As the international system becomes more multipolar and traditional donors step back, Middle Powers are emerging as key players in global development cooperation and finance. Their agility, legitimacy and coalition-building capacity make them essential in a world facing rising needs, shrinking aid and demands for fairer governance.
This new paper written by UNU-CPR and published with support from and by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung explores the role of Middle Powers – across the Global North and South – and highlights how they are defined less by formal criteria than by their capabilities, behaviors and values. These countries act as pragmatic multilateral actors, engaging in development diplomacy and knowledge exchange, and promoting inclusive governance and sustainable development. By bridging gaps between traditional donors and emerging contributors, they help stabilize the international system, even as institutional, financial and political constraints shape the scope of their influence.
The paper also outlines ways for Middle Powers to strengthen their impact through institutional capacity, innovative practices, financial engagement, development diplomacy and multilateral collaboration – including with the private sector and civil society. Ultimately, they are positioned as stabilizers of global development, capable of advancing more equitable and effective partnerships in an era of uncertainty.
Access the full paper here.