The Failure of the Current Multilateral System

A statement by Friends of the Earth International, Transnational Institute, and IT for Change arguing that the current UN-led multilateral system has failed due to corporate capture and geopolitical conflict, and calling for a democratic global government to address climate and social crises.

• The current international response to global crises, led by the United Nations, is failing because global governance is dominated by corporate interests and neocolonial geoeconomic orders, particularly those led by Big Tech, which marginalize the Global South.
• Geopolitical tensions between Western powers (the US and EU) and China and Russia, combined with the influence of transnational corporations, have paralyzed the UN and concentrated decision-making power among a few stakeholders.
• Existing trade and intellectual property regimes have created a global innovation divide that concentrates the benefits of AI and data within a small number of Chinese and U.S. firms, forcing much of the world to export raw materials and import digital services.
• The authors argue that the upcoming Summit of the Future is likely to maintain the neoliberal status quo and instead call for a new global governance structure that abolishes the UN Security Council veto power and removes the link between wealth and influence in the IMF and World Bank.
• To support development in the Global South, the document advocates for a fair use doctrine for trade secrets, public investment in infrastructure instead of tech giant control, and a global data framework based on human rights.

APA

Prak, C. (2024). The Failure of the Current Multilateral System. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/the-failure-of-the-current-multilateral-system/

Chicago

Prak, Caroline. The Failure of the Current Multilateral System. Friends of the Earth International, 2024. https://www.foei.org/the-failure-of-the-current-multilateral-system/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Prak |first1=Caroline |title=The Failure of the Current Multilateral System |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=16 September 2024 |url=https://www.foei.org/the-failure-of-the-current-multilateral-system/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{prak2024failure, author = {Prak, Caroline}, title = {{The Failure of the Current Multilateral System}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www.foei.org/the-failure-of-the-current-multilateral-system/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }