Times Of Swaziland: KING TO SHARE IDEAS FOR GLOBAL PEACE, TRADE

KING TO SHARE IDEAS FOR GLOBAL PEACE, TRADE
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King's Office Correspondents on 29/02/2024 08:50:00


ANTALYA, TÜRKIYE: How best can we tackle the global turmoil in a more
diplomatic way?
This is the question that His Majesty the King and more than 15 heads of State
and government are expected to deliberate upon, at the third Antalya Diplomacy
Forum (ADF), which is aimed at finding solutions to the upheavals in various
parts of the world today. The forum forms part of the King’s working visit to
Turkiye. The ADF seeks to find ways to better use diplomacy in the current state
of affairs through an interactive and thought-provoking platform. It will take
place from tomorrow until March 3, 2024, and is to be officially opened by
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Among the leaders expected at the forum are the Presidents; of Madagascar, Andry
Rajoelina; Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa; Togo, Fabre Gnassingbe; Central African
Republic, Faustin-Archabge Touadera; Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix
Tshisekedi; Somalia, Hassa Sheikh Mohamud; Djibouti, Ismail Guelleh; Bosnia and
Herzegovina; Bulgaria, Rumen Radev; and Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu. Also
present are the Prime Ministers of Moldova, Dorian Recean; Burundi, Gervais
Ndirakobuca; Montenegro, Milojko Spajic; and Hungary, Viktor Orban. According to
the ADF, this will be the third edition. It will gather heads of State and
government, ministers, diplomats, business leaders, academics, think-tankers,
youth and media representatives ‘for an all-encompassing debate.’
According to the ADF secretariat, the overarching theme of this year’s forum
will be ‘Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil’. It aims to serve as a
thorough reflection and the means for searching for a peaceful way out of the
turbulent period our world is going through. It lists these challenges as
ongoing wars, acts of terrorism, irregular migration, the rise of xenophobia and
Islamophobia, unforeseen risks of AI, climate change, natural disasters,
pandemics and widening socio-economic gaps from a non-exhaustive list of global
challenges.
Worrying
The erosion and subsequently the loss of trust in the rules-based international
order are also listed as a worrying trend that is undermining the predictability
of the environment in which States operate. The ADF also notes that these
challenges may also act as agents leading to structural changes in the global
political, economic and security landscape. It adds: “Moreover, as one third
of the world’s population is heading to the polls in 2024, many questions
about the impact of elections on pressing international issues, as well as
concerns about AI-manipulated disinformation and fake news will be on the
international agenda.” Forming part of His Majesty’s delegation are the
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pholile Shakantu, Prince Mbuyisa, Princess Siphila
and Chief Officer Chief Mgwagwa Mdluli, among others.