Around 100 former heads of state and government from every continent issued a joint call on Sept. 21, 2026, urging current leaders to renew international cooperation. The statement emphasizes grounding global efforts in human dignity, the rule of law, and mutual respect.

Polling Data Supports Cooperation

The call coincides with new global polling conducted by Focaldata with support from The Rockefeller Foundation. The survey covered 34 countries and found that 57% of respondents agree their country should cooperate with others to solve global challenges, even if it requires compromising on some national interests. Only 10% opposed this approach.

In every country surveyed, a majority supported their leader publicly endorsing a shared set of principles for international cooperation alongside other current and former world leaders. More than 80% of respondents supported including commitments to ensure all human beings can live with dignity and to take collective action on threats to life, peace, and security.

Initiative Details

The statement is part of the Principles of Cooperation initiative, developed over the past year through The Rockefeller Foundation’s Build the Shared Future effort. The initiative aims to establish a stronger basis for international cooperation capable of addressing shared challenges such as conflict, climate change, pandemics, inequality, migration, and transformative technologies like artificial intelligence.

Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, stated that most people around the world still want to work together to solve problems despite multiplying threats. He noted that the former leaders are seeking common ground as shown by the new polling.

Key Signatories

Prominent signatories include:

• Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and member of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Board of Trustees
• Laura Chinchilla, former President of Costa Rica and President of Club de Madrid
• Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and Member of Club de Madrid

Gordon Brown highlighted that a decisive majority want leaders to support shared principles around cooperation. He stated that the statement represents an important step toward turning common ground into a stronger basis for cooperation.

Laura Chinchilla emphasized that nearly 100 former heads of state and government are sending a clear message to choose cooperation over confrontation in a fragmented world. Olusegun Obasanjo added that dialogue remains possible and cooperation is essential to building a more peaceful and prosperous future.

What the Numbers Show

The polling data reveals a significant divergence between public sentiment and current geopolitical trends. While the source notes rising nationalism, populism, and isolationism, the data shows a 57% majority in favor of international cooperation across 34 countries. This suggests broad public support exists for multilateral frameworks even as political rhetoric shifts toward unilateralism.