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one chaotic world The decentralization of power is causing conflict around the world Although democracy is “backsliding and impunity is spreading”, David Miliband Warned.
Former Foreign Secretary, current Foreign Minister international rescue committee (IRC), tell troubled world His organization currently operates in 35 countries and serves 36 million people, including 2 million children, the podcast said.
At least 59 citations ongoing conflict Around the world, peace seems unlikely in Western countries, he said. assistance Reductions and the decline of international legal rules.
“There is chaos on a global scale because the world is so interconnected. The governance guardrails that protect people from danger are being rolled back; we see this all too often in the conflict zones where we work.
“Rights are being rolled back, norms and laws are being rolled back, and impunity is spreading. And that creates dangers.”
The former Labor politician once led one of the world’s largest countries assistance He says his field’s global decline has been ongoing for two decades.
He named the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar as many of the troubled regions.
in its annual list Among countries most likely to face worsening humanitarian crises in 2026, the IRC’s top five are Sudan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Haiti.
“The wave of democratization was real in the 1990s, as was the international community’s determination to curb the wave of abuse of power,” he said.
“Since 2006, the role of international institutions has clearly and significantly diminished, no longer to regulate the world, but to protect it.
“And there’s been a backsliding — not just a backsliding of the liberal international order — but a backsliding of democracy.”
Miliband is known for his focus on policy and data, which he uses to back up his claims.
“If you look at any survey on the health of democracy, in a project run by the University of Gothenburg, 91 countries are now considered autocracies and 88 are considered democracies,” he added.
Miliband said democratic backsliding was caused by the mistakes of the 2000s, including usThe US-led invasion of Iraq was carried out without UN authorization and on the wrong premise.
The rejection of such countries usThe recognition of the International Criminal Court (ICC) by Russia, India and Indonesia has also proven harmful.
But he spoke in general terms and was reluctant to criticize the countries where his team works or from which the IRC might receive funding, especially after Trump shut down the U.S. global humanitarian arm, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the U.S. Treasury Department slashed support.
The IRC has lost about a third of its $1.5 billion in funding since announcing the closure nearly a year ago, and the organization said wider aid cuts also endanger 200 million people affected by conflict and 120 million people forced to flee their homes.
But aid doesn’t always come with benefits.
Asked about decades of evidence that inappropriate humanitarian aid exacerbates conflict, Miliband said: “If you say there are fourth, fifth and sixth best options in the world, you are right and there are very difficult trade-offs; abuses of power are very serious.
“You can solve this problem by standing up for your principles, upholding the humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality, impartiality and humanity – using them as a shield and a sword.”
But he would not say whether he felt “uncomfortable” in Trump’s America – as he has noted that democracy is gradually retreating and moving towards authoritarianism around the world.
However, there are signs he may return to the UK at the request of his family.
When asked whether he would return to British politics, he gave a typically political answer, not ruling anything out.
“What I’m saying is, our democracy is precious. Our freedoms are precious. They protect minorities as well as majorities. That’s the brilliance of the liberal order… I’m a social democrat, but I defend the liberal order.
“The liberal order says there are different ways to live a good life, and healthy communities respect all different views of a good life.
“Human tribes come in all different forms, and that’s a good thing, not a bad thing.”
This article is part of The Independent Rethinking global aid project