In a world where multilateralism is under strain, with rising fragmentation and growing mistrust among states, two regions—Africa and Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC)—face a shared dilemma: how to assert their voice in a global order they often experience as exclusive and unresponsive.
Our latest paper explores trust and distrust in regional governance and multilateral platforms in both regions. Drawing from on-the-ground insights gathered during the 2025 UN Regional Forums on Sustainable Development in Uganda and Chile and participation in UN Regional Collaborative Platforms annual meetings in both regions, we identify political, historical, and institutional factors shaping these dynamics.
Key suggestions
- Establish regional coordination spaces to articulate common positions in global forums.
- Invest in accountability and transparency tools that build sustained trust across sectors.
- Ensure meaningful, not symbolic, inclusion of civil society and marginalized voices in negotiation and reform.
- Redirect regional leadership toward coalition-building, not dominance.
