2025 Concordia Annual Summit

Global Cooperation in Action: Meeting the Moment Together

  • Global Economy & Trade
Julie Hyman, Dr. Rajiv J. Shah

Session
Partners

Session Summary

Important
Quotations

"The technology and innovation frontier, ironically, has never been more empowering. Building our shared future means redesigning this system to be more effective, efficient, and results-oriented by harnessing innovation. AI, for example, can improve diagnostics, so you no longer need radiology services and radiologists in certain parts of Northern India."
Dr. Rajiv J. Shah

Key
Takeaways

  • Public Support for Global Cooperation Remains Strong: Despite widespread political dysfunction, survey data from 36,000 people across 34 countries reveals that 75% of respondents support global cooperation, with 91-93% supporting foreign aid for health, water, and food security. This contradicts the narrative that populations have lost interest in international assistance.


  • Political Systems Are Failing, But People Want Results: While 64% globally (67% in the US) believe political systems are broken 78, citizens remain willing to support international cooperation when they see tangible outcomes. The disconnect lies between institutional bureaucracy and effective program delivery.


  • Innovation Can Transform Development Effectiveness: Technology presents unprecedented opportunities to improve global cooperation efficiency. Examples include using AI to enhance community health workers’ capabilities, improve agricultural diagnostics, and streamline supply chains. These innovations can dramatically reduce costs while improving outcomes.


  • Public-Private Partnerships Are Essential: The most effective approach combines public sector leadership with private sector innovation and efficiency. This includes partnerships with non-traditional actors like YouTubers, AI startups, and established corporations to expand reach and impact.


  • Systemic Reform Is Urgently Needed: Current systems are broken, countries like Malawi must complete 116 different applications to run basic health programs. Successful reform requires getting the right leaders together, identifying what doesn’t work, and implementing core innovations.

 

Action
Items

  • Grassroots Communication Campaign: Engage diverse communities through targeted outreach, storytelling connecting local values to global outcomes, and channels including social media influencers and community leaders.

 

  • Results-Based Reporting Framework: Provide transparent, accessible program outcome reporting via public dashboards and community-level case studies, focusing on concrete impacts like lives saved, jobs created, and services delivered.

 

  • Funding and Application Systems: Streamline donor coordination, create unified funding platforms, and establish common reporting standards across development institutions.

 

  • Technology Integration: Deploy AI diagnostics, biotechnology solutions for agriculture, and digital supply chain management to improve efficiency and impact in underserved regions.

 

  • Non-Traditional Partnerships: Formalize collaborations with tech startups, social media platforms, diaspora communities, and private sector innovators, including investment vehicles for development projects.

 

  • Sustainable Local Leadership: Empower regional leaders in health programs, integrate procurement and supply chains locally, and transfer skilled human resources from NGOs to public systems.

 

  • Resilient Economic Infrastructure: Accelerate electrification for 300 million people, create jobs, enable women’s economic participation, and develop supply chain innovations for resilience and sustainability.

 

  • Global Cooperation Architecture: Convene heads of state and development institutions to redesign systems, enable rapid responses, and prioritize results over bureaucracy.

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