Over the past decade, the United Nations and other legacy multilateral institutions have seen their preeminence and efficacy erode. Once central to global cooperation, these institutions now struggle to enforce norms, resolve conflicts, or deliver global public goods effectively. In their place, smaller, more agile plurilateral arrangements have emerged, addressing specific regional and thematic challenges with greater flexibility and focus. These new frameworks, less entangled in big-power rivalries, have demonstrated an ability to foster consensus and deliver tangible outcomes where traditional multilateralism has faltered. This rise of plurilateralism presents both opportunities and challenges.
This panel explores the evolving dynamics of global governance, examining whether traditional multilateral structures and plurilateral arrangements will coexist, collaborate, or compete in addressing the pressing issues of our time. How can plurilateral arrangements help deliver public goods and facilitate cooperation in areas (peace, security, trade, health, etc.) where their predecessors failed? How might plurilateralism risk fragmenting global governance, and what mechanisms can ensure alignment or complementarity with broader multilateral goals? What role do emerging powers play in shaping plurilateral frameworks, and how does their participation influence the balance of global influence beyond traditional centers of power?
Speakers:
- Mnatsakan Safaryan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Armenia
- Lasha Darsalia, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georgia
- Andrew Rosindell, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom
- Minna-Liina Lind, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Estonia
- Ahmad Saidmurodzoda, Deputy Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organization
- Sarah Mosoetsa, Chief Executive Officer, Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa
- Kei Koga, Associate Professor, Nanyang Technological University, Japan
Moderator: Lisa Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Australia India Institute, Australia