Events & Issues 

New Delhi, 19 November 2012

Asian Roadmap

GOODBYE WEST, HELLO EAST

By Sabina Inderjit

In these times of great change and challenge, the Asian Cooperation Dialogue has given a fresh impetus to its ambitious initiative of Looking East. Though sadly gone unnoticed, its efforts are a step forward in moving towards an Asian era to balance the Euro-Atlantic domination which has been the case for over two centuries. More so, as the global financial crisis in the West had a cascading effect on the Asian continent and has affected its growth in the recent past. Will this group of Asian nations achieve its goal of creating an active and effective network of States is the big question? 

While the Western world may want to hedge its bets, given that there are already existing forums such as the GCC, ASEAN or OIC in the region, the Asian leaders have sent strong signals that they mean business. A decade after embarking on a process of consultation and dialogue to promote stability and development, the ACD’s canvas has indeed grown, from 18 nations to 32, from all corners of Asia, including Gulf, China, India, Pakistan, Thailand, South Korea, Iran and even Russia.

Started as an informal Ministerial dialogue in 2002 in Bangkok, the ACD members over a period realised that the era of discussions must end and that it was time for action. Thus, taking the lead to go forward, the little but oil-rich State of Kuwait decided to host the first-ever ACD Summit in its capital city last month. The change was clearly visible—over half the nations were represented by either their Heads of State or Government, such as Thailand’s Prime Minister Yinginck Shinawatra, Afghanistan’s President, Hamid Karzai, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Pakistan’s Pervez Ashraf, Bangladesh’s President Zilllur Rahman, thereby converting the forum, which was earlier represented by officials into what is being perceived as a ‘powerful institution’.  

Consciously but importantly, the ACD has all along sought to put political issues behind given the known conflicts and disputes in the region and concentrate instead on areas where Asia’s diverse strengths and assets are complimentary. Following maybe also the European successful example of creating a Single Market, the ACD’s aim is to achieve economic integration through various means such as promoting free trade and investment by removing barriers among the nations, sharing knowledge and expertise in areas like communication and information technology; paying attention to and promoting education by establishing universities and specialized institutions; promoting regional connectivity; facilitating trade and developing markets etc.  

While many experts could ask what’s new, or what has the dialogue achieved in the 10 years, or that fora such as GCC, SAARC, and Arab League etc, are dealing with similar issues, the member nations could well argue of the ACD being different by its cross-cultural, multi-ethnic and open character. Its communique after the two-day summit specifically noted the need to strengthen cooperation by ‘establishing partnership links’ between the diverse regional groupings. It was thus not by chance that the Summit provided a rare sight --the coming together of West, East Asia and even Eurasia leaders under one umbrella in Kuwait.

The Asian leadership is thus firm in its belief that its time there be a shift from the West to the East, as there is formidable synergy within Asia to be shared with one another. This has never been the case before in the history of this wide and diverse continent. The simple message being let us solve our problems amongst ourselves rather than look elsewhere. For example,  why shouldn’t Asian countries rich in energy, come to the aid of energy-hungry nations, or for that matter why shouldn’t Asian countries which are dependent on food import look to the major exporters of food in the region. Or say, why should students from Kuwait head to the West for higher studies, IT or medicine, when India could offer the same, if not better. With English widely used, language is no longer a barrier. While these simple ideas can well materialize, member nations have sought to give top priority to enhancing connectivity across the Asian region, such as building a Trans Asian Highway and the Trans Siberian railway, which they are confident would help promote better flow of trade and investment.        

But a major roadblock for any initiative to achieve its goals is lack of funds and how to mobilise these. Here, is where Kuwait, though politically small, has found its big role.  Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, not only hosted the ‘historic’ Summit but has even offered to host the ACD’s secretariat in Kuwait and proposed the setting up a $2 billion fund to fight poverty in Asia, to which he readily committed $300 million. This apart, he suggested that a pan-Asian development agency like the ADB, manage the programme that will finance development projects in the least developed Asian nations.

Kuwait, as is well-known has been generous in helping projects by way of loans and grants to various Asian countries. It has done so through its Kuwait Fund for Development, set up in 1961, which has over the years has raised its capital to $ 6800 million. India is among the scores of nations, which has received the largesse. India, incidentally, shares close historical cultural trade and economic links with Kuwait. The bilateral trade between the two is now over US 12 billion. Importantly, Indians are the largest expatriate community in Kuwait, around 6,00,000 who send back a sizeable amount of foreign exchange.

However, many of them in Kuwait would have felt let down by New Delhi not giving the Summit and its host the due importance it deserved. While there were 22 Heads of State and Governments, India was conspicuous by its representation through the Minister of State for External Affairs, who apparently made a stop-over on his way back from attending the UN General Assembly! While prior engagements of the Prime Minister or late invitation extended may be reasons cited for this faus pax, New Delhi should seek to play an active role in this group, as it does in the G-20.      

The Kuwait initiative, if pursued with the same enthusiasm as seen at the Summit, could eventually help make a major shift in today’s world order. As it is, the world has changed from bipolar to multipolar, and that the major influence the West enjoys in world affairs may well shift to the East. Informal groups such as the G-8 or the G-20, which are gaining in importance over existing international organisations such as the UN or the WTO, may find a contender in what could turn out to be an all Asian affair, A-32. It could be one of the networks of strategic importance in the new era. Time will tell or as Kuwait would like to say Inshallah. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)