To mark the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) UNU-CPR has released a new policy paper series to examine recent efforts to improve global economic governance and explore forward-looking reforms to build a more inclusive, responsive and equitable international financial system.
Covering the period between the 75th and 80th anniversaries of the United Nations, the series reflects on a time marked by overlapping global crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to rising debt, inflation, food insecurity and geopolitical instability. It also situates these developments within key multilateral processes, including the 2024 Summit of the Future. Each paper assesses how States, international organizations, civil society and new coalitions have sought to strengthen cooperation and reform the international financial architecture.
The series explores emerging trends such as the resurgence of regionalism, declining trust in global institutions, and the creation of alternative financial mechanisms. Together, these papers offer a timely reflection on the evolving dynamics of multilateralism and reveal the need for structural reforms that go beyond technical adjustments to address persistent asymmetries in representation and access to resources.
Edited by UNU-CPR Director David Passarelli, and supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, the Reimagining Global Economic Governance series is intended to inform FfD4 discussions and guide reform efforts beyond the conference.
