Respect for sovereignty applies to all

THIS WEEK, SOME of most economically powerful nations gathered in Davos, Switzerland to talk shop; discuss their continued economic dominance of the world’s economies, and their more pressing concerns.

At this gathering, Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney, received a standing ovation- a rare occurrence in such a forum- for his address which challenged the attitude of the leader of the world’s most powerful economic and military power. This he did without invoking the name of the elephant in the room.

For this, Carney instantly began being hailed as a hero of sorts. Of course the main issue was the bellicose attitude of the US president who had signalled his intention to acquire Greenland no matter what, as though it were his God-given right to so do. It mattered little that Greenland was a self-governing territory under the state of Denmark.

Trump’s stated intention threatened to fracture the unity of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This would have meant a serious distraction for this alliance at a time they can least afford it, engaged as they are in a difficult to win war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

Issues of sovereignty were brought to the fore as, for this grouping, international law must be respected and upheld.

Interestingly, just a few weeks earlier, these same nations had remained silent as the sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was being flagrantly ignored and violated. It seemed totally okay for the United States of America to accuse the leader of an independent nation of criminal charges without offering evidence. It had been quite okay for the US to stage an armed invasion of Venezuelan territory and with arms blazing, kidnap its elected president to ferret him to NewYork where he remains imprisoned today.

Do so ain’t like so! The violation of the sovereignty of independent nations has been a practice long engaged in by the United States of America at which the NATO nations hardly even blink an eye.

The September 11, 1973 overthrow of elected president of Chile, Salvador Allende for instance, never mattered. The multiple invasions of Caribbean and Latin American nations such as the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Guatemala, Panama or little Grenada never mattered. But, there must be similar concerns of principle when the sovereignty of member nations of the United Nations body are violated anywhere in the world.

While the latest adventure into Venezuela with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, declaring that Cuba is next was in play, there are other

nations in the world which stated their objections and were willing to demonstrate their support for Cuba in a real way.

The United Mexican State’s president Claudia Sheinbaum, announced that her nation would continue to supply oil to the beleaguered Cuba.

The Russian Federation had its ambassador in Havana deliver the good news of assistance military-technical cooperation (ratified agreements, military visits), economic aid (energy, steel, transport, medicine projects, financing mechanisms), and strong political backing against U.S. pressure, with commitments to defend Cuban sovereignty and enhance joint projects in agriculture, biomedicine, and education, all amidst Cuba’s economic crisis and escalating U.S. tensions.

And this Monday, envoys from the People’s Republic of China met with Cuban president, Miguel Diaz Canel Bermúdez, with the promise of a multimillion dollar financial aid package.

To say that Cuba needs every dollar in assistance it can receive is an understatement. Cuba, or for that matter the Caribbean and other nations of the global south do not usually figure when the rich and powerful meet in Davos.

But the nations which formerly met as members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Nations during what was then called the Cold War must continue to look out for each other. The BRICS alliance must continue to consolidate and to ensure that the nations of the global south are not treated as afterthoughts to be trampled upon.

There must be checks on this wanton abuse of power coming from Washington. Because if they come for me tonight, and you stay silent, they would certainly come for you in the morning. The rights, struggles and concerns of all peoples and nations must be respected equally.

And what of us in St Vincent and the Grenadines? Our new administration faces a quite difficult geopolitical environment in which to navigate and would therefore have to rely on all patriotic Vincentians to contribute ideas as we navigate these new, turbulent waters.

Because, as Canada’s Mark Carney himself said at Davos, if you are not at the table you are on the menu.