When the world was divided into blocs, there were two key global state actors. Today, in our multi-polar world, there are many more global actors, both state and non-state. If during the Cold War the balance of fear had contributed to some kind of stability, nowadays intimidation by non-state actors, such as transnational terrorism, violent extremism, organized crime, introduces a surging instability, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said at a presidential session of the 19th Eurasian Economic Summit in Istanbul.
The states, he added, are creating and defending their borders as the world promotes open borders. Nonstate actors with the help of social networks and the media are attempting to exert pressure and to influence the politics of the states, according to the President.
Referring to global activism, Ivanov pointed out the March incident near Idomeni when nearly 2,000 migrants illegally entered Macedonia from Greece.
“The group also included 74 journalists, activists, NGO members and volunteers from five continents. They not only helped the migrants cross the border, but they also broadcast the whole event as ‘a reality show’ through global media and social networks,” said the Macedonian President noting that “the world of state actors and the world of nonstate actors collided near Idomeni.”
They, he added, are united by the idea of a world in which the borders of the real world will disappear as the borders of the virtual world have already disappeared. The form of the nation is too small in order to meet the globalized needs of the society, according to Ivanov.
“With the current international organizations being non-functional, there is a need for functional global institutions and mechanisms that will create applicable global norms. The failure in establishing such functional institutions could introduce a new feudalism,” President Ivanov said in his speech.
Speaking about the Syria conflict, Ivanov said that instead of reconciliation, it was possible the conflict zones to expand and a global strip of instability to be created thus triggering continuous migrant surges.
“Power in the 20th century was concentrated in proactive centers of the global north. In the 21st century, the global south is awake. Some communities and nations from the third world, which in the past had been excluded and marginalized, today can be found on the top of the agendas of developed countries. A new force is being born – global citizenship. This new force wants attention,” the Macedonian President stated.
Speaking at the forum, Ivanov mentioned the growing threats from terrorism and the rise in organized human trafficking.
President Ivanov as part of his working visit to Turkey held a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.