Multilateralism Explained | Model Diplomacy

Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Stewart Patrick discusses the concept of multilateralism for “Global Climate Change Policy” and other CFR Model Diplomacy case studies. Defined as “cooperation between three or more countries,” Patrick says that multilateralism occurs when countries come together to solve common problems. There are a growing number of problems that require multilateralism, including climate change, epidemics, and cyber insecurity. In addition to universal membership in widely known organizations like the UN, Patrick says that the United States and other countries turn increasingly to a broader set of arrangements, such as the G20, to address multilateral issues. Patrick says that a pressing challenge for multilateralism today is how to effectively include new actors at the table on global stage. This is particularly true, given that emerging and established nations often do not share the same priorities or values as more established countries. This can make multilateral cooperation difficult, since such cooperation inherently requires nations to compromise. Subscribe to our channel for more videos that cover the issues, trends, and concepts you need to know to navigate our complicated world: Model Diplomacy, from the Council on Foreign Relations, is a free simulation program that invites students, educators, and professionals from a variety of backgrounds to step into the roles of decision-makers on the U.S. National Security Council (NSC) or UN Security Council. Get started at: Follow Model Diplomacy on Twitter: CFR Education is an initiative within the Council on Foreign Relations that aims to make complex foreign policy and international issues accessible for high school and college students through its educational products: World101, Model Diplomacy, and Convene the Council. Visit our website: Follow us on social media: Facebook: Twitter: #teaching #multilateralism #problemsolving