By: Anushka Khatri, Research Analyst, GSDN

The D-10 Strategy Forum is a vital project in worldwide rule, created to encourage planned collaboration between leading free countries. This forum effectively brings together policy planning officials of a top tier and seasoned strategy experts from ten prominent democracies, namely Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the European Union participating, too. This project, back in 2008, started with a State Department policy planning staff project and was officially started by the Atlantic Council in 2014.

The D-10 Strategy Forum plays a major role in promoting democratic values as well as in dealing with global challenges through collaborative efforts. The forum aims to strengthen the rules-based international order. It also improves global stability by easing dialogue as well as cooperation among like-minded democracies. The initiative’s emphasis on many key subjects such as cybersecurity, climate change, and economic cooperation shows its firm dedication to dealing with meaningful global issues.

As multiple geopolitical tensions grow and certain authoritarian regimes gain influence, the D-10 Strategy Forum is a venue for democracies to coordinate plans and strengthen democratic governance around the world. Despite the difficulties and criticisms faced squarely, the D-10 remains a considerably meaningful effort for promoting democratic cooperation and maintaining a stable environment internationally.

Origins and Evolution

The idea of the D-10 was originally floated by the policy planning staff of the U.S. Department of State in 2008. The initiative was to establish a strategic dialogue between policy planning directors of U.S. allies in the Atlantic and Pacific to tackle global issues. The idea picked up steam when Ash Jain and David Gordon, who were former State Department officials, proposed turning it into a standing platform for strategic cooperation among like-minded democracies.

In 2014, the Atlantic Council led in establishing the D-10 Strategy Forum, with the inaugural meeting taking place in Ottawa, Canada. The forum has since met every year, with meetings being hosted by the foreign ministries of member countries. Some notable venues include Washington, Berlin, Seoul, London, Tokyo, Brussels, and Rome.

Membership and Participation

The primary members of the D-10 Strategy Forum are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union. Other democracies like India, Indonesia, Poland, and Spain have joined as observers on special occasions.

Recent talk has called for the expansion of the G7 into a D-10 involving the inclusion of Australia, India, and South Korea as proposed by Kurt Campbell, who is one of the major stakeholders in U.S. foreign policy. This move to expand has also been held up due to opposition against it to avoid making a China-fighting bloc but still requires overwhelming approval among members of the G7.

Objectives and Discussions

The main aim of the D-10 Strategy Forum is to advance and facilitate democracy around the world by building cooperation between the world’s greatest democracies. The forum’s discussions are centered on overarching themes like sustaining a rules-based democratic order and confronting global challenges. Yet particular strategic issues, such as Chinese telecommunications technology alternatives, have been addressed, especially concerning the British proposal for a D10 initiative.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite its intentions, the D-10 initiative has been plagued by various challenges. One of the primary issues is that it may be seen as an anti-China bloc, which could erode its legitimacy and make international cooperation on global challenges such as climate change and infectious diseases more difficult. Furthermore, the omission of “swing states” like Indonesia and Kenya may constrain the effectiveness of the initiative in areas where China’s influence is considerable.

The British initiative to broaden the G7 into a D10 was also resisted from within the G7, not least by France, Germany, and Italy, who were wary of forming a club that could be perceived as anti-China. The opposition from Japan to South Korean membership made the initiative all the more difficult.

Future Prospects

Despite all these challenges, the D-10 Strategy Forum is still a significant forum for strategic discussion between the world’s leading democracies. The Atlantic Council continues to host the D-10 Ambassadors Roundtable, which features Washington-based ambassadors for periodic discussions on global issues.

With increasing authoritarianism and geopolitical tension, efforts such as the D-10 Strategy Forum are pivotal in upholding democratic principles and collaboration. However, they should tread the paths of international diplomacy with caution to guarantee inclusivity and efficacy.

Strategic Initiatives and Outcomes

The D-10 Strategy Forum has resulted in several strategic initiatives to boost cooperation between member states. For example, debate on cybersecurity and digital governance has led to concerted efforts to establish standards and best practices for secure digital infrastructure. The forum has also promoted debate on climate change, resulting in collective commitments to cut carbon emissions and promote sustainable development.

Cybersecurity Cooperation:

• Threat Assessments: Member states have worked together on joint threat assessments to determine and counter potential cyber threats.
• Joint Response Strategies: The D-10 has established joint response strategies to improve cybersecurity resilience among member states.

Climate Change Initiatives:

• Joint Research Initiatives: The forum has promoted joint research initiatives aimed at climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
• Policy Coordination: Member states have coordinated policies to promote sustainable development and minimize carbon emissions.

Case Studies: Achievements and Challenges

Achievements:

1. Cybersecurity Cooperation: The D-10 has effectively fostered cooperation on cybersecurity, with member nations working together to conduct threat analyses and coordinated responses.
2. Climate Change Initiatives: The forum has enabled joint efforts to respond to climate change, such as collaborative research initiatives and policy alignment.

Challenges:

1. Perception as an Anti-China Bloc: The D-10’s emphasis on democratic values has caused some to view it as a counterbalance to China’s increasing influence, making it harder for it to interact with non-member nations.
2. Inclusivity Concerns: Excluding some democracies has raised concerns regarding the initiative’s inclusivity and whether it risks alienating influential regional actors.

In-Depth Analysis: The Role of Key Players

United States:

The United States has been the prime mover of the D-10 initiative, using its influence to foster democratic values and strategic cooperation among the member states. Its leadership role has, however, raised issues regarding the initiative’s independence and possible biases.

European Union:

The EU’s membership in the D-10 underscores its vision for global democratic governance. The EU contributes a distinctive voice, stressing multilateralism and collaboration on matters such as climate change and trade.

Japan and South Korea:

Japan and South Korea have both played significant roles in setting the agenda for the D-10, especially in deliberations on regional security and economic cooperation. Membership by Japan and South Korea has assisted in broadening the focus of the initiative beyond classical Western democracies.

Comparative Analysis with Other Initiatives

The D-10 Strategy Forum can be compared to other global governance efforts, including the G7 and the G20. While the G7 is concerned with economic matters between a selected group of developed countries, the G20 involves a larger number of countries, including emerging economies. The D-10 aims to fill these voids by concentrating on democratic cooperation and strategic dialogue.

G7:

• Economic Orientation: The G7 focuses mainly on economic concerns, serving as a forum for the developed economies to coordinate their policies.
• Limited Membership: The limited membership of seven nations in the G7 can restrict its influence worldwide.

G20:

• Broader Membership: The G20 has a broader membership that includes emerging economies, hence a better reflection of the world’s economic realities.
• Diverse Agenda: The G20 has a diverse agenda covering economic, environmental, and social matters.

Global Governance Impact

The D-10 Strategy Forum can play a significant role in global governance by advocating for democratic values and cooperation among top democracies. Its success will, however, be determined by its capacity to navigate geopolitical complexities and respond to inclusivity issues.

In-Depth Analysis of Central Issues

Cybersecurity:

D-10 has highlighted the importance of cybersecurity in the attainment of national security and economic resilience. The member states have united to foster robust cybersecurity systems and exchange best practices in building resilience to cyber-attacks.

Climate Change:

The platform has promoted cross-learning regarding climate change, that is, lowering carbon emissions and encouraging sustainable development. This involves collaborative research and policy convergence in a bid to adopt a collective response to climate challenges.

Economic Cooperation:

The D-10 has also attempted to enhance economic cooperation among member states through trade agreements and investment policy as a means of economic development within democratic principles.

Future Directions:

As the world keeps evolving, the D-10 Strategy Forum must adapt to new challenges and opportunities. These include expanding membership to more democracies, enhancing cooperation on new issues like biotechnology and artificial intelligence, and forging partnerships with other global governance initiatives.

Building Membership:

• Emerging Democracies: The D-10 would be enriched by the inclusion of emerging democracies, which would boost its global relevance and credibility.
• Inclusivity Concerns: Expanding membership would help address concerns regarding the initiative’s exclusivity and improve its ability to address different regions.

Strengthening Cooperation on Emerging Challenges:

1. Artificial Intelligence: The D-10 must prioritize creating ethical guidelines and regulatory structures for AI to enable its safe and useful application.
2. Biotechnology: Biotechnology cooperation can result in medical and environmental management progress and solve ethical issues.

Comparative Analysis with Other Global Governance Frameworks

United Nations:

• Global Representation: The UN provides a platform for nearly every country to be involved in world governance, having a broader perspective than the D-10.
• Diverse Agenda: The UN deals with a diverse agenda of issues, ranging from peace and security to sustainable development.

BRICS:

• Emerging Economies: BRICS is an alliance of emerging economies, and it provides a platform for these economies to coordinate policies and share common issues.
• Varied Economic Interests: BRICS countries have various economic interests, and sometimes these interests result in diversified priorities among the group.

Impact on Regional Governance

The D-10 Strategy Forum is of regional governance importance, particularly where member states are dominant in a region. For example, in Asia, membership by Japan and South Korea can set regional security terms and economic cooperation.

Asia-Pacific:

• Regional Security: The D-10 emphasis on democratic values can be leveraged to inform regional security debates, especially in the context of China’s increasing military presence.
• Economic Integration: The economic cooperation focus of the forum can facilitate regional economic integration efforts, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Europe:

• EU Leadership: EU membership in the D-10 demonstrates its leadership towards democratic governance in Europe and the world.
• Transatlantic Relations: The D-10 will enhance transatlantic relations by promoting cooperation between North American and European democracies.

Conclusion

The D-10 Strategy Forum is an important initiative by the world’s major democracies to come together and deal with international issues while upholding democratic values. In spite of the challenges and criticism, it is an important platform for strategic discussion and cooperation. As the world goes forward, the success of such endeavours will be determined by the capacity of such efforts to change and meet the interests of all the stakeholders.

Final Reflections on Future Adjustment

To stay current and contemporary, the D-10 Strategy Forum must evolve to accommodate emerging global challenges as they occur. This involves embracing emerging technologies, encouraging environmental sustainability, and creating inclusive governance models that are sensitive to the diversity of democratic voices worldwide.