On 9 October 2026, the Global Governance Innovation Platform (GGI) convened a Global Governance Policy Dialogue on building resilient global governance in an era of recurring crises. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Michael Franczak, Senior Researcher in Multilateralism and Global Governance at UNU-CPR.
Transnational crises are becoming a recurring feature of global governance. They increase the need for international cooperation while making collective action harder. Drawing on their new GGI policy brief, Dr. Benjamin Faude (University of Glasgow) and Professor Kenneth W. Abbott (Arizona State University) asked how global governance arrangements can absorb shocks, adapt during crises and prepare for future disruptions.
The authors argued that resilience depends less on the strength of any single institution than on the diversity and connectivity of the wider governance system. They describe today’s governance landscape as “hybrid institutional complexes”: interstate, public-private, and private institutions working side by side.
Using the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic as case studies, the speakers showed how institutional structure and leadership shaped each response. They highlighted the role of “bricoleurs”, actors who combine existing institutional resources in new ways to solve problems during a crisis.
The brief calls on governments, international organizations and other actors to build diverse and connected institutional systems before crises occur, develop leaders who can mobilize them, and strengthen institutional learning and preparedness.
Read the policy brief: Building Resilient Global Governance for an Era of Recurring Crises