is finally discovered, which it will be, ensuring that it is quickly produced on a mass scale in order to immediately vaccinate some 60% to 80% of the world’s population — scientists are still uncertain what percentage would require vaccinating to effectively prevent the coronavirus from spreading — will be imperative. International coordination will be essential for that undertaking.

Future Virus Hotspots

A third area requiring coordinated international efforts is aiding lesser developed nations, countries in conflict — Libya, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, etc. — and refugees and internally displaced peoples around the world, a figure that exceeds 70 million as per the UN Refugee Agency. Wealthier nations will eventually be able to eradicate the coronavirus from their midst, but until the needs of smaller, less wealthy nations and stateless and homeless populations are protected, the entire planet remains vulnerable. If developed countries like China, Italy, Spain and the US are experiencing the horrific losses and economic strains seen to date, the number of victims in these other nations will be exponentially greater without adequate and effective international aid and support.

Working with China, Europe, Japan and other advanced nations, the US ought to be leading the global response to the coronavirus called for by King Salman of Saudi Arabia, speaking as chair of the G20 recently. Instead, China and the US have been trading insults or blaming one another, with Trump referring to the “Chinese virus,” his secretary of state calling it “Wuhan virus,” and China blaming the outbreak on a US plot to weaken China.

Leadership is most in need at this juncture if the world is to prevail over the coronavirus. Donald Trump, who rarely takes responsibility for anything unless it becomes a success, is unfit for that leadership role. But without the US leading and promoting collaboration and cooperation, can any global effort succeed or even get off the ground?

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

Share Story
Categories360° Analysis, American News, Coronavirus, Donald Trump News, Global inequality news, Health, Inequality news, Insight, North America, Politics, US news, US politics news, World Leaders News, World News Tagscoronavirus pandemic, coronavirus pandemic global leadership, COVID-19 news, Donald Trump news, Ebola epidemic, global coronavirus crisis, Trump coronavirus news, US coronavirus crisis, US global leadership
Join our network of more than 2,000 contributors to publish your perspective, share your story and shape the global conversation. Become a Fair Observer and help us make sense of the world.

READ MORE IN THIS 360° SERIES

In Sierra Leone, COVID-19 Could Make Maternal Mortality Worse
By Emma Minor • Jul 06, 2020
Herd Immunity May Be Our Best Hope
By Daniel Wagner & Mark Eckley • Jul 06, 2020
The EU Should Collect Health Data Centrally
By Susan Bergner & Isabell Kump • Jun 29, 2020
How Will COVID-19 Change Our World?
By Atul Singh • Jun 26, 2020
How Mismanaging a Pandemic Can Cost Countries Their Soft Power
By Valerio Alfonso Bruno • Jun 18, 2020
COVID-19 Contact Tracing: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?
By Claire Downing • Jun 10, 2020
If the Pandemic Is a “War,” Then India Needs to Spend More
By Bobby Ramakant, Sandeep Pandey & Shobha Shukla • Jun 08, 2020
What Is the Key to Tunisia Successfully Beating COVID-19?
By Bill Law • Jun 08, 2020
The Humanitarian Disaster Before Us: COVID-19 in Somalia
By Arden Bentley • Jun 06, 2020
East Africa Faces a Cascade of Crises
By Bettina Rudloff & Annette Weber • Jun 04, 2020
The Swiss People’s Party Versus COVID-19
By Hans-Georg Betz • Jun 03, 2020
The 2020 Pandemic Election
By Saurabh Jha • May 29, 2020
COVID-19 Casts a Shadow Over Swedish Exceptionalism
By Mette Wiggen • May 21, 2020
Has COVID-19 Launched a New Era of Deadly Pandemics?
By I.P. Singh & Atul Singh • May 19, 2020
COVID-19 Arrives in Refugee Camps
By Phil Cole • May 18, 2020
The Worst President at the Worst Time
By Larry Beck • May 14, 2020
South Korea Faces Challenges in a Post-Coronavirus World
By Thomas Kalinowski • May 13, 2020
Debunking Trump’s China Nonsense
By John Feffer • May 08, 2020
Global Health Policy Is World Politics
By Susan Bergner, Maike Voss & Nadine Godehardt • May 07, 2020
Will We Ever Know the True Origin of COVID-19?
By Daniel Wagner • May 06, 2020
COVID-19: What Indonesia Can Learn From South Korea and Taiwan
By Luthfi Dhofier • May 05, 2020
Brazil Struggles to Find a Unified Approach to the Coronavirus Pandemic
By Thiago Alves Ferreira & Stephanie Fillion • May 05, 2020
Narendra Modi Is Fighting COVID-19 With Little Logic
By Satish Jha • May 01, 2020
What You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Crisis in the US
By Sunil Asnani & Kshitij Bhatia • Apr 30, 2020
History Will Judge Britain’s COVID-19 Response
By Rupert Hodder • Apr 30, 2020
China’s Uncertain Recovery From COVID-19
By Maa Zhi Hong • Apr 29, 2020
Rohingya Refugee Camps Are the Next Frontline in COVID-19 Fight
By Daniel Sullivan • Apr 28, 2020
Brazil Is Heading Into a Perfect Storm
By Lenin Cavalcanti Guerra • Apr 28, 2020
India's Tactical Victory on HCQ Misses the Bigger Picture
By Mauktik Kulkarni • Apr 27, 2020
Will COVID-19 Alter the Global Order?
By Joel Blankenship • Apr 27, 2020
South Korea Shows the Way Forward for Post-Pandemic Recovery
By John Feffer • Apr 24, 2020
Why Maximum Pressure on Venezuela Is the Only Way Out
By Leonardo Vivas • Apr 22, 2020
Can the WHO Restore Credibility After Its Handling of the COVID-19 Pandemic?
By Hans-Georg Betz • Apr 22, 2020
For Cybercriminals, a Global Pandemic Presents an Opportunity
By Beau Peters • Apr 17, 2020
Playing Catch-Up With the Next Pandemic
By John Feffer • Apr 17, 2020
The Politics Behind the Coronavirus in Brazil
By Helder Ferreira do Vale • Apr 15, 2020
Remembering the Easter Sunday Victims in the Shadow of COVID-19
By Amjad Saleem • Apr 14, 2020
China's Mask Diplomacy Won't Change the World Order
By Brennan Kau • Apr 09, 2020
How the US Government Failed to Prepare for a Pandemic
By Daniel Wagner • Apr 09, 2020
As President, Donald Trump Has a Duty
By Gary Grappo • Apr 08, 2020
Should We All Have Been Wearing Masks From the Start?
By Hans-Georg Betz • Apr 07, 2020
In Tajikistan, It’s Someone Else’s Virus
By Andrea Schmitz • Apr 06, 2020
Why Are Mexico and Brazil So Slow in Reacting to COVID-19?
By Lenin Cavalcanti Guerra • Apr 01, 2020
Are We Wrong About COVID-19 Death Rates?
By Daniel Wagner • Mar 31, 2020
Saudi Arabia’s Wars on Three Fronts
By Bill Law • Mar 30, 2020
The Politics of the Coronavirus
By John Feffer • Mar 27, 2020
What the Coronavirus Says About Us
By John Feffer • Mar 24, 2020
Why It’s Taking Britain So Long to Tackle COVID-19
By Rupert Hodder • Mar 23, 2020
COVID-19: What Italy and the US Are Doing Wrong
By Valerio Alfonso Bruno • Mar 10, 2020
The British Government Is About to Fail on Coronavirus
By Rupert Hodder • Mar 09, 2020
Coronavirus Outbreak Puts the World’s Governments on Notice
By Daniel Wagner • Mar 03, 2020
Coronavirus Outbreak Exacerbates Italy’s Political Divisions
By Valerio Alfonso Bruno • Feb 27, 2020
China’s Influence Dampens International Response to Coronavirus Outbreak
By Daniel Wagner • Feb 24, 2020
How Effective Is China’s Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak?
By Maa Zhi Hong • Feb 04, 2020

Post navigation

Previous PostPrevious Saudi Arabia’s Wars on Three Fronts
Next PostNext Guyana’s Bright Future Is Under Threat
Subscribe
Register for $9.99 per month and become a member today.
Publish
Join our community of more than 2,500 contributors to publish your perspective, share your narrative and shape the global discourse.
Donate
We bring you perspectives from around the world. Help us to inform and educate. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Explore

  • About
  • Authors
  • FO Store
  • FAQs
  • Republish
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact

Regions

  • Africa
  • Asia Pacific
  • Central & South Asia
  • Europe
  • Latin America & Caribbean
  • Middle East & North Africa
  • North America

Topics

  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Business
  • Culture
  • Environment
  • Global Change
  • International Security
  • Science

Sections

  • 360°
  • The Interview
  • In-Depth
  • Insight
  • Quick Read
  • Video
  • Podcasts
  • Interactive
  • My Voice

Daily Dispatch


© Fair Observer All rights reserved
We Need Your Consent
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. Learn more about how we use cookies or edit your cookie preferences. Privacy Policy. My Options I Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Edit Cookie Preferences

The Fair Observer website uses digital cookies so it can collect statistics on how many visitors come to the site, what content is viewed and for how long, and the general location of the computer network of the visitor. These statistics are collected and processed using the Google Analytics service. Fair Observer uses these aggregate statistics from website visits to help improve the content of the website and to provide regular reports to our current and future donors and funding organizations. The type of digital cookie information collected during your visit and any derived data cannot be used or combined with other information to personally identify you. Fair Observer does not use personal data collected from its website for advertising purposes or to market to you.

As a convenience to you, Fair Observer provides buttons that link to popular social media sites, called social sharing buttons, to help you share Fair Observer content and your comments and opinions about it on these social media sites. These social sharing buttons are provided by and are part of these social media sites. They may collect and use personal data as described in their respective policies. Fair Observer does not receive personal data from your use of these social sharing buttons. It is not necessary that you use these buttons to read Fair Observer content or to share on social media.

 
Necessary
Always Enabled

These cookies essential for the website to function.

Analytics

These cookies track our website’s performance and also help us to continuously improve the experience we provide to you.

Performance
Uncategorized

This cookie consists of the word “yes” to enable us to remember your acceptance of the site cookie notification, and prevents it from displaying to you in future.

Preferences
Save & Accept