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In his article, Andrew F. Cooper refers to the special relationship between emerging powers and the new multilateralism of the early 21st century. Taking into account historic differences between current times and the international accords of the past, he analyzes the status, response and institutional performance of emerging powers as a group, over and beyond their individual circumstances as adversaries. The process of rise and transition does not imply any far-reaching geopolitical rupture, but a complex process of institutional shoring up, which Cooper believes favors not only the size and relative clout of emerging powers, but the way in which they practice multilateral diplomacy at new forums like the G20. The author then goes on to outline the characteristics of this new strain of multilateral cooperation: formal equality between all members; transversal coalitions between nations that belong to the G8 and the Global South, and the use of traditional methods of exercising power combined with joint decision-making based on criteria that put functionality first. Interestingly enough, the catalyst for this new international accord between established powers and emerging countries was not a great war or extreme geopolitical instability, but the 2008-2009 financial crisis, whose repercussions indubitably raised the G20 to the level of leaders, affording a substantial number of emerging countries the chance to play a more visible role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]