New Atlantic Charter – UPSC Prelims

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What was the original Atlantic Charter?
  • The Atlantic Charter was signed by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in August 1941.
  • The charter set out the common goals for the world after the Second World War. Those goals included:
    • No Territorial aggrandizement(elevation)
    • No territorial changes made against the wishes of the people (self-determination)
    • Restoration of self-government to those deprived of it
    • Reduction of trade restrictions
    • Global cooperation to secure better economic and social conditions
    • Freedom from fear and want
    • Freedom of the seas
    • Abandonment of the use of force and disarmament of aggressor nations.
  • Significance of the Atlantic charter
    • The Atlantic Charter was subsequently incorporated as a reference in the Declaration of the United Nations.
    • It inspired several other international agreements and events that followed the end of the war such as the dismantling of the British Empire, formation of NATO among others.
What is the New Atlantic Charter?
  • The New Atlantic Charter was written again by U.S. President Joe Biden and the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in their first meeting in the UK.
  • Key goals of the New Atlantic Charter:
    • Defend the principles, values and institutions of democracy and open societies.
    • To strengthen the institutions, laws and norms that sustain international cooperation to adapt them to meet the new challenges of the 21st century.
    • To remain united behind the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
    • Harness and protect our innovative edge in science and technology.
    • To affirm our shared responsibility for maintaining collective security, international stability and resilience against the full scale of modern threats including cyber threats.
    • Continue building an inclusive, fair, climate-friendly, sustainable, rules-based global economy for the 21st century.
    • Act urgently and ambitiously to tackle the climate crisis, protect biodiversity, and sustain nature.
    • To recognize the catastrophic impact of health crises and the global good in strengthening collective defences against health threats.
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