Amid growing geopolitical competition, polarization, unilateralism, and inequality, the multilateral system finds itself in gridlock, unable to deliver solutions to many of this century’s challenges. Further compounding this uncertainty is the diminishing appetite for multilateral cooperation, despite an unprecedented number of global crises confronting the international community.
At the regional level, multilateralism faces additional challenges, with South Asia offering an interesting case study. The mixed results of global and regional intergovernmental organizations in South Asia have left many skeptical of multilateral approaches to shared challenges. Moreover, political differences, economic disparities, and power asymmetries—among other factors—have hindered the region‘s ability to present a united front in multilateral fora. In an increasingly interconnected age, what can be done to ease the region’s crisis of multilateralism?
On February 5, the Wilson Center South Asia Institute and KAS New York Office brought together representatives of the United Nations, Permanent Missions of Member States, think tanks, and academia for a briefing and expert discussion based on their joint policy brief, South Asia and Multilateralism: Challenges and Opportunities. The policy brief offers a unique analysis of the internal and external factors shaping the region’s involvement, focusing on potential avenues for expanded and renewed multilateral cooperation.
This policy brief in part of an ongoing series by KAS New York, exploring how different regions in the world engage with the multilateral system. The first in this series—LAC of Multilateral Leadership?—assesses Latin America and the Caribbean in the multilateral context, highlighting the challenges to and untapped opportunities for its engagement.