In April 2016, political parties from Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa gathered for the first time in Jakarta to explore how our three continents could work more closely together. It was a modest meeting, but in many ways historic. For the first time, major political party organizations met as partners, recognizing that the challenges we face no longer stop at national or even regional borders.

The gathering brought together ICAPP, the International Conference of Asian Political Parties, which we founded in Manila in 2000 and which now represents some 350 political parties from 52 Asian countries; COPPPAL, the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean, established in 1979 by our late friend Gustavo Carvajal Moreno of Mexico and representing 70 parties from 30 nations; and CAPP, the Council of African Political Parties, formed in 2013 and composed of 58 parties from 38 African countries.

Follow-up meetings in Tegucigalpa in 2017 and in Moscow in 2018 deepened conversations among the three regions. Despite vast differences in culture, history, and political traditions, our continents share many common concerns and the same desire for peace, stability, and progress.

Today, as the world grapples with rising geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty, and new security threats, the argument for a formal tri-continental alliance of political parties is stronger than ever. Such an alliance can speak with moral weight in international forums, helping shape responses to poverty, violent extremism, climate change, and the global narcotics trade—issues that affect families and communities across our continents.

We must stand together against violent extremism, which continues to destabilize societies and claim innocent lives. Terrorism, whatever its justification, must be confronted with shared resolve, better cooperation, and a firm belief in peace and human dignity. By working together, our political parties can help isolate and defeat those who promote hatred and bloodshed.

Climate change requires an equally united front. Extreme weather, rising seas, drought, and environmental degradation threaten our agriculture, our cities, and future generations. A trilateral alliance can help mobilize public opinion and encourage governments to act with greater urgency. Climate change is no longer a distant fear. It is a clear and present danger to our fragile planet.

The narcotics trade has also inflicted deep wounds on our societies. Asia, Latin America, and Africa have all suffered from production, trafficking, and addiction, while markets in North America and Europe continue to expand. The scale of the problem demands a coordinated global response. Perhaps the time has come for the United Nations to convene a worldwide summit on narcotics, with our three continents playing a leading role.

By working together, our continents can also contribute to a more stable global balance of power, one that values cooperation over confrontation, and development over division. In a world of shifting alliances and rising tensions, political parties can help build bridges that governments alone may not achieve.

In 2014, ICAPP and COPPPAL launched the ICAPP-COPPPAL Business Council (ICBC) in Mexico City to bring Asian and Latin American business leaders together. It aims to open new markets, spur investment, and support economic growth. We have proposed expanding this initiative to include African political and business leaders so that all three continents can join hands in promoting trade, creating jobs, and strengthening the fight against poverty.

Indeed, the most pressing problems of our time—security threats, inequality, climate risks, and cross-border crime—are bigger than any single country or region. They require broad coalitions, shared values, and a willingness to work together.

A tri-continental alliance of political parties is not just an institutional idea. It is a necessary partnership in a world where our challenges, and our hopes, are shared. United, our continents can become a stronger force for peace, stability, and sustainable progress.