Speakers call for global coop, diplomatic efforts

City Desk :
Speakers at a roundtable on Thursday discussed the complexities in the Middle East, underscoring the need for international cooperation and diplomatic efforts to bring about a just and lasting resolution.

Distinguished Fellow at BIPSS and former Foreign Advisor to the government of Bangladesh Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury highlighted the complexities of Middle East politics, the vacuum created by the U.S. shift to the Asia-Pacific, and subsequent re-engagement through shuttle diplomacy, reports UNB.

He emphasized the need for global community involvement and the United Nations’ potential role, citing the R2P principle.

Dr Iftekhar suggested that the current crisis might be an excellent case for the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle.

Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) hosted the roundtable discussion on the topic ‘Turbulence in the Middle East: Understanding the Implications’ at The Westin, Dhaka.

The moderator of the roundtable was Major General ANM Muniruzzaman (retd), President, BIPSS and the expert panelists were Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Assistant Professor Parvez Karim Abbasi, Department of Economics, East-West University.

The event brought together esteemed panelists and experts to dissect the ongoing crisis in Gaza, triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, and its far-reaching implications on the Middle East and the global geopolitical landscape.

Muniruzzaman opened the roundtable by emphasizing the unprecedented nature of the crisis in Gaza.

He underscored the severe implications not only for the Middle East but for the international system at large. It will also change the general strategic landscape in the region.

Even international initiatives that were taken are also coming into question like the Abraham Accord or the implementation of IMEC.