RESEARCH PAPER
Reimagining the Global Order
Why the postwar system needs transformation rather than another round of incremental reform
Khaled Emam
July 30, 2025
KHALED EMAM is a human rights lawyer and a Visiting Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University. He previously co-chaired the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development.
The flag of the United Nations flying against an overcast sky
“Humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: breakdown or breakthrough.” - Secretary-General António Guterres
Executive Summary
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.
Disclosure: This publication is the product of a joint research collaboration between Justice Call and the Council on International Law, Order, and Security. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Justice Call, CILOS, their staff, or their boards. Institutional affiliations are listed for identification purposes only.
To cite this article: Khaled Emam, "Reimagining the New Global Order in Times of Uncertainty" (New York and Washington, D.C.: Justice Call and the Council on International Law, Order, and Security, July 2025).
Copyright in this article is retained by the author. Published by the Council on International Law, Order, and Security. Quotation with attribution is welcome; republication in full requires permission. See our Terms of Use.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Council, its staff, or its Board of Advisors.
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