Summit of the Future reaches consensus on sustainable development

The Summit of the Future opened at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Sunday with the adoption of the Pact for the Future, just ahead of the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly.

"Our future is in our hands," Philemon Yang, president of the UN General Assembly, said during the opening segment of the two-day summit.

Noting that the world faces profound challenges ranging from conflict and climate change to the digital divide and inequalities, Yang expressed hope, stating that "challenges come along with opportunities" and a brighter future is "within reach."

What is the Summit of the Future?

In 2020, the UN turned 75 and marked the occasion by initiating a global conversation about hopes and fears for the future. This was the beginning of a process that would eventually lead, four years later, to the convening of the Summit of the Future.

UN member states tasked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with creating a vision for the future of global cooperation. His response was "Our Common Agenda," a landmark report with recommendations for renewed global cooperation to address a variety of risks and threats. It also included a proposal to hold a forward-looking summit in 2024.

The event consists of sessions and plenaries based on five main tracks: sustainable development and financing; peace and security; a digital future for all; youth and future generations; and global governance. Other topics that cut across all UN work, such as human rights, gender equality and the climate crisis, are also addressed.

The immediate outcome is the finalized version of the Pact for the Future, with the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration for Future Generations as annexes, all of which were adopted by member states during the summit on Sunday.

Key statements from leaders

"The Summit of the Future is a call to action. We must shape our future to protect ourselves and our planet Earth," said the president.

The world body's mission is to eradicate poverty in all its forms, tackle inequalities, and promote peace and security, tolerance, and respect for diversity. The summit offers a historic opportunity to ensure that progress is shared equitably across all nations and communities everywhere, Yang added.

"Let us continue our efforts to reform and strengthen global institutions that support peace, security, sustainable development and financial stability."

Noting that conflicts are raging and multiplying from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan with no end in sight, Guterres said at the meeting that the world's collective security system is being threatened by geopolitical divides, nuclear posturing, and the development of new weapons and theaters of war, while resources that could bring opportunities and hope are being invested in death and destruction.

"I called for this summit to consider deep reforms to make global institutions more legitimate, fair and effective, based on the values of the UN Charter," said Guterres.

What is the Pact for the Future?

The Pact for the Future is the UN's master plan for tackling the challenges that lie ahead for humanity, with 56 "actions" covering everything from peacekeeping to the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence. The pact highlights the "increasingly complex challenges" to world peace, notably the threat of nuclear war, with the document reiterating the UN's core principles.

The pact promises to accelerate efforts to attain the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which aim for the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030, and intensify the battle against hunger, and promote gender equality and education.

The pact represents the world body's pledge not only to address immediate crises but also to lay the foundations for a sustainable, just and peaceful global order for all peoples and nations, Yang said.

(With input from Xinhua)