The future of international negotiations: key takeaways from GCSP’s PIN Conference

Last week, the GCSP hosted the Processes of International Negotiations (PIN) programme for a three-day conference in Geneva. A Geneva Security Debate on “Multilateralism under Pressure: Can International Negotiations Still Deliver?” examined how fragmentation, geopolitical competition, normative divides, and innovation are reshaping negotiation processes. 

Building on the 2024 conference “Redefining Multilateralism in a New Geopolitical Era,” this panel discussion shifted the focus from diagnosing the challenges facing multilateralism to examining how it is evolving in practice. Multilateralism has long provided the foundation of global governance. Yet it is multilateral negotiations that increasingly determine whether cooperation succeeds. 

After opening remarks highlighting the 40th anniversary of PIN and its many achievements, this event explored how multilateral negotiations are evolving and how these processes can operate to sustain cooperation in a more contested international environment.

Panelists pointed to the expanding range and diversity of actors, the multiplication and diffusion of negotiation fora, and rising expectations for inclusivity. This evolving landscape is marked by accelerated negotiation timelines, increased fragmentation, disinformation and more uncertain outcomes, but also by a broader set of entry points for engagement. At the same time, differing interpretations of international norms among major powers are generating new challenges, while opening space for small and middle powers to assert influence through coalitions and collective action. The panel discussion was followed by the PIN Steering Committee meeting, hosted by the GCSP, to discuss strategic vision and future activities.

To explore the experts’ insights in more detail, watch the full panel discussion below.

The following two days featured an expert workshop on “Rethinking Diplomacy and Negotiations in the Middle East” where academics exchanged insights and contributed to a peer review of papers. The outcomes will be published in a leading academic and policy journal.