Poll shows huge support for global cooperation, but failing grades for UN, others

NEW YORK – A new poll of more than 36,300 people worldwide showed huge support for more international cooperation on issues including trade, global health, climate and poverty, but gave largely failing grades to institutions like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and others.

The survey, commissioned by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted in 34 countries from Aug 8 to Sept 10, offers a grim picture of confidence in multilateral institutions at a time when the United States and other advanced economies are slashing development aid and funding for global projects.

Despite cuts in development spending and rising nationalist rhetoric around the world, 75 per cent of those surveyed said they support global cooperation if it is proven to effectively solve problems, but just 42 per cent see it being in their personal interest.

Nine out of 10 of those surveyed said global cooperation is important to address jobs and employment, 92 per cent wanted cooperation on trade and economic development, 93 per cent on food and water security and 91 per cent on global health.

However, trust in global institutions lags far behind. Only 58 per cent of those surveyed had trust in the United Nations, which is gearing up for next week’s General Assembly meetings, 60 per cent in the World Health Organisation and 44 per cent in the International Monetary Fund.

To help bridge the gap, Rockefeller said it was launching a US$50 million (S$64 million) initiative – “The Shared Future” – that will focus on reviving international cooperation, restructuring global health and re-imagining humanitarian food systems.

Mr Wally Adeyemo, former deputy treasury secretary under President Joe Biden, said he has been tapped to lead the push to develop new forms of international cooperation fit for the 21st century. Others will lead the health and food initiatives.

“People are hungering for global cooperation to be done differently, for humanitarian assistance to be done differently”, Mr Adeyemo told Reuters. “Traditional recipients of international aid would like to be in a place where they go from being aid recipients to being trade recipients.”

He said the next step would be a convening of experts on the sidelines of next week’s UN meetings and outreach to interested parties around the US and the world.

Rockefeller Foundation president Rajiv Shah said the poll results showed a hunger for smarter and more creative solutions to replace outdated international institutions and systems.

“The institutions that worked to advance human progress in the 20th century are struggling to meet the challenges of the 21st,” Mr Shah said. “This moment of transformation is an opportunity to build on what's working, forge new partnerships and leverage new technologies to deliver results for the world’s most vulnerable people.” REUTERS