The 2026 WIDER Development Conference will bring together leading researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to examine how growth, governance, and global cooperation are being reshaped in an era of geopolitical realignment and economic fragmentation. Co-hosted with the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), the event will take place in New Delhi and explore how Global South countries can navigate shifting power structures while advancing inclusive and sustainable development. The conference will address themes central to today’s development agenda, including the future of multilateralism, the rise of South–South trade and investment, the just energy transition, industrial policy for structural transformation, and the implications of protectionism and global debt distress for long-term growth. Through keynote lectures, high-level plenaries, and parallel research sessions, participants engage with cutting-edge evidence on how global economic governance must evolve to meet the needs of the Global South. By convening diverse voices from across academia, government, multilateral institutions, and philanthropy, the conference will provide a vital platform for shaping policy debates on equitable growth and global cooperation. It forms part of UNU-WIDER’s continuing efforts to generate rigorous research, foster policy dialogue, and support partners in responding to the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world order. 

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