As the outlines of the next geopolitical era

start to emerge, there is still uncertainty

about where the distribution of power
will settle and from where influence will
emanate, but a snap back to the old order
appears unlikely. If stakeholders attempt to
bide their time, waiting for the old system
to return, they will be ill-prepared for what
lies ahead and may miss the point at
which key challenges—economic, societal,
technological or environmental—can be
addressed. Instead, longstanding institutions
must adapt to the present and be upgraded
or reimagined for the future.
There are signs of adaptation in the
creation of new institutions designed
to function in this turbulent geopolitical
climate. One example is the Franco-German
“Alliance for Multilateralism”, a group of
nations working to boost international
cooperation in areas such as disarmament,
digitalization and climate change.33 Another
is the African Continental Free Trade
Agreement, which will bring together the
55 member states of the African Union to
form the largest free trade area since the
formation of the WTO.34 Narrower, issuespecific,
ad-hoc “coalitions of the willing”
are proliferating—including Asian regional
trade and investment instruments, the
“Quad” (consultation among Australia,
India, Japan and the United States), and
the Global Coalition against Daesh. While
aiming to address collective priorities,
however, such adaptive approaches run
the risk of being less effective because
they lack the legitimacy of broad-based
multilateral institutions. Still, they point to
the need for continued coordination and
partnership during an unsettled time.