The year 2023 is tending to its end and the year 2024 is about to begin. And it is just now both interesting and useful to look back at the world in the year 2023.

Destruction in Gaza following Israel's attack. Photo: VNA

The overall impression is the world remains in its very unstable state. It steamed and bubbled almost everywhere: wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, military coups in some countries in Africa, political unrest in several regions, long-lasting conflicts between certain rivals still tense, confrontations and rivalry between the US and China, between the West and Russia escalate; natural catastrophes and disasters; slow world economic and trade growth; severe consequences of climate changes..... The world in 2023 isn't chaotic but in boiling turbulences. There are more bad than good news for the world, more reasons to be deeply concerned than at ease. The world in 2023 was more unstable and insecure than in the year before.

There were two major developments which could be seen in the world politics in 2023. The first one is the tending weakening of all world powers, great powers, or big powers of the world. The most important consequence is no country has the necessary capabilities to lead and direct the world both politically and militarily, both in security and development. The new political world order and powers constellation in the world are still unclear, even more unclear than before.

The second one is the rise of more powerful players in world politics. It is the power shifting from one to another, from the global North to the global South. Therefore, the dependence of big powers on other players in world politics is further growing. Therefore, multinational forums and organizations have been trying to increase their roles and influences, integrate new members, and present themselves as the saver and government of the world whether they are G7 or G20, EU or Brics, ... But under circumstances like in the year 2023 and because international law has been strongly challenged and all pillars of the old world order have been weakened, 2023 was a very difficult and not very successful year for all of them.

Of course, there were some bright colors in the picture of the world in the year 2023: the achievements of the COP 28 in Dubai, the diplomatic reconciliation between some countries, the end of the COVID pandemic, the return of the full normalcy of the world after the pandemic.

Last but not least, all that happened in the world in 2023 has created an unfavorable environment for the national security and socio-economic development of all countries and territories in the world. The issue of war and peace dominated world politics and overshadowed international relations, both bilateral and multilateral. Predicting at the turn of 2023 to 2024, the same would be in the coming 2024.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Hanoi Times.