The idea and desire for world peace and democracy is laudable, but it lacks trust and confidence among different governments for various reasons. Countries have self-serving ambitions that make them act in ways that lead to friction and wars. For example, in 1932, a conference for the disarmament of war weapons was held and attended by world leaders who appealed to destroy weapons and work on improving human life. The summit was unsuccessful, and World War II started in 1939. This war led to the death of millions and resulted in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In the UN, powerful countries have the veto power where the vote of one country can reject a cause being supported by the rest of the world. This is the reason that Kashmir and Palestine issues are not settled to date. The world spends trillions of dollars on pointless wars. The income gap between the rich and the poor across the world is sharpening. While the rich and powerful enjoy lavish lives, the poor struggle to make it through the day. The powerful and wealthy nations do not seem to create space for weak nations to grow and prosper. Unless the gap between the rich and the poor is decreased, the desire for world democracy will remain a nightmare. UN Chief Antonio Guterres said, “While we are all floating on the same sea, it is clear that some are in superyachts, while others are floating on floating debris.” We can only hope all countries will come together to uplift the poor before it is too late.
Raja Shafaatullah
Islamabad