Multilateralism at a Crossroads: Reimagining Cooperation in a Fragmented World

Liana Ghukasyan argues that what we need now is not a return to the past, but a reinvention, and explores what that may entail.

Multilateralism is bruised but not broken. The global architecture of cooperation - once envisioned as a safeguard against war and a guarantor of peace and development - is now facing a profound test of purpose and relevance. As the world fragments and trust erodes, we must ask ourselves: What future do we want for multilateralism?

Born from the ashes of global conflict, multilateralism emerged not as a luxury, but as a necessity. After the catastrophic destruction of two world wars, the international community understood that peace could not depend on the whims of empires or the brute force of power politics. Institutions like the United Nations, the Bretton Woods system, and regional alliances reflected a collective belief that only together could we address global challenges. This was not idealism - it was hard-won wisdom.

Yet, even in its most promising moments, multilateralism has struggled to convert noble intent into unified action. Today, that struggle is more visible than ever.

The post-war consensus that upheld international cooperation is fraying. The spirit of shared responsibility is being replaced by transactional diplomacy, nationalism, and zero-sum thinking. Humanitarian action has become politicized. Consensus on issues like climate change or international humanitarian law is no longer a given. And multilateral institutions themselves, plagued by slow processes and competing interests, often seem unfit to respond to the urgency of today’s crises.

But here is the paradox: even as the system wobbles, the need for multilateralism has never been more acute.

The threats we face - climate change, pandemics, cyberattacks, mass displacement - are borderless. They are interlinked. No country, no matter how powerful, can solve them alone. The answer is not less cooperation, but more. Not weaker institutions, but stronger, more inclusive, more agile ones.

What we need is not a return to the past, but a reinvention. If multilateralism is to survive - and more importantly, to serve - it must evolve. The multilateralism of the future will look markedly different from the post-war model that shaped the latter half of the 20th century. It will not be built on symmetry of power or universal consensus, but on inclusivity, adaptability, and moral clarity.

First, it will be more networked than hierarchical. The classic model, where states sat at the center of decision-making and international organizations served as neutral brokers, is no longer sufficient. We are already witnessing the emergence of coalitions led by cities, regional blocs, private sector actors, and civil society organizations. In this new ecosystem, influence will stem less from size or sovereignty and more from action, innovation, and ability to convene. The United Cities and Local Governments network, climate alliances of island states, and tech-led partnerships on global health are just the beginning.

Second, it will be more pragmatic than symbolic. The idealism of multilateral principles must be complemented by a results-driven mindset. The multilateralism of tomorrow must not collapse under the weight of process and protocol. Instead, it must prioritize responsiveness, innovation, and measurable impact. We will see more “coalitions of the willing” working across silos and borders on specific issues, such as climate adaptation, AI regulation, global pandemic preparedness, regardless of whether formal treaties are signed or not. This does not mean abandoning principles, but rather grounding them in urgent, collective problem-solving.

Third, it must be more human and more planetary. The future demands a form of cooperation that is deeply aware of inequality, historical injustice, and ecological interdependence. We need cooperation that listens to the margins, not just the centers of power. One that understands that our fates are intertwined - not only across borders, but across generations and ecosystems, including nature. It must embed climate consciousness, sustainability, and intergenerational justice into every decision. If the old multilateralism was designed to avoid war among nations, the new multilateralism must be designed to avoid collapse of societies and ecosystems.

Fourth, it will be shaped by digital transformation. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data are reshaping governance, transparency, and accountability. Future multilateral platforms will likely use technology not only to coordinate action, but to democratize it, engaging people directly in deliberation and decision-making. Digital participation, real-time feedback mechanisms, and decentralized governance models may become hallmarks of a new era.

Fifth, it must evolve toward shared stewardship over sovereignty. The era of absolute state control is giving way to shared responsibilities. Multilateralism will need to find a way to reconcile national sovereignty with collective action. It must allow states to retain their identities and priorities while committing to bold, binding cooperation in areas where the global interest must prevail - climate change, public health, data security, and the protection of human dignity.

But for any of this to happen, we need a new kind of leadership. Leadership that is not transactional but transformational. Leaders who are courageous enough to put long-term planetary and human interests above short-term political gain. Leaders who understand that cooperation is not weakness, but the highest form of wisdom in a complex and interdependent world.

This transformation has profound implications for the humanitarian sector, too.

Traditional humanitarian action relied on predictable roles: states funded, international organizations coordinated, agencies delivered. But in today’s multipolar and politicized world, such linear models no longer hold. We must move from hierarchies to networks, from mandates to trust, from reactive aid to anticipatory and inclusive action. Legitimacy will come not from mandates, but from presence, performance and impact. 

Crucially, the humanitarian sector must also reimagine its diplomacy.

Humanitarian diplomacy is not just about dialogue. It is about courage. It is about persuading those in power to act in the interest of humanity, and about confronting injustice when silence becomes complicity. In today’s polarized environment, diplomacy must remain grounded in principles, but those principles must also be defended, even when it is uncomfortable.

Too often, we hesitate. We avoid hard conversations with those who hold the purse strings or control access. We stay polite when the moment calls for truth. But a diplomacy without courage - one that never disrupts - is a diplomacy that risks failing those who depend on us the most.

We need a new model of principled confrontation. One that speaks truth not from ideology, but from the universal language of humanitarian law and moral obligation. A diplomacy that challenges, not to provoke, but to protect. One that risks discomfort for the sake of dignity.

In short, the future of multilateralism will not be written by states alone. It will be co-created by communities, companies, scientists, humanitarians, young people, and moral leaders across all walks of life.

Multilateralism will not be saved by nostalgia. Nor will it be rebuilt by tweaking the status quo. It will survive only if we confront its failures, uphold its values without apology, and reshape its mechanisms for a world that has changed.

This is our crossroads. We either recommit to a multilateralism that works for the many - not just the powerful - or we yield to a world of disorder, where the vulnerable pay the highest price. The choice is ours.

Liana Ghukasyan is Special Advisor to IFRC President, former Deputy Permanent Observer to the UN in New York.

Photo by Albin Ejupi