Has the United Nations system sufficiently adapted to the challenges of the 21st century world? If not, how does it need to change? These were the central questions addressed during the launch of the summary report of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM), entitled “Pulling Together: The Multilateral System and its Future," which was held in Vienna on December 14 at the (…)
Public Consultation on the Impact of New Technologies on Peace, Security, and Development
The ICM hosted a public consultation on May 12th on its discussion paper: “The Impact of New Technologies on Peace, Security, and Development.”
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A new wave of technology is driving rapid global change. This change has created new opportunities for multilateral cooperation in the areas of sustainable development, state-society relations, peace and security, and global governance. Yet, with these opportunities comes the challenge of keeping up with the pace of change (…)
Sixteenth ICM Retreat Analyzes Armed Conflict: Mediation, Conciliation, and Peacekeeping
The persistence of armed conflict and its effects lies at the center of current crises, precipitating concerns that global stability is at risk. Taking a long view of history, the world is less war-torn than in previous centuries. Yet while the overall number of armed conflicts continues to decline, the number of conflict-related deaths has risen dramatically in recent years, from 56,000 fatalities in 63 active conflicts in 2008 to 180,000 fatalities in 42 active conflicts in 2014. Since (…)
Fifteenth ICM Retreat Discusses Communication Strategy for the UN Multilateral System
The UN is unique in its universality, credibility and unmatched convening power. There are parts of the world where the UN’s word is the ultimate benchmark. Seventy years after its inception, the UN continues to project success stories: from the adoption of the historic 2030 Agenda to spearheading the COP21 Paris Agreement. And yet, in other parts of the world, the UN’s relevance and preeminence as the epicenter of global governance is taken for granted. It is often not viewed as a solution (…)
Public Consultation on the 2030 Agenda, Climate Change, and UN Partnerships
The ICM hosted a public consultation on March 16th on two of its discussion papers: “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Addressing Climate Change” and “The Relationship between the UN and Regional Organizations, Civil Society, the Private Sector, and NGOs.”
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The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, both universally applicable, were adopted with an unprecedented sense of ownership by member states. The relevant (…)
Fourteenth ICM Retreat Discusses Engaging, Supporting, and Empowering Global Youth
People under the age of 24 make up 48% of the world’s population, representing a clear demographic and democratic imperative for their further inclusion and participation in policy-making circles at national and international levels. A lack of adequate representation has fostered a growing crisis of credibility and legitimacy among individual states and, consequently, the multilateral system. Including youth as fundamental partners in national and global policy, principally by empowering (…)
Thirteenth ICM Retreat Analyzes Global Pandemics and Global Public Health
The recent Ebola and Zika crises demonstrate the global vulnerability to emerging infectious diseases and the devastation they unleash. Apart from the human suffering they cause, health crises of this sort tend to have longer-term consequences, including in terms of security, economic growth and sustainable development. Ebola perhaps was most extreme in exposing the multilateral system’s weaknesses in preventing, preparing for and responding to global health crises. Such crises also (…)