The Minister was a keynote speaker at Global Outlook, a flagship event during Arendalsuka, which brings world issues to the stage. The 2025 edition was titled “New realities for Europe”.
“The world order is in trouble. A new world order is serious news for Europa – also for the rest of the world, but Europa will be more affected since we were reaping the benefits of the world order more than others. Now, the system is seriously challenged,” said Barth Eide.
He listed tariff barriers and a fixation of trade balance, which comes on top of other geopolitical events: A war in Europe, Chinese dominance, and a Trump administration which is much more self-oriented.
How should Europe respond?
“The answer is more Europe, a stronger Europe! This is a wake-up call. We understand that we left too much to the US, we left too much of the defense commitment to the US, and we became too comfortable in believing this system would last eternally. Now we need to strengthen European cooperation and competitiveness,” said Barth Eide.
He also called for Europe to do more on the global arena.
“If the US does less, others must do more. If we still want a rule-based order – that believes that cooperation is better than conflict, that fostering trade is more than transactional day-to-day relations, that protection of human rights and the rule of law is important – we need to do more. All of this will rest more on Europe,” said Barth Eide.
“Still, we want to keep the Atlantic as narrow as possible, meaning that we want to work together with the US administration as much as we can, but we realize it will not be the way is used to be. And things will not change back a few years down the road,” said the Minister.
German historian and author Philipp Blom also addressed the breakdown of the current world order.
“Lots of people have abandoned democracy. It’s not their preferred way of being governed. After the seeming victory of liberalism in 1989, people are disappointed,” said Blom.
He went on to ask if Europe can rise to ensure its vision of human rights, solidarity and political participation? Or if we all have become too fat and lazy to do anything about it?
Blom offered a hopeful answer:
“We tend to forget that we are all the children or grandchildren of generations who accomplished the impossible for their own time and their own society after the second world war. We will simply have to accomplish the impossible again. It is time to get off our behinds and do something,” said Blom.
This was echoed by Colombe Cahen-Salvador, Co-Founder of Atlas and candidate for United Nations Secretary-General. She called for more people to engage in societal matters.
“Hope for Europe lies in action. Don’t go home and watch Netflix! Engage – and things will happen,” said Cahen-Salvador.
