100 Former World Leaders Back New Global Cooperation Plan

In a world that often feels divided, around 100 former heads of state just proved something remarkable. Leaders from every continent and across all political beliefs came together to call for renewed international cooperation based on human dignity, the rule of law, and mutual respect.

The former leaders, including Gordon Brown of the UK and Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, issued their statement through The Rockefeller Foundation in September 2026. Their message is clear: challenges like climate change, pandemics, conflict, and artificial intelligence can't be solved by any country acting alone.

"Even amid multiplying threats and growing pessimism, most people around the world still want to work together to solve problems," said Rajiv Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "Leaders should listen."

Here's the encouraging part. Despite headlines about rising nationalism and isolationism, people actually want cooperation. New global polling across 34 countries found that 57% of people believe their country should work with others to solve global challenges, even if it means some compromise on national interests.

The Ripple Effect

The numbers get even more hopeful. In every single country surveyed, a majority said they'd support their leader publicly endorsing shared principles for international cooperation. More than 80% of respondents wanted commitments ensuring all humans can live with dignity and take collective action on threats to peace and security.

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo captured the spirit perfectly. "The challenges confronting our world do not stop at national borders, and neither can our responsibility to address them," he said.

The statement is part of a yearlong initiative that included dialogues in communities around the world, consultations with civil society and businesses across regions, and conversations with former leaders. The goal is establishing stronger foundations for cooperation capable of addressing twenty-first century challenges and fostering more equitable partnerships between the Global North and South.

Gordon Brown emphasized the remarkable agreement found in the polling. "At 57% in favor to just 10% against, we find that a decisive majority want leaders to support shared principles around cooperation," he noted.

The former leaders aren't claiming everyone needs to agree on everything. They're simply showing that enough common ground exists to act together on the biggest challenges facing humanity.