Whither Multilateralism?

As geopolitical tensions rise and the foundations of the rules-based international order erode, the question of whether multilateralism can still serve its intended purpose has become urgent.

In this timely reflection, Vijay Makhan — Board Member of the Progressive Alliance, former Foreign Secretary of Mauritius and Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity, and currently Special Adviser on Diplomatic and International Trade Matters to the Government of Mauritius — offers a clear-eyed assessment of how near-hegemonic behaviour, fractured alliances, and institutional paralysis are reshaping global governance. Drawing on decades of diplomatic leadership, he argues that only a renewed, more representative, and genuinely democratic multilateralism can prevent the world from sliding further toward an order driven by power rather than principles.

Read the article here: Whither Multilateralism?