‘A global mess’: Democracy is in retreat, warns Miliband

Former foreign secretary says there are now 59 significant conflicts around the world – with little prospect of peace

- SAM KILEY

A chaotic world of fragmenting powers is causing conflicts around the globe while democracy is “in retreat and impunity is on the march”, David Miliband has warned.

The former foreign secretary, who now heads up the International Rescue Committee (IRC), told this publication's World of Trouble podcast that his organisation now operates in 35 countries, serving 36 million people - among them 2 million children.

Citing at least 59 ongoing conflicts around the world, he said there appears to be little prospect of peace breaking through amid Western aid cuts and a decline in the rule of international law.

“There is a global mess because the world is so interconnected. The governing guardrails that protected people against danger are in retreat; we see that a lot in the conflict zones where we work. Now right is in retreat and norms and laws are in retreat, impunities on the march. That makes for danger.”

The former Labour politician, who has led one of the world's biggest aid organisations for 12 years, said global decline in his field has been going on for two decades.

He named the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar among the many troubled places.