A model to keep multilateralism alive and well

Few would deny that there has been a shift away from multilateral cooperation in recent years.

- José Manuel Barroso

As the world becomes more multipolar, geopolitical tensions are hampering efforts to devise common solutions to shared problems, and rising nationalism and fiscal crises within many traditional donor countries are threatening the institutions on which multilateralism depends.

As a realist, I recognise that today's world is more dangerous than the one we inhabited not so long ago. But I am also confident that possibilities for long-term global collaboration remain. I have seen firsthand that multilateral cooperation often delivers results that otherwise would not be attained. My confidence stems from my experience as the chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. As my five-year tenure draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on what has underpinned Gavi's success over the past 25 years and what this experience can teach us about adapting multilateralism for a rapidly changing world.

The first lesson may sound simple, but it is too often forgotten: Always be mission-driven. Gavi exists to save lives and protect health by expanding access to vaccines in lower-income countries. It is this clarity of purpose that has helped halve child mortality in 78 countries and protect every one of us against the threat of infectious diseases. Nor is there any secret to our success. We have done it by uniting a multitude of public and private stakeholders, many with divergent interests, behind a common purpose.