Multilateralism in an Era of Upheaval

Project description

Since its institutionalisation following the Second World War, multilateralism – a system of multilateral relationships between actors, including state and non-governmental institutions and organisations – has been a foundational element of international relations. Today, multilateralism is confronting the most significant challenge since its inception.

While there is widespread agreement on the necessity for global cooperation on issues such as climate change, pandemics, digital governance, inequality, and conflict prevention, the implementation process continues to fall short. Multilateral organisations are experiencing considerable strain due to geopolitical fragmentation, persistent funding shortages, and a profound erosion of trust.

At the same time, political leaders are increasingly questioning the fundamental principles underpinning international collaboration, with influential actors casting “soft” global governance as a threat to sovereignty, while many nations in the Global South regard the existing system as structurally biased and insufficiently representative. This situation presents a paradoxical and perilous scenario: the demand for international cooperation is surging amid a host of geopolitical, environmental, and economic crises, yet the legitimacy and capacity of multilateral systems to address these crises are progressively weakening.

Yet, this time of crisis in multilateral cooperation also presents an opportunity for renewal. Rather than writing off this period as a disintegration of the post-World War II system of multilateralism, some actors are framing it as a transformative process with the potential to establish a more inclusive and effective global order.

Progress is likely to be achieved through:

• issue-specific and problem-oriented cooperation,
• identification and expansion of “pockets of effectiveness” (public organisations that operate effectively in delivering public goods and services, despite functioning in environments where nearly all other public entities fail to perform well),
• collaboration among like-minded actors across different regions, and
• formation of flexible coalitions that unite OECD and Global South countries around common interests.

As the United Nations approaches its 80th anniversary, the Secretary General’s UN 80 reform agenda highlights the critical importance of the coming years in determining whether multilateralism can adapt to emerging realities and restore its credibility.