Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Thursday said global trust is at risk now as the world is going through a time of great uncertainty.
“Global trust is at risk. Trust is declining between nations, within societies, and even between citizens and institutions,” he said while delivering his keynote speech at the inaugural session of the Nikkei Forum 30th Future OF Asia conference at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo.
In his speech under the theme "Asian Challenges in a Turbulent World," Yunus said the world is getting increasingly turbulent.
“We are passing a time of great uncertainty. We are witnessing a world where peace is fragile, tensions are growing and cooperation is not always guaranteed,” he said.
He mentioned that conflicts are erupting in regions in Asia and beyond, with peace becoming elusive.
Wars and man-made conflicts are destroying the lives and livelihoods of thousands in Ukraine, Gaza, and in countries in South and Southeast Asia, Yunus said.
“In our neighbouring Myanmar, civil war has taken a brutal turn, and the recent earthquake has pushed an already deep humanitarian crisis into greater darkness,” he said.
“Very recently, our two neighbours fought a short but expensive war. Regrettably, we are spending billions in fighting wars, leaving millions of our people starving or struggling for basic needs.”
The chief adviser thanked the leaders of the two countries for agreeing to a ceasefire, hoping for continued peace, stability and peaceful coexistence in South Asia.
Moreover, he said, millions around the world are being displaced by climate change while technological advances promise much, yet raise new ethical dilemmas.
The rise of trade restrictions continues to challenge the very foundation of the free trade system, he said, adding that economic inequalities are widening, often within societies as much as between them.
“In recent times, we witnessed such divisions, discontent and instability in Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea that led to regime changes,” he said.
About Bangladesh’s recent changes, Yunus said Bangladesh went through a transformational change by a student-led mass uprising last year and his government took office consequently.
“We are working hard to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of our people, to ensure justice, equality, freedom and dignity of people, and prepare for a free, fair, credible general election aiming at a smooth transition to democracy.
“We believe this is a chance to correct wrongs, build new institutions and realize the dream of a fairer society,” he said.
Despite multiple domestic challenges, the chief adviser said, Bangladesh is playing its role, contributing to global peace and security through its participation in UN peacekeeping and peace-building missions, and hosting more than a million Rohingyas who have fled persecution in their homeland in Myanmar purely on humanitarian grounds.
He said Asia, home to more than half of humanity, sits at the epicentre of this uncertainty and that it is also at the centre of possibility at the same time.
“The challenges we face are formidable and so is our collective strength. In this reality, I believe Asia has an opportunity - perhaps even a responsibility - to show a different path. A path of peace, of dialogue, of inclusive growth. Not just growth in numbers, but growth in people’s well-being, in trust, in hope,” he added.
Yunus said: “We are not powerless in the face of these challenges. In fact, we are at a turning point in history. The choices we make today will decide what kind of world we leave for our children and grandchildren. That is why we must come together - not just to discuss problems, but to shape solutions.”
He said solutions that are inclusive, fair and rooted in their shared humanity.
Yunus mentioned that he often says that making money is happiness, but making people happy is "super happiness."
“We need to shift our focus from individual profits to collective wellbeing, from short-term gain to long-term vision.”
He said that in his own journey — from starting Grameen Bank with small loans to poor women in villages, to spreading social business ideas across the world - he learned one thing very clearly: people are not born to suffer.
“People are born with limitless potential. We just need to give them the right opportunities,” he added.
Presenting his theory of Three Zeros: Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, Zero Net Carbon Emissions, the chief adviser said that this is not a dream but a direction.
“A goal we can all work towards - governments, businesses, universities and individuals,” he said.
Yunus stressed the need for a new kind of economy, “one that is built not only on competition, but on compassion; not just on consumption, but on care. This is where social business comes in - a business that solves problems, not just makes profits.”
About the Nikkei Forum, he said this forum - Future of Asia - is a platform of hope.
Nikkei has created a space where dialogue leads to solutions and where trust is not just a word, but a goal they work toward together, the chief adviser said.
The future of Asia is not just about economics or geopolitics, but about people, ideas and courage, he said.
“Let us not be daunted by the turbulence around us. Rather, see it as a call to rethink, to rebuild and to rise together.
“Let us be guided not by fear, but by possibility; not by power, but by purpose. Let us have the courage to imagine a better world. Let us trust one another. Let us cooperate not because we have to but because we want to,” the chief adviser said.
He said the future of Asia is not written yet and they will write it together.
Yunus said Bangladesh and Japan can work together in rewriting Asia’s destiny, or even the world’s destiny.
