--- title: "AGS 2026 — Washington, DC | Model Diplomat" description: "2026 AGS Geopolitical Leadership Summit is a professional conference in Washington, DC, United States, Apr 14, 2026." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/conferences/professional/2026-ags-geopolitical-leadership-summit-2026" --- # 2026 AGS Geopolitical Leadership Summit Apr 14, 2026[Washington, DC, United States](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1\&query=Washington%2C%20DC%2C%20United%20States)In-person [Registration open](https://americanglobalstrategies.com/conferences/2026-ags-geopolitical-leadership-summit/) The 2026 AGS Geopolitical Leadership Summit is an upcoming event focused on trade, artificial intelligence, and great-power competition. Hosted in Washington, DC, USA, the summit provides a platform for discussions on critical global challenges and strategic responses. This gathering is designed for leaders and strategists to engage with pressing geopolitical issues. ## Committees & topics - Security Council Diplomacy and the UN Security Council in an Era of Great-Power Rivalry · International Relations and the Shifting Global Order · Policy Making under Chapter VII: Sanctions, Mandates, and Enforcement · Global Leadership and the Responsibility to Maintain International Peace · Geopolitics: Flashpoints and Strategic Competition · Crisis Simulations: Rapid-Response Decision-Making in the Council ## Why it matters In an era of rapid geopolitical shifts, understanding the interplay of trade, artificial intelligence, and great-power competition is paramount. This summit offers a timely opportunity to delve into these interconnected themes, which are shaping international relations and economic landscapes. The discussions held here can inform strategic decision-making for governments, corporations, and international organizations. The focus on these specific areas reflects their growing influence on global stability and prosperity. Trade policies, for instance, are increasingly weaponized or used as tools of influence, while advancements in artificial intelligence are poised to redefine defense capabilities, economic productivity, and societal structures. Simultaneously, the dynamics of great-power competition continue to evolve, demanding careful analysis and adaptive strategies from all stakeholders. The summit's location in Washington, DC, USA, a key center for international policy, further underscores its relevance. ## How to prepare To maximize engagement with the summit's themes of trade, artificial intelligence, and great-power competition, attendees should undertake preparatory research. Understanding the current state of global trade agreements and disputes, the ethical and strategic implications of AI development, and the historical and contemporary aspects of great-power dynamics will be beneficial. Consider how these topics intersect and influence each other, as this interdisciplinary approach will likely be central to the discussions. Familiarity with various national perspectives on these issues can also enhance participation. For example, how different countries approach trade liberalization versus protectionism, or their national strategies for AI development and regulation, will be key discussion points. Analyzing the strategic interests and geopolitical objectives of major global actors in the context of great-power competition will provide a robust framework for understanding the summit's agenda. Engaging with concepts such as "[Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies)" and "Dynamic Analysis" from a Model Diplomat perspective can further refine one's approach to the summit's complex topics. ## Country perspectives Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile. [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [A primary actor in global trade, AI development, and great-power competition, often advocating for open markets while also employing strategic trade measures and investing heavily in AI research and defense.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [As the host nation and a significant global power, USA plays a central role in shaping discussions around international trade frameworks, the ethical and military dimensions of AI, and the broader dynamics of great-power competition. Its policies and technological advancements directly impact these areas.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [A major global trading power with a state-led approach to AI development and a growing influence in great-power competition, often seeking to expand its economic and technological footprint.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [CHN's economic policies, rapid advancements in AI, and increasing geopolitical assertiveness make it a critical focal point in discussions on trade imbalances, technological rivalry, and the evolving nature of great-power competition. Its Belt and Road Initiative, for example, is a significant trade and geopolitical strategy.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [A significant player in great-power competition, often leveraging energy resources and military capabilities, with a developing interest in AI applications for defense and surveillance.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [RUS's geopolitical strategies, particularly its role in regional conflicts and its approach to international security, are central to understanding great-power competition. Its engagement with AI, especially in military contexts, adds another layer to these dynamics, though its trade influence is more concentrated in specific sectors like energy.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [A leading export-oriented economy within the European Union, focused on maintaining a strong position in global trade and investing in AI research, while navigating the complexities of great-power competition through multilateralism.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [DEU's economic strength and commitment to multilateral trade agreements make it an important voice in discussions on global trade. Its investments in advanced manufacturing and AI research contribute to the technological landscape, and its diplomatic efforts are key in managing great-power tensions within Europe and beyond.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [A technologically advanced nation with a strong export economy, actively investing in AI and navigating complex regional security dynamics within the context of great-power competition.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [JPN's technological prowess, particularly in robotics and AI, positions it as a key contributor to discussions on technological innovation and its societal impact. Its reliance on international trade and its strategic alliances are crucial in understanding its approach to global economic policies and great-power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) ## Topics & background The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it. 1 ### Diplomacy and the UN Security Council in an Era of Great-Power Rivalry Diplomacy at the UN Security Council has been shaped since 1945 by the architecture of the P5 veto, designed to keep the great powers engaged in collective security after the failures of the League of Nations. For decades after the Cold War's end, the Council enjoyed a relative consensus that enabled landmark missions in the Balkans, Sierra Leone, and Timor-Leste, and sanctions regimes from Iraq to North Korea. That consensus has eroded since the mid-2010s, with vetoes returning to Cold War-era frequency over Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza. The core dispute today is not whether diplomacy at the Council matters, but whether the body can still produce binding outcomes when its permanent members are themselves parties to the conflicts under discussion. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the war in Gaza after October 2023 have prompted repeated recourse to the General Assembly's Uniting for Peace mechanism and to ICJ proceedings, signaling a partial migration of diplomacy away from the Council. Reform proposals — including the 2022 'veto initiative' requiring General Assembly debate after any veto — have gained traction without altering the underlying balance. Delegates must weigh how to revive Council-led diplomacy: through informal Arria-formula meetings, penholder reform, expanded use of Chapter VI mediation, or structural reform of membership and the veto itself. The challenge is preserving the Council's unique Chapter VII enforcement authority while adapting its working methods to a multipolar order. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [P5 member; principal architect of the post-1945 order, now navigating contested leadership](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [P5 member; advocates non-interference and increasingly active in mediation, e.g., Saudi-Iran deal](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [P5 member; frequent veto user, party to the Ukraine conflict](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [P5 member; leads the 2013 initiative to restrain veto use in mass atrocity situations](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [P5 member; penholder on numerous African files and reform advocate](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Leading G4 reform claimant pressing for expanded permanent membership](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) 2 Security Council ### International Relations and the Shifting Global Order The contemporary international system rests on a UN Charter framework written in 1945 by victorious World War II powers, layered atop Westphalian principles of sovereignty dating to 1648. For roughly three decades after 1991, a US-led liberal international order set the dominant terms of trade, finance, and security cooperation. The 2008 financial crisis, the rise of China as a near-peer economy, Russia's revisionist turn after 2008 and 2014, and the relative decline of Western unity have produced what many analysts now describe as a multipolar or 'multiplex' order. The Security Council sits at the intersection of these shifts. Disputes over Taiwan, the South China Sea, NATO enlargement, BRICS+ expansion, and the weaponization of trade and finance have all surfaced at the Council in recent years, even when formal agenda items concern other matters. Middle powers — India, Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Indonesia — increasingly hedge between blocs rather than align, complicating coalition-building. The African Union's Ezulwini Consensus, the G4's reform bid, and the Uniting for Consensus group reflect competing visions of how international relations should be institutionalized. The core question for delegates is whether the Council can adapt its conception of international peace and security to address economic coercion, technology competition, climate-driven instability, and contested spheres of influence, or whether these issues will continue to be handled in parallel forums such as the G20, BRICS, and regional organizations. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Anchor of the existing liberal order and primary security guarantor for many allies](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Principal challenger to US primacy; promotes Global Development and Security Initiatives](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Revisionist power seeking to overturn post-1991 European security arrangements](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Leading non-aligned voice and G4 aspirant for permanent Council membership](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) - [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [BRICS founding member championing reform of global governance](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) - [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Voice of African positions; brought the Gaza genocide case to the ICJ](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) 3 Security Council ### Policy Making under Chapter VII: Sanctions, Mandates, and Enforcement The Security Council is the only UN organ that can make decisions binding on all member states under Article 25 of the Charter. Its policy instruments include peacekeeping mandates, targeted sanctions regimes, arms embargoes, referrals to the International Criminal Court, and authorizations for the use of force under Chapter VII. From the 1990s 'sanctions decade' through the targeted-sanctions reforms following the Iraq Oil-for-Food controversy, the Council has continually refined how it designs and enforces policy. Today, policymaking faces structural strain. Sanctions regimes on the DPRK, Mali, and others have eroded as panels of experts have been disbanded or vetoed; peacekeeping is in retreat, with MINUSMA's 2023 withdrawal and MONUSCO's drawdown reflecting host-state pushback. New policy frontiers — climate security, pandemic preparedness, AI governance, and cyber norms — sit uneasily within a Charter framework focused on inter-state armed conflict. Resolution 2417 (2018) on conflict-induced food insecurity and Resolution 2532 (2020) on COVID-19 ceasefires suggest the Council can stretch its mandate, but only when P5 consensus permits. Delegates will need to consider how to design policies that survive implementation: sunset clauses, monitoring mechanisms, secondary-sanctions risks, humanitarian carve-outs codified in Resolution 2664 (2022), and the interaction between Council mandates and regional organizations such as the AU, ECOWAS, and the EU. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Largest financial contributor; drives sanctions enforcement through dollar system](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Penholder on most African sanctions files and peacekeeping mandates](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Penholder on Sahel and Lebanon files; key voice on PoC mandates](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Increasingly active in shaping mandate language; resists intrusive monitoring](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Has blocked or weakened sanctions panels on DPRK, Mali, and Syria](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [Ethiopia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ethiopia) [Major peacekeeping troop contributor representing host-state perspectives](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ethiopia) 4 Security Council ### Global Leadership and the Responsibility to Maintain International Peace The concept of global leadership in the UN context flows from Article 24 of the Charter, which confers on the Security Council 'primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.' In practice, leadership has rotated and diffused: the United States led on Kuwait in 1990 and the Balkans in the 1990s; France on Mali in 2013; African states through the AU's Peace and Security Council on Somalia and Sudan; and coalitions of small states on issues like the Arms Trade Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The current moment is characterized by what former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called a 'leadership deficit.' Major powers are distracted by domestic polarization or direct involvement in conflicts; middle powers are stepping into convening roles (Norway on Colombia, Qatar on Gaza mediation, Turkey on Black Sea grain) but lack the enforcement capacity of the P5. Secretary-General Guterres's 'New Agenda for Peace' (2023) and the 2024 Pact for the Future attempt to articulate a renewed UN leadership role across prevention, peacebuilding, and emerging risks. Delegates must examine what leadership at the Council actually requires today: agenda-setting, coalition-building across regional blocs, credibility on humanitarian and human rights standards, and willingness to use political capital. The discussion intersects with reform debates, as aspirants for permanent seats argue that legitimate global leadership requires representation reflecting today's demographic and economic realities, not those of 1945. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Traditional convening power; leadership contested by domestic political shifts](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Largest developing-country economy positioning itself as Global South leader](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Major financial contributor and G4 reform claimant](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Long-serving elected member and G4 claimant emphasizing rules-based order](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) - [Nigeria](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) [Pivotal African voice and candidate for African permanent seat](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) - [Norway](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/norway) [Small-state convener known for mediation and peace processes](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/norway) 5 Security Council ### Geopolitics: Flashpoints and Strategic Competition Geopolitical competition has reasserted itself as the organizing logic of international security. The war in Ukraine, ongoing since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has produced the largest land war in Europe since 1945 and reshaped energy markets, NATO posture, and Arctic security. In the Indo-Pacific, tensions over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the Korean Peninsula have driven historic increases in defense spending by Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines, and the formation of new groupings such as AUKUS and the Quad. The Middle East has seen the cascading conflict that followed the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, with regional escalation involving Hezbollah, the Houthis' disruption of Red Sea shipping, and direct Israel-Iran exchanges in 2024. The Sahel has experienced a wave of coups (Mali 2020-21, Burkina Faso 2022, Niger 2023, Gabon 2023) and the withdrawal of French and UN forces, with Russian-linked Africa Corps personnel filling some gaps. Each of these theaters reaches the Council, where geopolitical alignment often determines voting patterns. The core analytical question is whether these flashpoints are connected — a single 'axis' of revisionist powers, as some Western policymakers argue — or distinct regional dynamics that Western framing flattens. Delegates should consider how the Council can manage simultaneous crises when P5 unity is unavailable, and what role regional organizations and ad hoc coalitions should play. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Primary security guarantor in Europe, Indo-Pacific, and Middle East](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Belligerent in Ukraine; expanding footprint in Africa via security partnerships](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Asserts claims in South China Sea and over Taiwan; major Belt and Road creditor](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Iran](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Backs regional 'axis of resistance'; advancing nuclear program after JCPOA collapse](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) - [Israel](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Central actor in Middle East conflict cascade since October 2023](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) - [Ukraine](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Frontline state defending against Russian invasion](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) 6 Security Council ### Crisis Simulations: Rapid-Response Decision-Making in the Council Crisis simulation as a Council exercise reflects the reality that real-world Council action often unfolds under extreme time pressure: the 1990 Gulf War resolutions passed within days; Resolution 1973 authorizing intervention in Libya was adopted in under three weeks; and emergency sessions on Ukraine in February 2022 convened within hours of Russia's invasion. The Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure allow for emergency meetings at any time, and the President can be convened by any member. Historically, the Council has managed crises ranging from the Cuban Missile Crisis (handled largely outside the Council but shadowed by it) to the Rwandan genocide (where inaction became a defining failure), the 1999 Kosovo intervention (bypassing the Council), and the 2011 Libya intervention (whose expansive interpretation of Resolution 1973 poisoned subsequent humanitarian-protection diplomacy). The 'responsibility to protect' doctrine, endorsed at the 2005 World Summit, attempted to create a framework for mass-atrocity crises, but its invocation remains politically fraught. In a simulation setting, delegates confront the trade-offs that real diplomats face: incomplete information, competing intelligence assessments, pressure from capitals, humanitarian urgency, and the risk that a poorly drafted resolution sets damaging precedent. Effective crisis response requires mastery of Chapter VI and VII tools, fluency in negotiation under deadline, and an understanding that the Council's legitimacy depends not only on what it decides but on how transparently and rapidly it does so. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Frequently leads crisis drafting; logistical capacity for rapid deployment](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Active drafter in humanitarian crises; bridge between P3 and broader membership](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Drives initiatives on civilian protection and atrocity prevention](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Often blocks Western-led crisis resolutions; offers counter-drafts](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Pivotal swing voice; emphasizes consent of host states](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Guyana](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/guyana) [Recent E10 member illustrating elected-member agility in crisis diplomacy](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/guyana) ## Resources News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for 2026 AGS Geopolitical Leadership Summit. Recent reporting to ground your prep [Ken Martin's DNC Autopsy Reveals Party Strugg](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/ken-martins-dnc-autopsy-fight-exposes-party-weakness) [Trump's Economic Reset](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/trumps-economic-reset-aiming-to-tackle-high-gas-prices) [GOP Promotes Trump's Tax Savings on Deadline](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/gop-highlights-trumps-tax-savings-on-filing-deadline-day) [Howard Lutnick's Senate Testimony on 2027 Bud](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/howard-lutnicks-senate-testimony-on-2027-commerce-budget) Lessons Bite-sized lessons to build the basics [Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders) [Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies) [Dynamic Analysis](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/dynamic-analysis) [Stakeholder Mapping Workshop](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/stakeholder-workshop) Courses Guided courses that go deeper on the topic [Multilateral Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/multilateral-negotiation) [Policy Brief Writing](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/policy-brief) [Media & Press Relations](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/media-press) [Crisis Management](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/crisis-management) The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Ethiopia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ethiopia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ethiopia) [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Nigeria](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) [Norway](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/norway) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/norway) [Iran](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Israel](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Ukraine](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Guyana](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/guyana) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/guyana) ## Frequently asked questions - - - Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. 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