CCRS Deputy Director, Him Rotha attended the 4th Minsk International conference on Eurasian Security from 3-4 November 2026. The conference aimed to discuss relevant political security issues in Eurasia.
Rotha spoke at Working Session 1 on Back to the Future (of the arm race): Managing Risks, of which he shared his perspective on small states implications in this matter. He was in a panel of experts in this field from relevant stakeholders, including those in India, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, the US, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
He pointed out that international cooperation, especially in the area of arms control still matters in the 21st Century. This ideal and normative value would gradually secure the trust and confidence of relevant stakeholders, especially the great powers. Other than that, it would make room for small states to develop themselves without over-concerning on the military and survival issues. Nevertheless, he mentioned challenges hindering the ongoing international cooperation, including the intensification of geopolitical competition as well as structural and institutional challenges of the existing mechanisms.
He called for upholding the principle of international law and multilateralism, especially calling for mitigating trust deficit towards multilateral platforms, like those in ASEAN. He also mentioned that a stable relation among great powers and the expansion of relations among small/middle powers are needed for the global environment.