The state of international cooperation and multilateralism: A conversation with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, representative of the United States to the United Nations

Global sociopolitical and economic difficulties abound. The COVID-19 pandemic lingers in many parts of the world, and despite some progress, equitable access to vaccines remains a challenge. Furthermore, rampant inflation and rising interest rates threaten to derail the global economic recovery and stall progress toward achieving the sustainable development goals. Meanwhile, the existential threat of climate change looms large, and the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a humanitarian crisis. Given these urgent global challenges, the world needs the United Nations, a premier multilateral institution, to play a greater leadership role in ensuring effective global coordination and cooperation.

On April 14, the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution hosted a conversation between Brahima S. Coulibaly, vice president of the Global Economy and Development program, and Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States representative to the United Nations. As one of the most experienced and distinguished diplomats, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield was nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate with overwhelming support in February 2021. During the fireside chat, Coulibaly and Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield reflected on the ambassador’s first year in office and touched on an array of timely topics and issues, including prospects for international cooperation, the crisis in Ukraine’s implications for the new world order, U.S.-China relations, and the U.N. reform agenda.

Viewers asked questions on Twitter using #BrookingsUSUN or by emailing [email protected].