Canada calls for new international order in speech at the World Economic Forum

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the international order that prevailed after the Second World War will not return, and described the current global scenario as a permanent “rupture”, not a simple transition. In a speech addressed to political and business leaders and representatives of international organizations, Carney called on intermediate-sized countries to adjust their strategies in the face of an environment in which great powers pursue their interests through economic instruments and commercial pressures, without relying any longer on the old multilateral cooperation and security structures.

Without directly mentioning the President of the United States, Donald Trump, the Prime Minister criticized the use of mechanisms such as tariffs, economic integration and financial infrastructure as forms of political coercion, stating that this pattern of relations weakens trust between nations and undermines the predictability that characterized the old international order. He warned that countries that do not actively participate in global negotiations risk having their interests determined by more powerful actors.

Carney highlighted that although nations like Canada benefited from the old rules-based system — including the collective security and stability provided by alliances and multilateral institutions — the current context requires adaptation. The requirement, according to him, is that governments reinforce their strategic autonomy to deal with competition from great powers and forms of rivalry that exploit supply chains, markets and financial flows as instruments of political advantage.

The prime minister also reiterated Ottawa’s support for the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark, at a time of growing tension around the Arctic island, whose territorial integrity has been questioned in statements by foreign leaders. Carney said Canada, as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), supports the right of nations to determine their own future and reinforced its commitment to the military alliance’s principles of collective defense.

In addition to outlining a critical overview of the international situation, Carney presented the view that dependence on traditional multilateral institutions, without the ability to respond autonomously to new power dynamics, could leave average countries at a disadvantage. He called on governments to rebuild coalitions and cooperation mechanisms that reflect the realities of a world in which geopolitics and the global economy are reconfiguring old assumptions of security and prosperity.