Multilateral diplomacy
We can define multilateral diplomacy as the cooperation of three or more countries that work toward a common goal.
Multilateral diplomacy has developed alongside bilateral diplomacy mainly through congresses and conferences. Modern multilateral diplomacy begins with the co-founding of international organizations, especially the UN, the Council of Europa, the OSCE, and the European Union.
In the wake of current challenges and globalization, multilateral diplomacy is an indispensable form of international diplomacy. Global challenges that we are facing such as climate change, migration, sustainable development, opportunities and risks of new technologies can only be addressed through mutual cooperation.
From our blog
X-Ray of the 76. UN General Assembly
12 October 2021
Cybersecurity, Diplomatic reporting, Future of meetings, International organisations, Multilateral diplomacy, Remote participation, Rights of future generations
After a year of online meetings, many heads of states returned to New York for the high-level session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session during the third week of September. Around 40% of the leaders delivered s...
Training and courses
Events
Remote Participation – Opportunities and Challenges for Multilateral Diplomacy
17 May 12 -
Switzerland
Training Workshop in Contemporary Multilateral Diplomacy and E-diplomacy
19 Mar 12 - 22 Mar 12
South America
Resources
1996
The UN and the world diplomatic system: lessons from the Cyprus and US- North Korea talks
In Bourantonis, D. and M. Evriviades (eds), A United Nations for the Twenty-First Century(Kluwer Law International, 1996), pp. 105-16... Read more...
1996
Funeral summits
Berridge, G. R. (1996) 'Funeral summits', in David H. Dunn (ed.), Diplomacy at the Highest Level: The evolution of international summitry (Macmillan - now Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke).... Read more...
1990
Return to the UN: United Nations diplomacy in regional conflicts
‘… lively … persuasive … careful analysis… This is a very readable study, combining narrative strength with political acuity, and informative on the years of disappointment … Much has changed since the UN’s annus mirabilis, but Berridge’s conclusions st... Read more...
2005
The History and Politics of UN Security Council Reform
Dimitris Bourantonis, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Athens University of Economics and Business and a well-published writer on the UN over many years, has provided a very valuable service for students of the world body by writing this short book... Read more...
2004
Multilateral Conferences: Purposeful International Negotiation
Ron Walker was a member of the Australian diplomatic service for 37 years, for the last 22 of which (1975-96) he specialized in multilateral diplomacy. His book on this subject is not an academic book. Instead he has done for multilateral diplomacy what Kishan Rana has... Read more...
2001
Leadership Selection in the Major Multilaterals
Inspired by the damaging leadership contest fiascos of recent years in certain international organizations, not least that in the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1998-9, this is a timely and important book. Kahler emphasises that if these bodies do not abandon their ... Read more...
