Events
New York Book Launch - September 19, 2025
Hugh Dugan and Daniel Wagner call for accountability
and new operational paradigms among global institutions
New York - September 19, 2025
As world leaders converge on the United Nations, authors Hugh Dugan and Daniel Wagner officially launched their new book, The New Multilateralism: Making Multilateral Organizations Accountable and Fit in the 21st Century, at a high-profile event moderated by His Excellency Vuk Jeremić, former President of the UN General Assembly.
Among the key themes addressed by the authors:
Hosted at the Soloviev Foundation Conference Center, the launch convened diplomats, policymakers, and thought leaders to debate a pressing question: Are multilateral organizations pulling their weight — or merely getting heavier?
Hugh Dugan
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UN Security Council Reform: “The greatest structural obstacle is the frozen veto system — without reform, it will remain paralyzed in the face of crises.”
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Civil Service Accountability: “Member states must reassert authority without stifling day-to-day operations; oversight must be sharper, not heavier.”
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Symbolic Initiatives: “Symbolic acts, like reviving the Olympic Truce, matter — they build trust that can later underpin substantive agreements.”
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Crisis Diplomacy: “In hostage affairs, accountability means clear lines of responsibility and consequences — lessons multilateral bodies must embrace.”
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Coordination at the Top: “If I redesigned the UN’s Chief Executive Board, its core principles would be transparency, speed, and accountability.”
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Daniel Wagner
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Crisis Diplomacy: “In hostage affairs, accountability means clear lines of responsibility and consequences — lessons multilateral bodies must embrace.”
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Climate Finance Effectiveness: “Funds must reach local actors, be tied to measurable resilience outcomes, and leverage private capital through blended finance.”
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Guarantees for Private Capital: “Guarantees should be standardized, scaled through portfolio facilities, and treated as a core MDB business line. Many more guarantees should be allocated to achieving private capital mobilization and de-emphasize sovereign guarantees.”
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China’s AIIB and New Players: “Legacy MDBs must modernize voting shares, streamline approvals, and co-finance to keep the system unified. AIIB is a model for how much more can be done with limited resources and for MDB collaboration.”
Upcoming Events
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New York seminar for UN Secretary General selection
Date:
Autumn 2025
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Washington, DC book launch
Date:
To be announced
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Dialogue with members of the UN Correspondents Association
Date:
To be announced