Renewing Multilateralism for the 21st Century

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As the year 2020 is the starting point for the UN system to discuss the reform of the multilateral system at the UN General Assembly, FEPS – in cooperation with the Istituto Affari Internazionali, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung New York Office, the Fondation Jean-Jaurès, the Fundación Pablo Iglesias, the Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale and the Olof Palme International Center – decided to contribute to the debate by launching a project to develop a progressive approach to: identity the main challenges ahead; formulate some recommendations not only on the what but on the how in different policy areas of the multilateral system; formulate some recommendations on the architecture of the multilateral system. The result of the project is the paper ‘Renewing Multilateralism for the 21st Century. The Role of the United Nations and of the European Union’ which calls for a new, fair and inclusive multilateralism.

New in order to address not only the permanent challenges of peace, human rights and development, but the new global challenges of climate change, pandemics, scarse resources, digital transformation and cybersecurity.

Fair, in order to eradicate poverty and overcome the current social inequalities, within and between countries, and between generations, in their access to global public goods such as education, healthcare and environmental quality.

Inclusive, in order to represent the whole humankind on an equal footing, thus creating a real sense of common belonging and democratic participation, involving all relevant actors from international and regional organisations to a large range of civil society stakeholders.

Read the Policy Report on Multilateralism