Future of Multilateral Cooperation


Geopolitical tensions, rising demands on the system and increasingly interconnected crises are testing multilateralism. The Global Governance Innovation Platform (GGI) explores how international institutions can adapt, learn from the past, and continue to deliver on their mandates. This theme gathers GGI’s work on the future of multilateral cooperation, including research, policy dialogues, events, and expert interviews.

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Interview · 17 January 2025

Rebuilding Cooperation in a Fragmented World

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Angela Kane, Senior Fellow at the Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, reflects on rebuilding multilateral cooperation in a fragmented world.

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An Overview of the Global Governance Innovation Platform (GGI)

Publications

Policy Briefs

Operationalizing Institutional Vitality: A Framework for Analysis

A framework to help policymakers diagnose institutional change and identify more effective approaches to multilateral reform.

📅 14 August 2026Julia Gray
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Policy Briefs

Why do Countries Walk Away from International Organizations? And What do Current Breakups Mean for Global Politics?

From Brexit to recent withdrawals from dozens of international bodies, exits from international organizations have drawn renewed attention. This brief shows that withdrawals are often strategic, costly and temporary.

📅 27 March 2026Inken von Borzyskowski and Felicity Vabulas
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Policy Briefs

A Systematic Approach to Institutional Mimicry

Institutional mimicry simplifies complex situations and facilitates decision-making, but it can also oversimplify or mislead. This brief sets out a systematic approach to borrowing governance models across issue areas.

📅 8 October 2025Julia C. Morse
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News and Events

Event on governance in times of crisis
Events

Governance in Times of Crisis: Lessons from the European Union

How can international institutions respond more effectively to complex, fast-moving crises while maintaining legitimacy and coordination?

📅 11 June 2026📍 New York City
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Panel on best practices to save multilateralism
Events

Best Practices to Save Multilateralism

Exploring the vulnerabilities of the current multilateral order and the innovative practices required to strengthen global cooperation.

📅 4 June 2026📍 New York City
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Workshop participants in Hangzhou
News

Institution-Building in an Era of Values Realism

Co-organized by UNU-CPR and Zhejiang University's School of Public Affairs, the event convened researchers and practitioners to examine how global governance is adapting under mounting pressure.

📅 30 March 2026📍 Hangzhou, China
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Professor Inken von Borzyskowski speaking at UNU-CPR
Events

Why do Countries Walk Away from International Organizations? And What do Current Breakups Mean for Global Politics?

The inaugural Global Governance Policy Dialogue showed that withdrawals from international organizations are often strategic, costly and temporary.

📅 19 March 2026📍 New York City
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GGI and Université de Sherbrooke logos
Events

The Pact for the Future, Calls for Innovation, and Global Governance

UNU-CPR's Dr. Caroline Dunton presented GGI's research and analysis of the Pact for the Future at the Université de Sherbrooke Faculty of Law.

📅 2 June 2025📍 Virtual
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Workshop participants in Dresden
Events

Global Governance Innovation Alliance Workshop

UNU-CPR convened a workshop in Dresden to collect insights from global alliances to inform the design of new multilateral mechanisms, from sovereign debt to plastic pollution.

📅 9 April 2025📍 Dresden
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Participants at the GGI inaugural workshop in London
Events

UNU-CPR Global Governance Innovation Initiative Inaugural Workshop

UNU-CPR launched its three-year Global Governance Innovation initiative in London, exploring innovative institutional designs and adaptations to address global challenges.

📅 16 January 2025📍 London
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GGI Videos

Interview

Rethinking Global Governance

At the start of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, UNU-CPR Director David Passarelli speaks with Augusto Lopez-Claros, Executive Director and Chair of the Global Governance Forum.

📅 17 September 2026⏱ 1:01:16🎙 Augusto Lopez-Claros, Global Governance Forum
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Interviews

Building Stronger Accountability in Global Governance

In this interview for the Global Governance Innovation Platform (GGI), Marianne Beisheim discusses how accountability in global governance can be strengthened.

📅 19 August 2026⏱ 00:58🎙 Marianne Beisheim, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)
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Interviews

From Invention to Innovation in Global Governance

In this interview for the Global Governance Innovation Platform (GGI), Jean-Frédéric Morin discusses how new ideas in global governance move from invention to innovation.

📅 14 August 2026⏱ 05:25🎙 Jean-Frédéric Morin, Université Laval
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Interview

Exit from International Organizations

In Episode 10 of Multilateralism UNpacked, Professor Inken von Borzyskowski discusses why States withdraw from international organizations and what current exits mean for global politics.

📅 30 March 2026⏱ 37:16🎙 Inken von Borzyskowski, University of Oxford
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Interviews

Learning from the Past to Renew Multilateral Cooperation

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Caroline Dunton reflects on how lessons from the past can help renew multilateral cooperation.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 03:03🎙 Caroline Dunton, UNU-CPR
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Interviews

Breaking Silos in Global Governance

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Silke Weinlich discusses how to break down silos in global governance.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 02:20🎙 Silke Weinlich, UN System Staff College (UNSSC)
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Interviews

Trust as a Foundation for Governance Innovation

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Annalena Edler discusses the role of trust as a foundation for governance innovation.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 00:52🎙 Annalena Edler, BMZ
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Interview

Rethinking Global Governance for Emerging Challenges

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Stewart Patrick reflects on how global governance can be rethought for emerging challenges.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 07:36🎙 Stewart Patrick, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
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Interview

Making Global Governance More Flexible

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Joel Trachtman discusses how global governance can become more flexible.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 03:04🎙 Joel Trachtman, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
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Interview

Building More Participatory Global Governance

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Aly Zulficar Rahim discusses how global governance can become more participatory.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 02:06🎙 Aly Zulficar Rahim, GPSA, World Bank
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Interview

Reimagining Global Governance Beyond the Status Quo

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Sanjay Reddy reflects on reimagining global governance beyond the status quo.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 02:57🎙 Sanjay Reddy, The New School for Social Research
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Interviews

Adaptability and Inclusion in a Changing Governance Landscape

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Nurul Sofia discusses adaptability and inclusion in a changing governance landscape.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 02:00🎙 Nurul Sofia, Permanent Mission of Indonesia, Geneva
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Interview

Using Global Trade to Advance Sustainability

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Daniel Esty discusses how global trade can be used to advance sustainability.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 02:15🎙 Daniel Esty, Yale University
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Interview

Learning from Demand for Global Initiatives

Recorded at the GGI inaugural workshop in London, Yanne Horas reflects on what demand for global initiatives can teach institution-builders.

📅 17 January 2025⏱ 00:53🎙 Yanne Horas, International Institute for Sustainable Development
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