Davos 2026: Global cooperation proving resilient despite geopolitical strain, WEF Barometer finds

Global cooperation is proving more resilient than many had expected, even as geopolitical tensions and pressures on multilateral institutions continue to mount. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cooperation Barometer 2026, collaboration between countries is not retreating but evolving, with new and more flexible forms of partnership emerging to fill the gaps left by weakening traditional multilateral structures.

Now in its third year, the Barometer, developed with McKinsey & Company, tracks 41 indicators to assess cooperation across five key pillars: trade and capital, innovation and technology, climate and natural capital, health and wellness, and peace and security. The 2026 edition finds that while overall cooperation levels have remained broadly stable in recent years, the nature of collaboration is changing. Smaller, more agile coalitions of countries, and sometimes companies, are increasingly stepping in where large global institutions face gridlock.

“Amid one of the most volatile and uncertain periods in decades, cooperation has shown resilience,” said Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. He noted that although cooperation today looks different from the past, it remains essential for managing economic growth, innovation and global risks.

The Barometer highlights a mixed picture across sectors. Climate and technology emerged as relative bright spots, with cooperation strengthening despite political and economic headwinds. Clean-energy deployment reached record levels in mid-2025, driven by expanded financing and global supply chains. While China accounted for a large share of new solar, wind and electric vehicle capacity, other developing economies also stepped up, signalling broader momentum in climate action. In technology, cross-border collaboration in IT services and talent flows increased, and new formats of cooperation are emerging around artificial intelligence, 5G infrastructure and advanced digital standards among aligned economies.

By contrast, health and wellness and trade and capital showed largely flat trends. Health outcomes have remained resilient since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the report warns that this stability masks growing fragility. Development assistance for health has come under strain, particularly affecting low- and middle-income countries as funding from multilateral bodies tightens. In trade, cooperation remains above pre-pandemic levels, but its composition is shifting toward partnerships among politically aligned nations, with services and select capital flows gaining traction.

The sharpest deterioration was recorded in peace and security. Every tracked metric in this pillar fell below pre-COVID levels, as conflicts intensified, military spending rose and international mechanisms struggled to defuse crises. By the end of 2024, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide had reached a record 123 million, underscoring the scale of the challenge.

Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company, said leaders are “reimagining collaboration across borders,” adding that cooperation may involve different partners today but continues to deliver progress on shared priorities.

The report concludes that countries are rewriting the rules of engagement in global cooperation. To navigate an increasingly fragmented world, it calls for new structures—from flexible trade arrangements to standards alliances—and stronger public-private partnerships. Above all, it stresses the need to rebuild open and constructive dialogue as the foundation for advancing shared interests in an era of uncertainty.