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  • 2 Jun 2025
    • Asia
    • Asean
    • China
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United States

    No one’s world: The Global South is navigating a post-American order

    Alldo Fellix Januardy
    Global influence no longer flows solely from dominant capitals – and power itself is changing shape.
  • 21 May 2025
    • Coronavirus
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations

    The World Health Assembly adopts a historic Pandemic Agreement

    Alexandra Finch
    While the text could have been more ambitious, it nonetheless provides a firm foundation for action on pandemics.
  • 7 Mar 2025
    • Diplomacy
    • Human rights
    • International law
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Sustainability

    The realists and their limits in the world today

    'Alopi Latukefu
    A belief in “might is right” is not set in stone – rules in global affairs are shaped by the choices we make.
  • 4 Mar 2025
    • Global Economy
    • Multilateral Development Banks
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United States

    Why collective action and institutions matter

    Jenny Gordon
    Otherwise, the bears win.
  • 26 Feb 2025
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe
    • European Union
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Two cheers for the European Union

    Mark Beeson
    Democracy, peace and cooperation don’t happen by accident. Will the EU continue to defy Europe’s violent history?
  • 14 Feb 2025
    • Australia in the World
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • United States

    Australia can no longer assume multilateralism will work in its favour

    Mercedes Page
    With US withdrawals and China's growing influence, Australia must rethink its approach to the UN.
  • 12 Feb 2025
    • Global Issues
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • United States

    What a US withdrawal from WHO will mean for global health

    Alexandra Finch
    And it’s a raw deal for the United States, too.
  • 7 Feb 2025
    • China
    • Australia
    • Foreign Policy
    • Climate change
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Sustainability
    • Technology
    • United States

    The old theories don’t fit the new world order

    David Morris
    A workable and sustainable internationalism will need to grapple with questions of diversity and multipolarity.
  • 28 Jan 2025
    • China
    • Russia
    • International law
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • United States

    Abandoning the rules-based order is no solution

    Malcolm Jorgensen
    Competing narratives about the international order are being weaponised in an age of renewed territorial ambitions.
  • 19 Dec 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Development Assistance
    • Climate change
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • United States

    What a Trump second term holds for global development

    Alexandre Dayant
    Judging by track records, there's a bumpy road ahead for aid, health and climate funding.
  • 25 Nov 2024
    • Indonesia
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Sustainability

    Cutting coal power: Indonesia's test case for turning a climate pledge into reality

    Tiza Mafira , Khalifa Akbar
    The technical, financial and legal hurdles to get an Indonesian coal-fired power plant off the grid.
  • 15 Nov 2024
    • Global Economy
    • Global Economic Governance
    • Poverty
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Institutions
    • International Economy

    Economics as history: Assessing the 2024 Nobel Prize

    Stephen Grenville
    Rich country or poor country? Why a chain of causation proposed by this year’s winners is so controversial.
  • 11 Sep 2024
    • Climate change
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Sustainability

    Meeting the need: Recommendations for a new Loss and Damage fund

    Melanie Pill , Georgia Hammersley
    Avoiding mistakes made by other funds will be key to better supporting the most climate-vulnerable.
  • 19 Jul 2024
    • China
    • Diplomacy
    • Russia
    • BRICS
    • Human rights
    • International law
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Does democracy still matter in the ‘New Cold War’ between the US and China?

    Sushil Aaron
    Contradictions between the two models of governance make coexistence among superpowers difficult.
  • 22 Mar 2024
    • China
    • Australia
    • Australia and Asia
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • BRICS
    • Climate change
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Sustainability

    Green transition: Supercharging a sustainable future for the Asia‑Pacific

    Christoph Nedopil
    An ambitious path of competition and collaboration with China would ensure the region’s economic non-dependence.
  • 21 Dec 2023
    • Australia in the World
    • Antarctica
    • Environment
    • International law
    • International Relations
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Sustainability

    A jurisdiction over the high seas

    Bec Strating
    Australia will be a key player in the new agreement governing the globe’s largest natural habitat.
  • 9 Nov 2023
    • Aid & Development
    • IMF
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Sustainability

    Private finance cannot lead the global response to climate change

    Arth Mishra , Connor O’Brien
    Misplaced faith in private sector solutions delays the redistribution of trillions from developed countries and multilateral institutions.
  • 13 Sep 2023
    • Australia
    • Global Economy
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • Multilateral Institutions

    The crucial role for the Green Climate Fund – and why Australia should contribute

    Georgia Hammersley , Melanie Pill , Roland Rajah
    It’s vital to international climate solidarity and Australia rejoining is key to unlocking more global funding for the Pacific.
  • 28 Aug 2023
    • Japan
    • Australia
    • Cyber Security
    • Cyber Warfare
    • Emerging Threats
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • United States

    Australia and the UN: A new agenda for peace

    Adam Bartley , Charles T. Hunt , Aiden Warren
    Multilateral responses to the threats of new and emerging tech – from AI warfare to bioweapons – are crucial to success.
  • 28 Jun 2023
    • Global Economy
    • Climate change
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Replenishing the Green Climate Fund

    Georgia Hammersley
    Delivering on a promise to help developing countries meet climate challenges remains critical.
  • 31 May 2023
    • India
    • Multilateral Institutions

    India’s diplomatic poise: Not just about photo ops

    Ved Shinde
    Delhi’s foreign policy has matured at pace, showcasing the art of engaging everyone and being close to no one.
  • 18 May 2023
    • China
    • Taiwan
    • Coronavirus
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Why the WHO needs Taiwan

    Joel Keep
    Taiwan’s early warning and pandemic response should be offered as a model to the world, not hostage to China’s whim.
  • 11 May 2023
    • Australia
    • United Kingdom
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Australia: The lynchpin of a modernised Commonwealth

    Sam Bidwell
    A network of middle powers and small states supporting one another. What’s not to like?
  • 10 May 2023
    • Asia
    • Global Economy
    • Global Economic Governance
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Malaysia’s Anwar seeks Asian Monetary Fund and “dedollarisation”

    Shankaran Nambiar
    By reviving an old idea, Malaysia’s PM hopes to be in the driver’s seat for regional economic leadership.
  • 9 May 2023
    • China
    • Global Economy
    • Trade
    • Multilateral Institutions

    “Play defence” in any collective response to China’s economic coercion

    Victor Ferguson , Viking Bohman
    The cost of fighting back is unlikely to be spread evenly across any coalition, which risks undermining the effort.
  • 27 Apr 2023
    • Global Economy
    • Multilateral Development Banks
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Shaky foundations for the New Development Bank

    Filipe Porto , Genevieve Donnellon-May
    A new president for BRICS groupings finance arm must steer geopolitical storms from outside – as well as within.
  • 14 Apr 2023
    • Australia
    • Diplomacy
    • Climate change
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • Pacific Islands

    A strategy for engaging for small developing states

    Hamish Fejo
    If Australia is serious about climate change, it needs better relationships with island nations – near and far.
  • 31 Mar 2023
    • China
    • India
    • Russia
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Great power rivalry is poisoning multilateralism

    Ved Shinde
    With India in summit season, New Delhi is banking on minilateral partnerships to counter China’s hegemonic ambitions.
  • 27 Mar 2023
    • India
    • Japan
    • Multilateral Institutions

    This year, India leads the G20, Japan the G7, and together can make a potent team

    Nazia Hussain , Tan Ming Hui
    The two nations share a chance to renew confidence in multilateral cooperation.
  • 8 Nov 2022
    • Australia
    • Diplomacy
    • Global Issues
    • Multilateral Institutions

    COP out: Should Albanese be in Egypt? And what about APEC? G20? EAS?

    Daniel Flitton
    The demands on leaders in global diplomacy have only grown but that hasn’t made negotiations more meaningful.
  • 3 Nov 2022
    • Aid & Development
    • Australia
    • Global Economy
    • Trade
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Economic diplomacy: Searching for APEC

    Greg Earl
    APEC faces some new competition as Australia considers the sovereign risks involved in reducing domestic gas prices.
  • 24 Oct 2022
    • Australia in the World
    • Diplomacy
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Australia’s road to Geneva

    James Cotton
    The League of Nations gave delegates from the antipodes a taste for progressive internationalism that remains today.
  • 20 Oct 2022
    • Global Economy
    • IMF
    • Multilateral Development Banks
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Economic diplomacy: The IMF faces a US$ reality check

    Greg Earl
    The Bretton Woods institutions may face existential challenges from the decoupling of the United States and China.
  • 23 Sep 2022
    • Aid & Development
    • Australia
    • Global Economy
    • Multilateral Development Banks
    • Multilateral Institutions

    Six reasons to be cautious about Australia establishing a DFI

    Jenny Gordon
    As soon as public money is on the table, there will be a line of players looking to “clip the ticket”.
  • 31 May 2022
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • Australia

    Multilateralism matters again

    Mercedes Page
    The world’s big challenges – and main priorities for Australia – are best tackled by cooperation.
  • 16 May 2022
    • Sustainability
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Cambodia
    • Thailand
    • Vietnam
    • Laos
    • Environment

    Diplomacy is indispensable to manage the Mekong

    Anoulak Kittikhoun
    The goal of a healthy river won’t be helped by misreading the shared mission of the Mekong River Commission.
  • 25 Oct 2021
    • Global Issues
    • Multilateral Institutions

    There is life in the Non-Alignment Movement yet

    Nina Marković Khaze
    This 60-year-old Cold War relic is finding new voice as a venue separated from institutions of the West.
  • 13 Oct 2021
    • Diplomacy
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • Coronavirus

    Zooming out of digital diplomacy

    Jeffrey Robertson
    It’s time to think beyond the videoconference to allow countries to trust again.
  • 17 Jun 2021
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • WTO

    New push for WTO trade reform

    Joanna Hewitt
    Protectionism must be relegated to the rear view mirror – fixes in agriculture negotiations might open the road ahead.
  • 26 Apr 2021
    • Diplomacy
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Asean
    • Myanmar
    • Indonesia
    • Southeast Asia
    • Human rights

    Indonesia raises ASEAN’s bar on Myanmar

    Ben Bland
    President Joko Widodo had nothing to gain domestically in calling a special summit. But in not failing, he succeeded.
  • 25 Mar 2021
    • Global Economy
    • Australia in the World
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • WTO

    Economic diplomacy: Deploying soft power and the future of trade

    Greg Earl
    Not-so-negative globalism, the not-so-predictable future of supply chains, and maybe not much change on China.
  • 15 Mar 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Diplomacy
    • United States
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Asean
    • Australia
    • China
    • India
    • Japan

    A new “concert” to govern the Indo-Pacific

    Pang Zhongying
    For Quad leaders emphasising an “inclusive” region, there may be a ready-made example for involving China.
  • 25 Jan 2021
    • Australia in the World
    • Europe
    • United States
    • Global Economic Governance
    • Multilateral Institutions

    The US and the next leader of the OECD

    Daniel F. Runde
    Australia’s candidate for Secretary-General is a favourable contender, but American backing is still up in the air.
  • 25 Nov 2020
    • Diplomacy
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • North Korea

    In search of a middle-power rethink on North Korea policy

    Jeffrey Robertson
    An international commission could potentially transform an outdated and failed approach to the Korean peninsula.
  • 3 Nov 2020
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations

    Peace Prize to WFP: A win for international cooperation

    Peter McCawley
    The success of the World Food Program shows the global system can work with good leadership and strong support.
  • 26 Oct 2020
    • Europe
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • China – Belt and Road Initiative

    The Three Seas Initiative: A European answer to China’s Belt and Road?

    David Morris
    A quest to modernise dilapidated infrastructure in Central Europe has quickly transformed into a geopolitical contest.
  • 21 Oct 2020
    • Diplomacy
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • Coronavirus

    Diplomacy after Covid: No looking back

    Jeffrey Robertson
    This will not be the last year the world gathers in a virtual meeting – just think beyond Zoom as the platform.
  • 9 Oct 2020
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • China
    • Climate change

    China’s vision of sovereignty for the next world order

    Bill Hayton
    Beijing’s attitude is clearly one that says big countries matter more than small or middle-size ones.
  • 28 Aug 2020
    • Europe
    • Diplomacy
    • United States
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • United Nations
    • Iran

    A diplomatic breakdown over “snapback” tests the UN

    Richard Gowan
    Dispute over a US call for pre-2015 Iran sanctions has pushed the Security Council to its limit. It’s been there before.
  • 19 Aug 2020
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • China
    • Pakistan
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Türkiye
    • Malaysia

    As Pakistan and Saudi Arabia drift apart, China moves in

    Syed Fazl-e-Haider
    A growing schism between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan points to new alliances in the Muslim world.
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