Expert Talk at BFA 2026 | Former Italian PM on multilateral cooperation and Asia's Role in addressing global imbalances

At the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026, Paolo Gentiloni, former Prime Minister of Italy, stressed that current global imbalances are structural and cannot be corrected easily, emphasizing that the key lies in how countries respond. Gentiloni called for addressing these challenges through existing multilateral frameworks, underscoring the need to uphold a spirit of cooperation rather than resorting to fragmentation.

Highlighting Asia's role, Gentiloni described the region as a positive example of cooperation, adding that stronger collaboration between Asia and the European Union—particularly on trade issues within the World Trade Organization—could help send the right signal and contribute to a more stable global economic order.