Council of Councils

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) has launched an international initiative to connect leading foreign policy institutes from around the world in a common conversation on issues of global governance and multilateral cooperation. The mission of the Council of Councils is to find common ground on shared threats, build support for innovative ideas, and inject remedies into the public debate and policymaking processes of member countries.

The founding membership of the Council of Councils includes leading institutions from nineteen countries, roughly tracking the composition of the Group of Twenty (G20). The network will facilitate candid, not-for-attribution dialogue and consensus building among influential opinion leaders from established and emerging nations.

In addition to an annual conference, the Council of Councils provides an ongoing exchange for research and policy collaboration among its members. CFR and its international partners will experiment with new technology, using state-of-the-art videoconferencing, wikis, and mobile platforms to collectively communicate and respond to breaking crises. The group will also consider long-term structural reforms that would enhance the global governance capacity of leading international institutions.

The Council of Councils initiative is funded by a generous grant from the Robina Foundation, as part of its ongoing support for CFR's International Institutions and Global Governance program.

Conferences

The Council of Councils Rome Regional Conference

September 8, 2013—September 10, 2013

On September 8–10, 2013, CFR and the Italian Institute of International Affairs convened the third Council of Councils regional conference: "Europe and the Future of Global Governance."

Participants discussed six major themes:

• The European crisis: the eurozone's future and the European Union's role in global governance
• The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the future of international trade
• Transformation in the Arab world: the role of regional and global institutions
• The BRICS: What contribution do they give to global governance?
• The geopolitics of energy: the European case
• The future of the Group of Twenty

Council of Councils Rome Regional Conference Agenda (PDF)

Transcript: Ignazio Visco Governor, Bank of Italy, "The Exit from the Euro Crisis: Opportunities and Challenges of the Banking Union" (PDF)

Press Release: Ignazio Visco, Governor, Bank of Italy (PDF)

Press Release: Emma Bonino, Italian Foreign Minister (PDF)

The Council of Councils Second Annual Conference

March 10, 2013—March 12, 2013

CFR convened the three-day Council of Councils Second Annual Conference on March 10 in Washington, DC. Participants discussed five major themes:

• Climate Change: Multilateral Approaches for the Future
• Development: Setting New Goals and Establishing New Frameworks
• Revitalizing Trade: Global, Regional, or Plurilateral Approaches
• Setting Rules for Outer Space
• Global Internet Governance

Council of Councils Second Annual Conference Agenda (PDF)

Conference Papers: CoC Annual Conference 2013 (PDF)

Rapporteur's Report for the Council of Councils Second Annual Conference (PDF)

David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund: The Evolution of the IMF in the Global Financial System (Video)

The Council of Councils Moscow Regional Conference

December 12, 2012—December 13, 2012

On December 12-13, 2012, CFR convened the second Council of Councils regional conference: "Russia, Europe, and the Future of Global Governance." Participants discussed four major themes:

• Russia's G20 chairmanship
• The eurozone crisis and global economy
• Syria and the function of the UN Security Council
• Cybersecurity and institutional reforms

Council of Councils Russia Regional Conference Agenda (PDF)

Conference Papers: Prospects for the Russian Chairmanship of the G20

Rapporteur's Report for the Council of Councils Moscow Regional Conference (PDF)

Conference Papers: Russia, Europe, and the Future of Global Governance (PDF)

The Council of Councils Singapore Regional Conference

October 30, 2012—October 31, 2012

On October 30-31, 2012, CFR convened the first Council of Councils regional conference: "Asia at the Crossroads: Regional Priorities for the Twenty First Century." Participants discussed five major themes:

• Stabilizing the global financial system
• Advancing trade liberalization
• Strengthening maritime security and freedom of navigation
• Assessing the proliferation threat in Asia
• The future of Asian security cooperation

Council of Councils Asia Regional Conference Agenda (PDF)

Conference Papers: Asia at the Crossroads (PDF)

Rapporteur's Report for the Council of Councils Asia Regional Conference (PDF)

The Council of Councils Inaugural Conference

March 12, 2012—March 13, 2012

CFR convened the inaugural Council of Councils conference on March 12-13 in Washington, DC. Participants tackled four major themes:

• The overall state of global governance and multilateral cooperation
• The status of the nuclear nonproliferation regime (with a focus on Iran)
• The dollar's future as the world's reserve currency
• The criteria for humanitarian intervention, in the wake of regime change in Libya, and an ongoing crisis in Syria.

Rapporteur's Report for the Council of Councils Inaugural Meeting (PDF)

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