“Redefining Global Trust”: NYC Launch of the Future of International Cooperation Report 2026

At a time of geopolitical upheaval, shifting alignments, and growing uncertainty around the future of global and regional institutions, trust remains the essential foundation that enables cooperation between states, societies, and other stakeholders. New kinds of leadership, reinvigorated institutions, and renewed respect for international norms, policies, and laws are needed to reverse the ongoing breakdown of trust within and between countries, which is undermining efforts to build a more secure and just world—or “just security.”

The fourth edition of the Future of International Cooperation Report 2026 (FIC’26) examines the growing trust deficits shaping global and regional politics (including diplomacy and mediation), economics (including business and technology), and security and justice (including defense and preventing violent extremism). It asks a critical question: How can we rebuild trust and strengthen cooperation, even when interests diverge and the benefits of collective action are sometimes uncertain?

FIC’26 offers a fresh reconceptualization of trust for the second quarter of the 21st century, highlighting the multiplier effect of investments in social capital and identifying pathways toward reform, accountability, and renewed cooperation. The report charts a positive reform and accountability agenda to leverage the confluence of a new UN secretary-general (from January 1, 2027) with follow-through on the World Social Summit and Summit of the Future, alongside initial steps toward a post-2030 development agenda in the lead-up to the September 2027 SDG Summit in New York.