Valdai Club

The 22th Valdai paper is devoted to analyze of the nimble approach of governments to international cooperation. The 22th Valdai paper is devoted to analyze of the nimble approach of governments to international cooperation.

According to the author, policymakers increasingly pursue their national objectives through narrower and more flexible frameworks whose membership varies with situational interests, shared values, and relevant capabilities. In sum, governments increasingly bypass formal international organizations.

The author names such an approach as “multilateralism à la carte” which implies cooperative frameworks that are ad hoc instead of standing and permanent; informal and voluntary rather than formal and legally binding; disaggregated as opposed to comprehensive; trans-governmental instead of inter-governmental; and (often) multi-level and multi-stakeholder rather than purely state-centric. He considers the forms which this policy takes in different areas.

The author of the article is Stewart Patrick, Senior Fellow and Director of the Program on International Institutions and Global Governance, Council on Foreign Relations (Washington, USA).