Against the backdrop of Dag Hammarskjölds Backåkra, a nature reserve in southern Sweden, high-level international experts gathered on 29 May to discuss how to achieve effective global co-operation.
The High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism is an independent advisory body chaired by Stefan Löfven of Sweden and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia. It was formed by the UN Secretary-General in support of Our Common Agenda, and it is tasked with making concrete suggestions for more effective multilateral arrangements across a range of key global issues ahead of the proposed Summit of the Future.
The Foundation hosted this group at Dag Hammarskjöld’s Backåkra in Skåne and at its offices in Uppsala. The meetings was an important opportunity for the group to take its work forward and offered space for substantial discussions, as well as new inspiration.
Backåkra provided a unique meeting space both in terms of is location and its connection to Dag Hammarskjöld, who loved the coastal landscape of this part of southern Sweden so much that he purchased the farmstead shortly before his untimely death. Members of the advisory board had the opportunity to tour the museum and view a new outdoor photo exhibition on the Sustainable Development Goals.
The visit focused on multilateral cooperation, which is continuously being tested, questioned, and undermined in diverse ways. In a recent statement the Co-chairs noted,
‘We see the deep divisions among and within States. We see the loss of trust in institutions and in the ability of global leaders to deliver for people. But we also see the incredible potential for innovation in times of crisis. And we are inspired by the millions of people who voiced their demands in the UN75 process and others, calling for more equitable, inclusive approaches to global decision-making’.
Beyond the Co-Chairs the other members of the High-Level Advisory Board are: Xu Bu (China), Poonam Ghimire (Nepal), Jayati Ghosh (India), Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda), Azza Karam (Egypt), Nanjala Nyabola (Kenya), Tharman Shanmugaratnam (Singapore), Anne-Marie Slaughter (United States), Ilona Szabó de Carvalho (Brazil), and Danilo Türk (Slovenia). The United Nations University Centre for Policy Research serves as the Secretariat for the High-Level Advisory Board.
For more information please contact:
Annika Östman
Head of Communications
e-mail: annika.ostman@daghammarskjold.se
Mobile: +46 (0)76-541 10 04