Prioritising both economic and security problems

As expected, the terrorist attacks in Paris dominated the deliberations of the Antalya G-20 heads of state summit, with world leaders calling to regard threats from Daesh as a matter of priority, now that the murderous tentacles of this terrorist group reached the heartland of Europe.

The tenth annual meeting of the G-20 was initially convened to discuss global economic issues and cooperation.

The G-20 forum was created in the first place in response to the world financial crisis of 2007-2010. But while the leaders of the biggest and mightiest nations of the world continue to debate economic and financial challenges facing them and the less developed economies, emerging security dangers facing the globe have increasingly dominated the agendas of the G-20.

President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had some 30 minutes of one-on-one talks on the sideline of the Antalya summit and there are growing signs that the two leaders have bridged the gaps between them on the Syrian conflict and are prepared to support the call for a ceasefire and the initiation of a political process with a view to introducing order in this troubled Arab country.

European Council President Donald Tusk told the meeting that the Russian military involvement in Syria has only increased the flow of Syrian refugees to neighbouring countries and Europe.

He may be right, but terrorists have to be confronted, fought and eradicated, not allowed to proliferate by conquering more territory and minds.

What needs planning and wisdom is the approach with which Daesh is tackled.

What is required is a multi-dimensional approach, and not just military intervention.

It is clear that there can be no separation between economic problems and political challenges. The two factors are simply two sides of the same coin, and the Antalya summit wisely acknowledges that by addressing both.