United Nations Summit of the Future was held at New York between 22-23 September 2024.
What is Summit of the Future?
It is a high-level event, bringing world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on better future.
Theme - ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’.
Aim of the summit
Accelerate efforts to meet our existing international commitments.
Take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities.
Outcome - The Summit concluded with the adoption of an outcome document - A Pact for the Future, along with two annexes, Global Digital Compact and A Declaration on Future Generations.
Pact for the Future – It is an inter-governmentally negotiated, action-oriented Pact covering both new areas and issues on which agreement has not been possible in decades.
GLOBAL DIGITAL COMPACT – It is the first comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation.
It explicitly includes human rights and concrete commitments to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda and puts emphasis on the role of non-state stakeholders.
Commitment to Digital public goods, Digital public infrastructure, Open-source data, Models and standards and Data governance.
Aiming at Global AI Governance, establishment of
AI Scientific Panel
Global policy dialogue on AI
Global Fund for AI capacity building.
Make the digital space safer for all through greater accountability of tech companies and social media platforms and actions to tackle disinformation and online harms.
DECLARATION ON FUTURE GENERATIONS – It put forward concrete proposals and processes to help Member States better consider future generations and inspire long-term anticipatory governance at the international level.
Follow up events
High-level review for the Global Digital Compact in 2027
High-level plenary meeting in 2028 for the Declaration on Future Generations
Heads of State and Government meeting at the beginning of the 83rd session of the General Assembly in 2028 for a comprehensive review of the Pact for the Future.
4th International Conference on Financing for Development
2nd World Summit for Social Development.
What are provisions of the pact on sustainable development and financing?
Finance for the SDGs and close the SDG financing gap, including through an SDG Stimulus.
Tax Cooperation - Inclusive and effective international tax cooperation
Global minimum level of taxation on high-net-worth individuals.
Climate Change – Endorsed the need to keep global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems to achieve net-zero emissions in 2050.
Promote disaster risk-informed approaches to sustainable development.
Environment - Promotion of sustainable consumption and production patterns
Conclusion of a legally-binding agreement on plastic pollution
Reversing biodiversity loss and protecting ecosystems
Increased adequate, predictable and sustainable funding for the UN Resident Coordinator System.
What are provisions of the pact on international peace and security?
Sustaining peace - Ensure National whole-of-society sustaining peace efforts through the development and implementation of voluntary national prevention strategies.
Protecting civilians - Pledged to refrain from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Strengthen accountability for serious crimes and gross violations such as gender-based violence and starvation as a weapon of war.
Humanitarian assistance - Increase the use of innovative and anticipatory financing mechanisms to eliminate famine.
Accelerate the implementation of commitments on Women and Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security.
Review of United Nations peace operations to recommend how they can adapt to new and emerging challenges
Counter Terrorism - Address all drivers and enablers of terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, including in the digital sphere.
Prevent and combat transnational organized crime, including cybercrime.
Nuclear Disarmament - Recommitment to nuclear disarmament in nearly 15 years, through a clear commitment to the goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
Avoid weaponization of emerging technologies - Commitment to prevent an arms race in outer space
Discussions on an instrument to govern the use and development lethal autonomous weapon systems
Continued assessment of risks around the military applications of AI.
What are provisions of the pact on science, technology and innovation (STI) and digital cooperation?
Reduce global disparities in STI - Addresses barriers to the access, participation and leadership of women and girls in these areas.
Ensure human rights and ethical principles in the development and use of new technologies.
Increased use of science in policy-making to address complex challenges.
Provide more funding for SDG-related research and innovation.
Youth - Expand and strengthen youth participation in global decision-making, including in UN intergovernmental bodies and processes.
Participation of youth from developing countries, facilitated through the UN Youth Fund.
What are provisions of the pact on transforming global governance?
The Pact resolved to make the multilateral system more effective, fit for the future, just and representative, inclusive and networked, and financially stable
UNSecurity Council Reform - Commitment to increase the representation of developing countries, recognizing the special case of Africa.
Gender equality - Revitalization of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Human Rights - Ensure the enjoyment by all of all human rights, including through UN human rights mechanisms and protect human rights defenders.
International financial architecture - Stronger participation of developing countries in international economic decision-making.
Mobilization of more financing from multilateral development banks to help developing countries turbocharge their development needs.
Review the sovereign debt architecture to ensure that developing countries can borrow sustainably to invest in their future.
Strengthen global financial safety net to support countries in the event of financial and economic shocks, using special drawing rights.
Delivering more finance to help countries address climate change and invest in adaptation and renewable energy
Outer Space Governance - Strengthen the existing international frameworks to ensure that all countries can benefit from its safe and sustainable exploration and use.
What are the issues with the pact?
Not Unanimous - Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Syria and Nicaragua rejected the pact demanding changes in national sovereignty and the role of external entities in domestic affairs.
No Means of Implementation - Pact for the Future is packed with lofty goals and commitments but is thin on actual, realistic steps.
The new pact does not spell out how the body plans to get members to follow its rules.
No UNSC reform - The Summit did not agree to a clear pathway for Security Council reform and has called for categories of members.
Trust issue - Effective global cooperation is increasingly critical to our survival but difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of mistrust.
Outdated Structures - Using outdated structures that no longer reflect today’s political and economic realities , hampers the progress.
Dominance of G7 – Dominance of the developed countries in the provisions of the pact.
No mention of how speeding up reforms the Global South has been demanding for years.
What lies ahead?
Create clear procedure on implementing the aims and objectives.
Make concrete targets to achieve in due time framework.
Include the demands of Global South and reform of UNSC.
