Global Bridges. Southern Voices for an Inclusive Multilateralism

The multilateral system is at a crossroads. The rules-based order is increasingly challenged by a world driven by interest-based transactional politics and strategic competition. While multilateralism was already under severe pressure, the rise of minilateralism—smaller, interest-driven alliances—has accelerated. This shift raises fundamental questions: Is minilateralism a force for good, enhancing cooperation and efficiency, or does it risk further fragmenting and undermining the multilateral system?

Against this backdrop, the Global Bridges public conference organized by the Global Policy Center (GPC) will seek to answer key questions about the future of multilateralism: Can the EU and the Global South leverage multilateralism to address global challenges more effectively? How can the EU support Southern voices’ demands for a more inclusive reform of global governance? Finally, is the pursuit of an inclusive multilateral system compatible with the growing trend of interest-based groupings?

The session will open with welcome remarks by Enrico Letta, Dean of the School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs at IE University, followed by a keynote speech from Lucía García Rico, Director General for the United Nations, International Organizations and Human Rights at Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

The conversation will be moderated by Ilke Toygür, Director of the Global Policy Center, and will feature a high-level panel including Philani Mthembu (Institute for Global Dialogue), Ummu Salma Bava (Jawaharlal Nehru University), and Andreza Aruska de Souza Santos (King’s Brazil Institute).

This panel aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the broader multilateral framework and its current challenges. It will explore effective strategies to make multilateralism more inclusive while assessing how minilateralism can be integrated into the global governance system. By examining the intersection between these two approaches, the discussion will seek to identify pathways for enhancing cooperation between the EU and the Global South in shaping a fairer and more effective international order.

The conference is part of an initiative financed by the State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs of Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

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