The Pandemic Can Become the New Greatest Threat to Humanity After Nuclear Weapons

The first discussion of the expert online marathon of the Lviv Security Forum,  “COVID and Challenges for the International Security Order,” took place yesterday.

Head of the political party “Samopomich”, Former MP Oksana Siroid highlighted the first observations of the panel:

We are on the verge of a new millennium and looking into the abyss

The pandemic has shown everyone that the existing international security system is unable to meet new challenges, such as a pandemics, and we will need to look for new formats for more efficient co-operation. Soon we will still live by the 20th century’s old code, which is leaving. Right now, we are on the threshold of the 21st century when we will have to live by the new code, and it is still difficult to say what it will be. The transition to the new is both an opportunity and a threat.

We need to think not so much about the pandemic disaster, but the many crises that stemmed from it

Today, we do not fully understand all the consequences of the pandemic. But we will have to deal with its impact not only on health care. We will need to find solutions to many crises – those that preceded the pandemic, such as the crisis of technology, armaments, political ideas, and those that flow from it, such as the crisis of human health and evolution, leadership, infodemia, or crisis of confidence in information.

The pandemic produces new aggressors

A new pandemic could be the biggest threat to humanity after nuclear weapons. Even today, many aggressive forces study pandemics as an opportunity to achieve their own goals. And we cannot be sure that pandemics will not be used as weapons in wars in the future.

The pandemic has caused a crisis of confidence in conventional power around the world

Amidst this, the confrontation between liberal democracy and autocracy will be intensified. This crisis is fuelled further by the reluctance of world leaders to make decisions here and now. The expectation that decisions will come from above, and the situation will resolve itself will lead world leaders to nowhere.

The mental issue of security will gain more importance

Human society cannot live in isolation. This is unnatural for us. Therefore, with the increase in isolation, people will face many mental problems. Therefore, mental security has become a significant component of national security.

We will face the struggle of alternative systems of global governance

It is already plain today that the United States will be replaced by a new multi-polar system as the sole world leader. Whether it will be a confrontation between the United States and China, or a US-China-EU three-polar system, or a multipolar system based on the G7 or G20 principle, is not yet clear. The struggle for global governance is still going on. Regional co-operation will become a new trend of the century when many issues of international security will be addressed at this level.

Environmental problems will become a consolidating factor for all mankind

Global environmental challenges that threaten human life will be the unifying factor that will force countries to cooperate globally. Amidst universal threats, regional disputes will fall by the wayside. It is the care for the Earth that can become the universal unifying value of the 21st century.

The solution to these issues still needs to be found, what we will do at the next forum webinars.