The COVID-19 pandemic came at a time of eroding international solidarity, as unilateralism stoked intensifying rivalries between major powers. The pandemic only worsened the situation, as nations were forced to look inwards as they scrambled to manage the spread of the coronavirus and the ensuing social and economic crises.
But as many countries began to realise, it is only through broad and deep cooperation can the world deal with issues of common concern. The most immediate challenge is COVID-19 and its related problems, but there will also be the issues of climate change and food security, among others.
Enhancing MFA’s coordination with MITI would be a key element of this focus area. Malaysia will advocate for a robust multilateral trading system to address protectionism and isolationism. It will also use multilateral platforms such as ASEAN to deal with political and humanitarian issues.