Reimagining the Global Order
Updated: Feb 24
By Khaled Emam | July 2025
“Humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: breakdown or breakthrough.”
-Secretary-General António Guterres
What is the rules-based international order, and how has it been defined? If it truly rests on equal power-sharing—where every nation has a seat at the table—why do smaller and less powerful countries still struggle to have their voices heard, while dominant states set the agenda and priorities? What, then, is the role of the United Nations within such an order, and how should that role evolve in today’s contested and complex world, so different from 1945? Does the UN serve as a bridge between powerful and marginalized nations, or does it reinforce the very divisions it was created to overcome?
This research paper seeks to unpack these questions by examining the enduring structural imbalances and emerging geopolitical realignments shaping the global order. It investigates the root causes of dysfunction within the UN system and outlines the conditions necessary for reimagining global governance—one that is not only more capable of responding to 21st-century challenges but also anchored in the principles of international law, equity, and justice.
Access Full Research
Author
Khaled Emam is a human rights lawyer and expert in global governance, international criminal justice, and peacebuilding. He is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University.
Khaled previously served as a Teaching Fellow for Harvard College courses, including The Politics of War and Peace in the Middle East and Justice by Means of Democracy. He also co-chaired the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (UN IANYD), where he led global youth engagement across high-level international policy platforms.
He has advised the United Nations, national governments, and international organizations on issues of youth, peacebuilding, and democratic governance. Khaled frequently lectures on politics, peace, and democracy in the Middle East at academic institutions, global summits, and policy forums.
© 2025 The Council on International Law, Order, and Security (CILOS) and Justice Call. All rights reserved. This publication is the product of a joint research collaboration between Justice Call and CILOS. Both organizations are committed to amplifying diverse voices and advancing inclusive, rights-based approaches to global peace, justice, and international law. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission from Justice Call and CILOS.
To cite this article, use the following reference: Emam, K. (2025). Reimagining the new global order in the times of uncertainty. Council on International Law, Order, and Security (CILOS) and Justice Call.
The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of Justice Call, CILOS, their staff, or board members.