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Felipe VI: "The war in Ukraine teaches us that our relations can easily fracture"

2022-12-03T02:43:59.060Z


The King of Spain warns in Georgetown about the fragility of the world order and the polarization of societies


Georgetown University has always held a very special place in the memory of the King of Spain since he studied for a master's degree in International Relations 27 years ago.

This Friday he recalled the happy years he spent in the capital of the United States when he went to celebrate the centenary of the program he attended there.

At the gala dinner in which he was the main speaker, Felipe VI warned about the fragility of the world order and the polarization of societies, and referred in particular to the war in Ukraine.

"If the war in Ukraine teaches us anything, it's that our relations can easily fracture," he said.

The King has underlined the interdependence of global affairs and has warned of how it is being broken by the war in Ukraine.

“The sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine have undone more than 30 years of slow economic integration.

By the time this war ends, diplomatic, economic and cultural exchanges between Russia and the rest of the world (particularly between Russia and the EU and the United States) will be a fraction of what they were before," he stressed on the same day that Western democracies imposed a ceiling on the price they were willing to pay for Russian oil.

Felipe VI has framed this reflection in the skills that future diplomats and experts in international relations must have, such as those who are trained in the master's degree that he studied.

The first, he has said, is the need for digital skills to be able to "understand the implications of technologies for society" and to be able to "conduct effective technology diplomacy."

The second is that interdependence that is now in jeopardy: “Our graduates will have to be well equipped and capable of navigating both realities.

On the one hand, a tightly integrated world.

Which will require a global mindset and the ability to relate to different cultures and traditions.

And, on the other hand, being prepared to navigate the uncertainty of a changing international order”, for which he advises a multidisciplinary training such as that given at Georgetown, the Jesuit university founded in 1798, the oldest Catholic higher education center from United States.

"The third and final characteristic of current world politics is fragility," he continued.

“Not only the fragility of the world order itself, but also that of many of its parts.

And here I would like to make a special reference to the equity and justice of our societies, and to the urgent need to build an economic model that aims to include and elevate everyone.

The degree of polarization that we observe in the Western world is difficult to explain without understanding the social tensions that exist in many countries.

Domestic fragility has international implications”, he said, adding that it is much more difficult to maintain international liberal order “if there is political discord within the world's liberal democracies”.

The King of Spain has stressed that taking part in the gala dinner for the centenary of the master's degree he studied was "very special" for him.

“I only have great memories of my time here,” he has said.

He has especially highlighted his friendship with the Icelandic woman, Ragga Árnadóttir, who was minister of her country and is current director of the Development Center of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which he has referred to as "one of the best and most fabulous friends from Georgetown.”

The dinner was held at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, although the King also visited the campus in the morning.

Felipe VI has returned to Georgetown University on several occasions already as King.

The first was in 2015 and the last one so far was in 2019, shortly before the pandemic, on the occasion of another centenary,

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, on the left, talks with the King of Spain, Felipe VI, and the First Vice President of the Spanish Government, Nadia Calviño, at the headquarters of the international organization, in Washington.Lenin Nolly (EFE)

Visit to the IMF

The King took advantage of his trip to Washington to visit the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the company of the First Vice President of the Government, Nadia Calviño, who also chairs the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) of the organization.

Both have had lunch with the managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, and with her number two, Gita Gopinath.

At lunch they discussed the role that the Fund has been playing in recent years, with the covid pandemic, first, and with the war in Ukraine, later.

They have also discussed the global economic outlook and the lasting value of international cooperation.

“We feel very honored to receive King Felipe, who has been a voice of reason.

Obviously, not only for the Spanish people, but for everyone in Europe and in the world.

And precisely at a difficult time when we need to be together, the fact that you have decided to visit the Fund for my colleagues here, for me, is an indication that, in difficult times, the IMF matters to our members.

We are very lucky to have Nadia Calvino to chair the IMFC, and I will have the opportunity to tell the King how much we appreciate his contribution to the world in these difficult times," Georgieva told reporters before the King's arrival. from Spain.

“When people around the world are nervous, coming together like this and sending a message of solidarity is very important,” she added.

A great pleasure to warmly welcome @CasaReal HM King Felipe VI of Spain 🇪🇸 to @IMFNews headquarters today.



We discussed the global economic outlook and the enduring value of international cooperation.

pic.twitter.com/97V8HPjtNz

— Kristalina Georgieva (@KGeorgieva) December 2, 2022

Felipe VI, who had already visited the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank on previous trips to Washington, took advantage of his stay at the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund to have an informal chat standing up with the Spaniards who work at the organization, who they have placed themselves in a circle around him in the atrium of the building.

Source: elparis

All news articles on 2022-12-03

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