Veerle Nouwens

Mini-Lateralism? Political and Economic Alignments in this Transformed Era | Asia Summit 2024

Dino Patti Djalal, Dato Onn Hafiz Bin Ghazi, Ford Hart, Kishore Mahbubani, Veerle Nouwens

Amidst a perceived decline in traditional multilateral efficacy, a strategic shift toward minilateralism is underway as like-minded nations prioritize speed and trust over broad inclusivity to address urgent security and economic challenges. Key coalitions such as the Quad and AUKUS, alongside regional frameworks like ASEAN, are increasingly viewed as complementary rather than competitive, allowing for targeted action on issues ranging from supply chain resilience to infrastructure development without necessarily undermining established regional centrality. This evolving global governance model balances the legitimate but slow consensus of large bodies with the agile effectiveness of exclusive groups, enabling states to navigate geopolitical tensions and pursue growth even under constitutional non-alignment constraints.