United States President Donald Trump has crossed swords with nearly every international organisation.
His latest target is the International Criminal Court (ICC). He has imposed economic and travel sanctions against its workers because the organisation has been involved in investigating American troops and intelligence officials and those of allied nations for possible war crimes in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
The US has repeatedly rejected the ICC assertions of jurisdiction over its personnel.
Last month, President Trump announced the termination of US contribution to the World Health Organization and the intention to pull out of the agency, accusing it of shielding China’s alleged cover-up of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Alarmed experts said the decision will undermine efforts to improve healthcare globally.
Earlier this year, Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, isolating the US from its Western allies and sowing uncertainty to planned similar talks with North Korea.
The decision left the seven-nation 2015 agreement following more than two years of gruelling negotiations in tatters. He then reimposed stringent sanctions on Iran and was considering new penalties.
Last year, the US gave notice to pull out of the Paris climate agreement by November. Nearly 200 countries signed the agreement in 2015, pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
President Trump’s hand is also being seen in the tumult at the African Development Bank (AfDB), as the president, Nigeria’s Adesina Akinwumi, prepares for re-election in August.
The bully-boy and lone-ranger approach by the US leader is a threat to world stability. The institutions were created for good reasons and undermining them can be inimical to the global good.
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