From Far & Near Leaderless in the Time of Planetary Pandemic By Shashi Malla   Leaderless in a Divided World It has become crystal clear now – even to his Republican supporters –that US President Donald Trump botched the American response to the deadly Corona Virus. With that he becomes a grave and present danger, not only to his own country, but the world at large. Trump is also responsible in a larger way for the rapid proliferation of the disease in the whole planet, because he not only did not provide the acute leadership required in the world at large, but also actively hindered the emergence of international leadership to combat the pandemic. As the columnist Frida Ghitis wrote so poignantly: “If ever we needed global leadership, it is now. There is none. Every country is looking out for itself. The role once filled by the United States is vacant, leaving humanitarians largely pleading into the abyss at a time when the magnitude of the expected need is so overwhelming, only a massive multinational response can do the job” [The Atlantic]. She also spoke to the humanity in all of us: “The crisis is revealing the essence of our identity. Are we heroes, doing our part for humankind? Or are we tribal, self-preserving individualists, erecting barriers; concerned only about our closest friends and relatives?” Ray of Hope? In this leaderless world, there was a ray of hope when the former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown thrust himself forward and called for a kind of global government to tackle the unprecedented public health crisis around the world [The Guardian]. Ex-PM Brown who was at the centre of the 2008 financial crisis suggested the immediate setting up of a taskforce of world leaders and health experts. The former Labour prime minister called upon world leaders to create a temporary form of global government to tackle the twin medical and economic crises caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Brown himself guided the international efforts to confront the near-meltdown of the banks in 2008 – precipitating the Great Recession of 2008-09. He stressed there was a need for a task force involving world leaders, health experts and the heads of international organizations that would have executive power to coordinate the multi-pronged response. A virtual meeting of the G – 20 group of developed and emerging countries has already been held, chaired by Saudi Arabia. This failed to endow any sort of robust leadership urgently needed. Brown had wished for some sort of participation by the United Nations Security Council, but this executive arm of the UN is currently stymied. It has become the victim of the new ‘Cold War’ between the U.S. and China. He completely recognizes that this is a war on multiple fronts, demanding the close cooperation of all countries: “This is not something that can be dealt with in one country,” he said. “There has to be a coordinated global response.” Despite Donald Trump’s “America First” egocentric and narcissistic policy, Brown was still optimistic to be able to get support for an emergency body with executive powers. Brown should take the initiative and forge ahead surrounding himself with like-minded individuals willing and able to shoulder the responsibilities of global leadership:
  1. Brown could start by goading UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to call an extraordinary [virtual] meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) which could delegate executive powers to such an emergency body.
  2. Brown himself could be the logical choice to head such a crisis group, to report time and again to UNGA about progress on various fronts.
  3. He could put together a small leadership group [to make decision-making easier:
  4. Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General
  5. Hillary Clinton, as vice-chairperson of the group
  • Sheikh Khalifa Tamim bin Hamad al Thani of Qatar.
Why Qatar? Because Sheikh Tamim has been instrumental in being an effective mediator in one of the world’s most intractable conflicts – Afghanistan. Moreover, he can set an example and donate generously to the emergency fund and be the staunch representative of the developing world, being the host of hundreds   thousands of migrant workers.
  1. iv) Kevin Rudd, former prime minister of Australia
  2. Shashi Tharoor, former UN under secretary general.
Gordon Brown in consultation with his fellow crisis group members would, of course, appoint a specialist advisory group consisting of experts – public health authorities, noted economists like Paul Krugman and Ruchir Sharma, as well as, international relations pundits. The writer can be reached at: shashipbmalla@hotmail.com