Key International Security Challenges in

Contemporary Global Politics

By T.A.H. Irasha Siriwardhane

Introduction
A country which has a permanent population, defined territory, government, self-determination
and the international recognition is generally considered to be a state in the sense of the
International Law and the states are maintaining ties with the other states in order to achieve
many purposes including security, diplomatic, economic, political and other various aspects. “It
is widely accepted that security and peace in nations is contingent upon security and stability in
the world. With the growing interdependency in the present globalized world, the actions and
policies of other states. And, not surprisingly, a threat in one part of the world is now capable of
challenging the peace and stability of far-flung countries.” 1Thus the security and defence are not
just limited to the national boundaries.”2 Because of having impacts on other states also, it is
noteworthy to focus on the contemporary global security challenges which are arisen more
recently.

Moreover, from this paper it is expected to focus on the international security threats which came
up as the results of nuclear technology, terrorism, acts of non-state actors, economic status of the
world, political impacts, internal disputes, impacts of major power blocks and etc. For an
instance; “We face a much broader range of threats than in the past. To the east, Russia has
become more assertive with the illegal annexation of Crimea and destabilization of eastern
Ukraine, as well as its military build-up close to NATO‟s borders. To the south, the security

1
V.R. Raghavan, ‘Challenges to Global Security’, Pakistan Horizon, Vol. 60, No. 3, GLOBAL SECURITY (July 2007), pp.
th
23, << https://www.jstor.org/stable/41500077?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents>> accessed on 25 August 2018
2
ibid
situation in the Middle East and Africa has deteriorated, causing loss of life, fueling large-scale
migration flows and inspiring terrorist attacks with regard to the aforementioned situation within
that territorial frame.”3 Thus, the internal conflicts, piracy, threats in international trade and
economy, activities of the International and regional organizations, international treaties and the
international legal framework, terrorism, various bilateral and multi-lateral dealing as well as the
ties of the states, massive breaches of human rights and the development of technology and etc.,
have broadened the scope of this topic and it is expected to discuss those threats in brief through
this analysis.

Analysis

“„Emerging Security Challenges‟ is a contested notion, commonly used to distinguish a more

recent set of threats from what is considered a mainstream or „traditional‟ security agenda.”4 The
security challenges in the global context are broader and complex than the previous decades due
to many situations. “The post-Cold war global environment was in flux even before the rise of
terrorism as a central concern of American policy. Different scenarios are conceivable that could
impact significantly on India‟s (and Pakistan‟s) nuclear posture. On the positive side, there is an
accelerated integrative process of globalization. This brought more and more nations into a
seamless web of information flows, investment, production and trade. The winding down of the
Cold War has simultaneously reduced great power tensions and the threat of a global nuclear
holocaust. On the other hand, the threat of terrorism has had a dramatic impact on global security
following the events of September 11, 2001. Inter-state rivalry has diminished. As Russia seeks a
stronger European identity, its relations with the United States and Europe are showing signs of
improvement in spite of its dissatisfaction with the American abrogation of the ABM Treaty and
the U.S. determination to proceed with its missile defense program. However, there is a greater
element of uncertainty with regard to China‟s response over the long term.”5 “One negative

3
“What are today's security challenges?”, <https://www.nato.int/wearenato/security-challenges.html> accessed
th
on 25 August 2018
4
Graeme P. Herd, Detlef Puhl and Sean Costigan, Emerging Security Challenges: Framing the Policy Context, GCSP
th
Policy Paper 2013/5, <http://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/169211/GCSP%20PP%202013-5.pdf> accessed on 25 August
2018
5
Stephen P. Cohen, “Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear War in South Asia: An Unknowable Future”, <<
https://www.brookings.edu/on-the-record/nuclear-weapons-and-nuclear-war-in-south-asia-an-unknowable-
th
future/>> accessed on 26 August 2018
scenario for India involves growing U.S.-China rivalry and tension. Chinese leaders have shown
a willingness to extend limited cooperation to the West on specific issues such as the hunt for
Osama bin Laden and the campaign against the Taliban. However, China‟s overall objective is to
become one of the world‟s independent power centers and it is engaged in a major program of
military modernization. There are important divergences of strategic interest between China and
the United States over Taiwan, and over the U.S. missile defense programs. There are also
significant differences over China‟s treatment of political dissenters. Specific events, such as the
Tienanmen Square incident, the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, and the shooting
down of an American surveillance aircraft over Chinese territory (2001) have created a lack of
trust between these two states. To many Americans it appears that China sees itself as the
successor to the Soviet Union, as the new challenger to American hegemony.”6

“Some have also argued that China‟s strategic culture embodies a tendency to use force in its
approach to difficult external disputes and that a future cold war cannot be ruled out. In that case,
the U.S. might decide to resume nuclear testing, and pursue the fast-track development of missile
defense, possibly providing Taiwan with a theater missile defense (TMD) umbrella. A crisis over
Taiwan may occur. In such a deteriorating situation, China may expand its arsenal rapidly and
assume a more aggressive posture. China‟s direct response-deploying more intercontinental
ballistic missiles (ICBMS), many or all with multiple warheads-may not directly threaten India,
but the overall threat environment would encourage India to move toward a more robust posture,
particularly if India-China relations are vitiated by continuing Chinese nuclear and missile
assistance to Pakistan. A Chinese perception that India is part of a U.S. strategy to contain China
would raise Sino-Indian tensions several notches. A more aggressive and unstable nuclear
relationship may emerge as a result. A strong Indian nuclear response to changes in its
relationship with China would inevitably raise the strategic temperature between India and
Pakistan.”7

“On the other hand, a cooperative global trend might also emerge. The present American
tendency toward unilateralism may diminish over time as the United States adopts a
multilateralist strategy, perhaps in a continuing effort to counter new terrorist threats, or in the

6
ibid
7
ibid
event of the destabilization of the present Saudi regime. Growing costs and technical difficulties
could well cause a moderation of the U.S. missile defense program. The United States, Russia
and China may draw closer together and pay more attention to economic issues while
cooperating on common threats like terrorism and communitarian radicalism. A renewed interest
in arms control could bring a new agreement on cuts, the beginnings of a multilateral framework
on arms control and a new era of strategic stability. In that case, India‟s own strategic
environment would become generally more stable, even if regional conditions were not entirely
congenial. In general, the existence or otherwise of global strategic equilibrium is likely to have
a significant effect on regional strategic developments.”8

Moreover, the security threats related to nuclear inventions has created a platform to re-think
about the nuclear plans of all the states by their own as such an incident can destroy even a part
of the whole world within few minutes even. Recently, the North Korean leader, Kim-Jong-Un
had warned the U.S.A saying that “nuclear button is always on my desk” 9 and this situation is an
ideal instance for the aforesaid prediction of threats relating to nuclear technology. Apart from
that, terrorist groups such as ISIS, Taliban and the L.T.T.E. also gave rise to some complex
issues relating to terrorism and after the attack to the twin towers of U.S.A 2001, it elaborated the
fact that the major powers are also impacted from terrorism, but not only the vulnerable states in
the world.

Moreover, the wars such as Islamic wars, wars relating to border-disputes all over the world,
religion based wars are still playing a major role in putting international security in danger and
those have given rise to the issues such as genocide (including the other breaches of the
principles of International Humanitarian Law), violations of human rights, poverty, threats to the
health, impacts on education of the children, development and the economy of the states, illegal
migration and so on.

When it comes to the power blocks which came to existence after the cold war throughout ages;
the U.S.A. and Russia, China and the other communist countries had created a situation where
those are still constantly engaged in an unexpressed cold war situation pertaining to the world

8
ibid
9 th
“Global security risks”, <http://globalnews.ca/news/3941756/2018-global-security-risks/> accessed on 26
August 2018
politics which the most powerful countries are using their military capacity and the economic
strength to compete against other power block by balancing the strategic ties in a very clever
manner. Thus, it was further justified through aforementioned scenarios from this analysis.
Apart from that, the activities of the regional organizations such as ASEAN, SAARCC, NATO,
EU ; may also create some disputes forming a solid ground to regionalism-based issues although
those are really established to overcome the difficulties which are faced by those countries in a
common basis. However, the activities of the United Nations and its affiliated bodies are also
affecting the activities of the states and the regulations, treaties as well as the legal framework set
out by the United Nations also effectively affects in favour of the security status of the world
systematically. The Security Council and the other prominent administrative bodies of the UN
are noticeable in that scenario. Particularly, for an instance; the United Nations can impose
various sanctions on a state which breaches the standards of security standards and the regulatory
framework in the virtue of the International Law. Hence, it is playing a key role in international
security even by acting as a supervisory body.

Moreover, illegal migration, human trafficking, human smuggling, piracy in high seas and the
activities of the other non-state actors are also noteworthy in this discussion. Specifically, these
issues are yet to be more formally addressed and the legal background should be much stronger
and practical than the prevailing situation. Non-governmental organizations are very important in
the aspects of the international security and in achieving sustainable development goals in the
modern era as the states can‟t perform this role independently apart from those. Increasingly the
issues related to Cybercrimes also developing as a major threat to the international security with
the technological development and this situation is common for all the states even for the United
States of America. This issue seems to be one of the most significant issues which is to be
carefully addressed. Since, the United Nations plays a major advisory role in international
security it has the capacity of creating a successful platform even in the General Assembly or at
the Security Council as a collective effort of all or most of the countries. The regulations related
to Cybercrimes should be promulgated in a very effective and an advanced manner.

When it comes to the definition of security, it implies the sense that the status of the world which
can be recognized as a very peaceful place to live and a less number of difficulties which have to
be faced even by the ordinary people in that context. Thus, it obviously includes the topics such
as health and environment as well as climate change too. Particularly, the World Health
Organization with the immense support of numerous NGO‟s and the governments of the states
plays a major role in order to prevent many harmful and dangerous diseases from the world and
other steps that need to be followed to make the world a better as well as a healthy place to live.
The environmental degradation and the marine pollution are vast areas which are subjected to
this topic in order to create a safe and secured place to live in the implication of that sense. Thus,
even the development goal (SDGs) also must be achieved only after safeguarding the natural
resources and the marine resources which goes with the concept of “Blue Economy” in a very
sustainable manner. Climate change includes many consequences such as melting glaciers, rising
sea levels, extreme weather, shifting rainfall, frequent heat waves, forest fires, droughts, winter
floods, flooding, increasing the number of heat related deaths, risks for the wildlife and
etc.10Therefore, the global security in a broader sense should be counted with the issues relating
to the environment also in a nutshell as it‟s all about a peaceful and a suitable place to live.

From the very basic level to international security scope, the individual states are following
different strategies and methods pertaining to the establishment of professional armed forces,
,empowering the mechanisms relating to nuclear activities, diplomatic missions, political and
economic relations with the other states, regional groupings, entering in to Human Rights treaties
(through ratifications by being a signatory), entering in to the regulatory/statutory promulgations
relating to the standards of International Humanitarian Law and etc. In this situation the geo-
political ties also should be highlighted and the geographical location sometimes obviously may
act in favour of some countries pertaining to security matters as well as to attract the attention of
numerous states. (For instance; Sri Lanka)

Therefore, the key international security challenges in contemporary global politics are to be
elaborated in a very broad sense in the virtue of different situations particularly.

10 th
“Climate change consequences”, <http://ec.europa.eu/clima/change/consequences_en> accessed on 27
August 2018
 Conclusion
The contemporary global politics are influenced by the aforementioned key security challenges
and the implementation mechanisms of peace pertaining to the internal conflicts, nuclear
technology, terrorism, activities of the non-state actors, human smuggling, human and drug
trafficking, illegal migration, Cybercrimes, regionalism, piracy, health status of the world
population, environmental degradation, consequences of climate change , the security strategies
of the states, activities of the UN and it‟s organs and affiliated bodies were addressed in general
in this paper. Thus, the mechanisms to establish the peace and security of the world is not
practically implemented very successfully although the UN is acting as a supervisory board of
administration (sort of). Because even if a sanction is imposed on powerful countries like U.S.A.,
China; that sanction becomes practically unsuccessful as it is impossible to implement such
within the practical scope of global politics. It becomes a mere sanction to such states. Therefore,
the mechanisms relating to regulate security status of the world should be more strengthened
than the current situation. The functions of the Security Council about the global security cannot
be underestimated as the content of the permanent membership of that is really having a power
balancing because the countries from the both of power blocs are represented therein with veto
power also. Hence, it is a merit relating to the global security standards about the United Nations.
Moreover, in a nutshell; through this analysis it have been discussed about the key international
security challenges in global politics referring to umpteen of relevant key factors in that context.
 Reference List

1. “Climate change consequences”, <http://ec.europa.eu/clima/change/consequences_en>

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3. P. Herd G.P. , Detlef Puhl and Sean Costigan, “Emerging Security Challenges: Framing the
Policy Context”, GCSP Policy Paper 2013/5,
<http://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/169211/GCSP%20PP%202013-5.pdf>
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https://www.brookings.edu/on-the-record/nuclear-weapons-and-nuclear-war-in-south-asia-
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5. Raghavan V. R. , „Challenges to Global Security‟, Pakistan Horizon, Vol. 60, No. 3,
GLOBAL SECURITY (July 2007), pp. 23, <<
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41500077?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents>>
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challenges.html>