(Plenary segment) Summit of the Future – General Assembly, 4th plenary meeting, 79th session

Summary

The transcript covers the Summit of the Future, a United Nations gathering focused on addressing global challenges and shaping a more sustainable, peaceful, and equitable world. World leaders and representatives from various international organizations discussed the adoption of the Pact for the Future, a document outlining commitments and actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reform global governance structures.

Key themes included climate change, poverty eradication, digital transformation, and the need for a more inclusive multilateral system. Many speakers emphasized the importance of reforming international financial institutions to better support developing countries and address debt burdens. The role of youth in shaping the future was frequently highlighted, with calls for increased investment in education and opportunities for young people.

Several countries, particularly from the Global South, stressed the need for more equitable representation in global decision-making bodies, including reform of the UN Security Council. The importance of peace and conflict resolution was underscored, with many speakers calling for renewed efforts to address ongoing conflicts and promote international cooperation.

The discussion also touched on the potential of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to drive progress towards the SDGs. However, concerns were raised about the digital divide and the need to ensure that technological advancements benefit all countries and communities.

Throughout the summit, there was a strong emphasis on the interconnectedness of global challenges and the need for collaborative, multilateral approaches to address them. While the Pact for the Future was generally welcomed, many speakers stressed the importance of moving from commitments to concrete actions to achieve meaningful progress on sustainable development and global cooperation.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– Reforming and strengthening multilateralism and global governance structures to address current and future challenges

– Closing the SDG financing gap and reforming the international financial architecture to support developing countries

– Addressing climate change, environmental degradation, and transitioning to sustainable development

– Harnessing digital technologies and AI for development while bridging the digital divide

– Empowering youth and future generations in decision-making processes

The overall purpose of the discussion was to adopt and gain support for the Pact for the Future, which aims to reinvigorate multilateralism and international cooperation to tackle global challenges and achieve sustainable development goals.

The tone of the discussion was generally optimistic and forward-looking, with speakers emphasizing the need for urgent action and reform. However, there were also notes of frustration from some developing countries about unfulfilled promises and the need for more concrete action. The tone became more practical and action-oriented towards the end as UN agencies and development banks discussed specific initiatives to implement the Pact’s goals.

Speakers

Based on the transcript, there were:

– 1 Chair/Moderator who facilitated the discussion and introduced speakers

– 49 Speakers representing various countries, international organizations, and institutions, including:

– Heads of state and government officials from countries like Serbia, Kenya, Lithuania, Mozambique, Canada, Tuvalu, Liechtenstein, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Moldova, Laos, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, South Sudan, Argentina, Nigeria, Burundi, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau

– Representatives from international organizations like the African Union, United Nations agencies (UNDP, WHO, UNOPS, UNIDO, UNHCR, ILO, etc.), World Bank Group, regional development banks, and specialized agencies

The speakers represented a wide range of expertise areas including:

– International relations and diplomacy

– Economic development

– Environmental and climate issues

– Technology and digital transformation

– Peace and security

– Human rights and social development

– Health

– Finance and economics

The Chair/Moderator’s expertise appeared to be in managing high-level international meetings and diplomatic protocol.

The Summit of the Future: A Comprehensive Overview

The Summit of the Future, a high-level United Nations gathering, convened world leaders and representatives from international organizations to address global challenges and shape a more sustainable, peaceful, and equitable world. The summit culminated in the adoption of three key documents: the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. Reforming Global Governance and Multilateralism

A central theme was the urgent need to reform and strengthen multilateral institutions. Numerous speakers, including representatives from Serbia, Kenya, and Mexico, emphasized the importance of reforming the UN Security Council to ensure greater representation, particularly for African nations. Justin Trudeau of Canada stressed, “We need to strengthen multilateralism, not weaken it.”

There was broad consensus on the need for a more inclusive and equitable international financial architecture. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar of Nigeria called for addressing “the debt burdens of developing countries,” while Alicia Bárcena Ibarra of Mexico highlighted the importance of revitalizing the UN system to make it more effective and responsive to global needs.

2. Addressing Climate Change and Environmental Challenges

Climate action emerged as a critical priority, with leaders emphasizing the urgency of meeting Paris Agreement goals. Fiamē Naomi MataÊ»afa of Samoa stressed the existential threat to small island nations, stating, “For us, climate change is not a distant threat but a daily reality.” The summit highlighted the need for increased climate financing and support for developing countries.

Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines underscored the importance of sustainable management of natural resources. The United Nations Environment Programme emphasized the need to transition to sustainable and resilient economies, with a focus on valuing natural capital and green assets.

3. Promoting Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on development goals was a recurring theme. Speakers addressed the widening SDG financing gap and the need to mobilize resources. Carlos Manuel Vila Nova of São Tomé and Príncipe stressed the importance of education and youth empowerment, while Robinah Nabbanja of Uganda emphasized inclusive economic growth and job creation.

Many speakers highlighted the potential of digital technologies and innovation to drive development. However, concerns were raised about the digital divide, with calls to ensure that technological advancements benefit all countries and communities. The International Telecommunication Union emphasized the need to promote digital literacy and bridge the digital divide.

4. Ensuring Peace, Security, and Human Rights

The importance of addressing conflicts and promoting peaceful resolution of disputes was emphasized by multiple speakers. Albert Shingiro of Burundi stressed the significance of preventive diplomacy and mediation. Abdoulaye Diop of Mali called for reform of the global security architecture to better address contemporary threats.

The International Development Law Organization highlighted the importance of protecting human rights and promoting the rule of law as fundamental aspects of a stable and just global order.

5. Empowering Future Generations

The role of youth in shaping the future was a prominent theme. Gordana Siljanovska Davkova of North Macedonia emphasized the importance of youth participation in decision-making processes. Feleti Teo of Tuvalu spoke about the need for intergenerational equity and responsibility, stating, “We owe it to future generations to leave them a world that is better than the one we inherited.”

The United Nations Development Programme stressed the importance of investing in education and skills for the future, while the Economic Commission for Africa highlighted the potential of harnessing the demographic dividend of young populations.

6. Harnessing Digital Technologies and Addressing AI Challenges

Discussions on digital technology and artificial intelligence highlighted both opportunities and challenges. Speakers emphasized the potential for digital innovation to accelerate development but also raised concerns about privacy, security, and the ethical use of AI. The adoption of the Global Digital Compact underscored the importance of addressing these issues collectively.

Key Outcomes and Future Directions

The summit resulted in the adoption of the Pact for the Future, which outlines commitments and actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and reform global governance structures. Participants committed to implementing the 60 actions outlined in the Pact.

Unresolved issues included specific mechanisms for reforming the global financial architecture, concrete plans for closing the SDG financing gap, and details on implementing climate financing commitments for developing countries. The need for balancing digital innovation with concerns about privacy, security, and ethical use of technologies like AI was also highlighted as an area requiring further discussion and compromise.

Conclusion

The Summit of the Future demonstrated a strong commitment to multilateral cooperation in addressing global challenges. While there was broad consensus on the need for systemic reforms and collective action, the diversity of perspectives highlighted the complexities involved in achieving global agreement on specific approaches. The summit set the stage for continued dialogue and negotiation to translate the Pact for the Future’s commitments into concrete actions for a more sustainable, peaceful, and equitable world.

Joyelle Trizia Clarke: Small island states grapple with the poly crises of biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, climate change, and the accompanying challenges of food insecurity and threats to our health and national security. The future we deserve demands deep-rooted change that is transformative and lasting. For this, we must redefine multilateral spaces. We must promote unbiased international partnerships that honor the strength and resilience and the tenacity of small islands. Systems that respect and include all of our voices. And we must prioritize the needs of those most vulnerable. Women, youth, the elderly, indigenous, and rural populations. Let us ground our decision making now with a critical assessment of the global historical patterns of disempowerment and exploitation which constituted progress for a few and underdevelopment for many. This new contract has the much-needed potential to reimagine small island capacity. For centuries, our islands fueled the global economy. It is time for all to prosper regardless of size. We must alchemize our common vulnerabilities into engines of innovation, prosperity, and lasting peace. To build on this ideal, our government and our Prime Minister presented the Sustainable Island State Agenda, an acceleration of our 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Truthfully, our action is but a drop, but every drop counts towards strengthening and improving multilateral action. In this vein, I invite all to the May 2025 hosting of the Global Sustainable Island Summit being hosted in St. Kitts-in-Nevis with our partners, Island Innovation. Let us convene to continue driving actions and concretizing commitments for our shared survival. And as we engage in this Summit of the Future, let us anchor ourselves in its pact and the accompanying Digital Compact Declaration on Future Generations, being ever mindful of the need to reframe sustainability through the lenses of justice, equity, inclusivity and peace. Mr. President, every year the international community convenes in the General Hall. And we repeat, every year, now more than ever. But truly, this moment is the now that most islands have feared for a lifetime. St. Kitts and Nevis will harmonize our human existence with nature. Transparent, urgent action now is our duty and the outcomes the birthright of future generations. Let us deliver a world fit for prosperity and survivability, where peace abounds. Peace with nature and peace with humanity. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment of St. Kitts and Nevis. And I now give the floor to His Excellency Mohamed Ali Nafti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of Tunisia.

Mohamed Ali Nafti: Mr. President, the high-level participants here are numerous. young people, there are civil society representatives, and there are also many of them here. That makes this summit an historic moment, one for revitalizing multilateralism and to allow us to tackle current and past challenges, also to shore up security throughout the world, to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in order to guarantee sustainable life on our planet for current and future generations. Our global leaders, during a summit held recently, announced that our world continued to face poverty, hunger, armed conflicts, climate change, and pandemics, among other challenges. And the reality does not live up to the aspirations of our founding fathers roughly 80 years ago. Despite the commitments we’ve taken on, including the commitment to leave no one behind, to protect our planet and to strengthen peace, we continue to face the same challenges. Indeed, the global situation continues to deteriorate, although we are facing numerous shocks, especially in southern countries. There’s been an exacerbation of crises. This shows that international government, as envisaged at the end of World War II, is incapable of addressing challenges and addressing the root causes. That is why Tunisia hails the initiative taken by the Secretary-General to hold this summit. We need to act at several levels to shore up multilateral mechanisms and to reiterate our commitment to the principles of the Charter and to the respective international law, including by taking a new approach. approach to international cooperation for the common well-being of nations on the basis of equality, mutual respect, noninterference in internal affairs, respect for the sovereignty of states, and solidarity while acknowledging our community of destiny and our common responsibility. Indonesia agrees with the Pact for the Future and also the Global Digital Compact, which sets out the principles for a digital world safe for everyone and contributes to bridging the digital divide as well. Next, the Declaration on Future Declarations, which we also endorse. The success of our summit hinges on the serious participation of absolutely everyone in the implementation of the aforementioned documents, which should not remain simply declarations of wishful thinking. We need to transform tangibly our multilateral system. This effort will depend on the political will that we show toward implementing the various recommendations of this summit. That will allow us to overcome the gaps in global governance. We call upon developed countries to make good their commitments for financing and for sustainable development and for climate action. They must do so by helping the developing countries to overcome debt, and they must assist populations in allowing them to make use of their own resources. President, at our last summit, we agreed on the need to leave no one behind. We made it a genuine slogan. This slogan will lose all of its credibility and sense if we exclude the Palestinian people who are experiencing the most atrocious crimes against humanity. perpetrated by a barbarous occupation at odds with international law. This organization has a responsibility, a moral and a historic responsibility. We cannot abandon the Palestinian people, a people which is deprived of its liberty, dignity, and right to life and right to live in security and in stability. Madam President, it is our hope that this summit, which was brilliantly prepared by the United Nations, we hope that this summit will clear the way to a new phase in multilateral action, one grounded in common responsibility and solidarity for a world that is more just, fair, and sustainable. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of Tunisia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Egypt.

Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty: Thank you very much, Mr. President. Egypt welcomes our summit today, and we see it as an opportunity to strengthen multilateral work in confronting the challenges that it faces in the shadow of the developing countries, and to influence its efforts to achieve sustainable development by 2030. Egypt welcomes our summit today, and we see it as an opportunity to strengthen multilateral work in confronting the challenges that it faces in the shadow of the developing countries, and to influence its efforts to achieve sustainable development by 2030. Egypt welcomes our summit today, and we see it as an opportunity to strengthen multilateral for safeguarding peace and security to carry out development, ensure prosperity, and guarantee that everyone is able to enjoy their human rights on the basis of equality. That’s why we organized the Aswan Forum. Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development last July as a prelude to the Summit of the Future in order to present our vision with regard to the multilateral priorities for governance and for the role of young people. Egypt welcomes the adoption of the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact and the Pact for Future Generations, and we’d like to share with delegations our views on how we can build on the outcome of this summit. With the exacerbation of the situation with regard to peace and security, we need to renew our commitment to the U.N. Charter in respect for the sovereign equality of states in order to maintain the credibility of international order in accordance with these constant parameters and not have dual standards. We defend the Palestinian cause. We are in favor of an independent Palestinian state in the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we confirm our trust in the justice of the international system. But this has been sorely tested given the impotence of the international community in putting an end to the tragedy happening in Gaza and which is in danger of extending to Lebanon and the whole region. Egypt is very much attached to the territorial integrity and the stability of Somalia throughout its national territory. We stress the importance of the territorial integrity of Sudan as well. And then the successive developments, I think, reflect the need to increase development funding and to reform the global financial architecture in order to reduce the gap between states and address the current imbalance that exists and which has left a lot of people behind in terms of prosperity. We must respond to the aspirations of our peoples to eliminate poverty and hunger, increase growth levels, and for this we need funding for development and we need to reach understanding on innovative solutions and mechanisms that will be beneficial for developing countries with a view to concessional funding that will not add additional burdens on these countries. Thirdly, we need to ensure that we’re able to promote technology transfer by forging digital cooperation and increasing research and development programs and strengthening capacity particularly in Africa, in addition to the need to support African countries’ efforts to counter the negative effects of climate change on the principle of common but shared responsibility, common but differentiated responsibility. We must do everything to address water shortages as well and promote cooperation with regard to water and cross-border water arrangements according to international agreements. And Egypt fully endorses the absolute priority to totally remove nuclear weapons to guarantee current and future generations a safe future given the disastrous consequences that arise from the use of these weapons. And we’re also in favor of a Middle East area free of nuclear weapons.

Chair: Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Comoros.

Comoros: and ambitious funding mechanism that will support our initiatives and mobilize further resources in order to enable countries to follow the sustainable development path. Technology transfer, technical assistance, access to clean energy, and access to an energy mix should be priorities when it comes to funding. It’s crucial that we support business and improve access to funding for young people and for women, whilst at the same time promoting universal social protection in order to reduce the informal labor market and improve access for decent jobs for all. The Union of the Comores would like to appeal to the North to honor their commitments taken to fund the SDGs in the countries of the South. Mr. President, international peace and security are very important for sustainable development, and so strengthening multilateral institutions is particularly important to resolve the existing conflicts and prevent new outbreaks of tension. The very objective of multilateralism, among other things, is to prevent war by building bridges between different views and interests. We must therefore do everything in our power to restore the authority of the United Nations and respect for its charter, international law, and international humanitarian law. Mr. President, scientific and technological progress and innovation are so important for the economic and social changes needed in our times, but that must be accompanied by partnerships, knowledge transfer, and cooperation based on a research and technology, the global digital compact should enable us to reduce the global digital divide and increase access for each country to these innovations. We must cooperate together to ensure that the digital revolution is a benefit to everyone and that it is guided by principles of inclusivity, ethics and accountability, particularly in the sensitive area of artificial intelligence. The Comores unreservedly supports initiatives aimed at strengthening digital cooperation and encouraging innovation as an engine for development. Mr. President, the future is now. We cannot wait and we must improve the global system for current as well as future generations through national governance and investment in youth. The fight against youth unemployment, access to universal education, actions to prevent social conflict and improve the lives of young people and improve their participation in decision-making bodies, all of these things should be priorities for all of us. The future of our planet is in the hands of young people, future generations. It’s our duty to leave to them a world of peace.

Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Comores. I give the floor to His Excellency Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister for Foreign Relations of Cameroon.

Lejeune Mbella Mbella: President, I would like to thank you for inviting me to speak, and I’d like to take this opportunity to express that it is a great pleasure and indeed an immense honour for me to make this statement during this meeting on behalf of His Excellency Pulbira, President of the Republic of Cameroon and Head of State. I quote his statement, we have just adopted the Pact for the Future and its two annexes. They cover digital aspects and future generations. I wish to congratulate all those involved in the negotiations who were able to overcome their differences and reach agreement on what was essential in order to reach consensus, the consensus which unites us and that we are currently celebrating. Indeed, it was a lengthy and laborious negotiation, but ultimately we made it. We have shown, proven once again, that real political will and a high awareness of a common good means that we can achieve the goals that we set ourselves. The Pact for the Future that we’ve just adopted is a real gamble on peace, on sustainable development and human dignity for current and future generations. Thanks to its guidance and the objectives contained in it, and above all thanks to the specific actions contained therein, this pact is a suitable way of guiding us towards the future that we wish to see, the future that we have defined together and we defined the priorities of this in this very building several years ago. This, the planet and humankind are priorities as well as eradicating poverty, shared prosperity and also the need to leave no one behind. In order for this pact to be implemented effectively, we must act without further delay, showing renewed political will. The challenges that we are facing are growing in number and are gaining in complexity, particularly they have been globalised. It’s a question of the future of humankind in this ever-changing digital world. Science and technology have indeed in good hands some of the best tools to achieve growth together and indeed the pact that we’ve just adopted, it brings all these tools together with unity, solidarity and humanity at its heart.

Chair: I give the floor to His Excellency Ki-hwan Kweon, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

Ki-hwan Kweon: Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished representatives, first of all, I would like to extend my gratitude to Germany and Namibia for their dedicated efforts, which have led to the adoption of the Pact for the Future. The international community have worked tirelessly to identify actions that should be taken to bring about meaningful changes and benefit future generations. The Pact charted a path to a better future for all of humanity and reaffirmed our commitment to multilateralism. Now it is our duty to ensure that our commitments resonate far beyond this room to shape a more sustainable future for all. The actions outlined in the Pact must be implemented collaboratively by member states, international organizations, civil society, and private sector. With this in mind, I will highlight key priority areas that Korea is focusing on to advance sustainable peace and prosperity. First of all, science, technology, and innovation must be harnessed in a way that promotes and protects human rights and serves peaceful purposes. Korea is committed to advancing human-centered AI technology to drive progress towards the UN SDGs. Following the AI Seoul Summit in May, Korea convened AI Global Forum to push for the establishment of AI norms in the private sector. In early September, we also hosted the Responsible AI in the Military. domain Summit 2024, where we presented a comprehensive blueprint for military AI norms. Tackling new and emerging challenges is also crucial for building a more inclusive, open, and safe future. As a member of the Security Council, Korea prioritizes responses to cybersecurity and climate security. In June, Korea hosted an open debate on cybersecurity as president of the Security Council, which helped establish a solid foundation for planning an effective response to cyber threats. Korea also supports the role of the Peacebuilding Commission as a platform for sharing good practice among member states and fostering partnerships among diverse stakeholders. When serving as chair of the PBC in 2017, Korea drew on its development experiences and played a role in fostering strategic partnerships between the PBC and international organizations and financial institutions. This helped countries in transition mobilize both political and financial support. Korea will remain fully supportive of the PBC’s efforts to make further progress in this regard. Securing development resources is a key to achieving sustainable development goals. Korea has consistently increased its ODA, with an expansion of over 30% this year compared to last year. Notably, at the first Korea-Africa Summit, held in Seoul this June, we pledged to continue to expand our ODA to Africa up to $10 billion by 2030. The efforts of the government sector alone are never enough to mobilize resources. It is essential to forge close partnerships with various stakeholders, including the private sector, to benefit from their resources, expertise, and technology. In this context, Korea is advancing innovative cooperation projects with businesses. including small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups. Korea will continue to actively participate in international efforts to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. I sincerely hope that this summit of the future marks a pivotal moment for change. It presents a great opportunity for every member state to be united in their commitment to the pact for the future. And let us seize this opportunity. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the Deputy Foreign Minister for multilateral and global affairs of the Republic of Korea. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Israel.

Israel: Thank you, Mr. President. While Israel is fully committed to this pact and the pursuit of the SDGs, we continue to face relentless attacks from non-state actors that threaten our very existence. As we gather here today to speak about the future, hundreds of rockets are being fired at our civilian population. Let me be clear, we are a peaceful nation. We do not seek war, nor do we desire it. However, we will not stand by as our people are attacked. We will use all means at hand, our determination, our innovation, and our strength to protect our people. Last night, Hundreds of thousands of Israelis slept in bomb shelters as Hezbollah, a terrorist organization which holds Lebanon captive, fired upon them. Since October 8th, over 8,000 rockets have been fired at our people. Over 70,000 have been forced to flee their homes, becoming refugees in their own land. We did not start this war, but we will protect our homes, our land, and our people. Yet, despite these dire conditions, Israel remains steadfast in promoting the SDG agenda. We pursue these global goals while fighting terrorism on multiple fronts. This is the real story of Israel. Despite immense challenges, we are still able to lead on innovation, sustainability, and the advancement of human rights. Our resilience proves that building a better future is not only possible, but essential. Even as we defend our people and homeland, we are here today to focus on that future, our shared values, our values that will shape the future. Each generation has faced its own challenges, and ours is no different. What sets our time apart is the profound impact our nations can build together. The question we ask ourselves, how will we work towards eliminating poverty? Will we act quickly enough to save the planet? How might technology benefit humankind rather than being used to spread hate? These are critical questions, so crucial that giving form to our vision for the future has been an ambitious and difficult process. We must recognize. that putting it onto action will be even more difficult. Yet, we cannot be paralyzed by the enormity of the task. This is not a gift to the future, but an obligation that we must pay forward. Mr. President, over the past year, we have seen anti-Semitism escalate from words to acts of terror. It is imperative that Member States confront anti-Semitism wherever it emerges, for only through collective action we can make a lasting difference. Simply put, we need more than words and declarations. We need immediate, dramatic action from all countries and all individuals. Mr. President, we cannot allow the pursuit of the SDGs to come at the cost of our democratic values. Just as we stand united against violent extremism and terrorism, we must also oppose repressive regimes that fund and support those terror groups. Israel firmly believes that we cannot leave a legacy of fear, oppression, and terror for future generations. We must act decisively against terrorist organizations that blankly disregard the safety and welfare of their own people. Mr. President, the challenges will not be easy to overcome. If they were, we would not be here today. However, the State of Israel believes that there is far more that unites us than divides us. The differences we observe are often more about the different paths we take forward our shared goals. We must come together in this spirit, facing today’s challenges head-on and recognizing that delaying difficult decisions is no longer an option. and we must meet our obligations, the future, the planet and all those who will inhabit it for them.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of Israel. I now give the floor to the Central African Republic, to the distinguished representative of Central African Republic.

Central African Republic: Thank you. Mr. President, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the Central African Republic welcomes the adoption today of the Pact for the Future, to which is annexed the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration of Future Generations. This adoption is a sign of a reaffirmed willingness in our common ability to find shared prosperity. This ambitious pact and transformative pact is an important step to re-establish, restore trust in our common humanity. This can be seen in a renewed commitment to leave no one aside and to protect our planet. I remain convinced that the implementation of specific actions within this pact and its annexes are necessary in order to speed up the achievement of the SDGs, to preserve rights, to improve global governance and thus to preserve peace and stability. I would particularly like to stress the word action, which invites us to leave behind the deadlocked environment that has been putting us into a deep sleep for many decades and where we have seen inequalities in rights get worse over the years, particularly the right to development, the right to a safer and more sustainable world, the right to self-determination, to sovereignty and the right of people to be involved in global governance. This lack of action that we have seen over the last 30 years, be it in working groups or in intergovernmental negotiations, is what we have seen without our organization even being able to reform itself, particularly reform of the Security Council, which would be repairing historic injustice done to Africa. This Security Council, however, no longer reflects today’s world, and where we see double standards, a lack of understanding, and taking of sides, that now has become the rule to the detriment of equality, coherence, objectivity, and effectiveness, thus reducing the chances of peace for very many countries and peoples that are suffering. I hope that this pact will not be an umpteenth lost opportunity, and that together, we really will be able to change the situation. To do this, we need awareness-raising and an immense amount of political support, and a lot of work needs to be done in conflict prevention and funding for development and sharing of knowledge and innovation, so that the new social contract that we are agreeing today will be focused on multilateral solutions for a better future for everyone, particularly young people, girls, and women. In Central African Republic, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda is limited by internal challenges linked in other, amongst other things, to the security situation, a landlocked nature, and lack of energy. To speed up the implementation of the SDGs, the government has defined and validated a national development program, 2024-2028, of $12.8 billion, aiming to build a prosperous country that has quality human capital and resilient and sustainable infrastructures based on a more inclusive rule of law, based on the principles of good governance. The challenge for our country is to move from a situation of emergency to a situation of sustained development that can bring about structural change in the economy, where young people, women, and the private sector will be given a priority. In recent years, the youth of Central African Republic, about 70% of the population, has benefited from awareness-raising activities with regard to the importance of peace. This has been seen particularly in my country. Young people have decided that peace involves entrepreneurship. We have had to rethink – we need to rethink the global financial international architecture. Think again about aid. Help our most vulnerable populations and free up the necessary funding to support our development programmes. Here we see the use of new technologies and innovation as being an important lever to increasingly leverage national resources. So this pact will be very important to maximise the use of technology and promote growth. Pulling our efforts together does not mean that we should disperse them. We need to follow the aspirations of our people to build their future and ensure that no one is left behind. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of the Central African Republic. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Austria.

Austria: Excellencies, so this is the summit of the future. I have to say, it feels much like the present. Permit me at the outset to convey greetings from Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen as well as his sincere regrets for not joining us today. As you know, Austria, along with our neighbours, has been grappling with the consequences of unprecedented floods. This, of course, demands the President’s full attention and solidarity back home. But his thoughts are also with us here today. Summits hold special significance in Austria, a land of many mountains. Every hiker knows that a climb to the summit can be arduous, but reaching the top feels sublime. But you also have to get back down again, and descents can be rough. Getting to the summit of the future was not easy. The negotiations sometimes felt very much like an uphill climb. But with a determination to shape a better future for all, we succeeded. Even with the unnecessary distractions this morning, the adoption by acclamation of the pact today made two things clear. First, the leaders of the world are committed to bringing about positive change together. And second, they will use this organization, the UN, to address the challenges of today and those we expect in the future. The pact that we adopted this morning will make processes and institutions more effective and responsive to our needs. There’s much that we agreed to – groundwork for global cooperation on digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, using the immense potential for space as a driver for sustainable development, a new focus on achieving the SDGs and accelerating climate commitments, concrete steps to reforming the UN Security Council, and the will to address reform of the wider international architecture. The actions of the pact speak for themselves. They show determination to take bold steps for our planet and for future generations. Some highlights of the pact reflect Austrian priorities that we’ll pay particular attention to in the implementation phase – the descent from the mountain, so to speak, which can also be difficult. Such as strengthening the rule of law and human rights, and our commitment to the universal principle that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. On this armament, we must – ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again, and that new technologies empower future generations, not dehumanize them. We need legally binding prohibitions and regulations of autonomous weapons systems. Regarding peace operations, we appreciate the recognition of a new era that is more targeted, flexible, and collaborative. We welcome a holistic review of UN peace operations across the entire peace continuum, from prevention and peacemaking to peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Strengthening synergies between the UN and regional organizations, such as through regular meetings, is essential to establish real, networked multilateralism. Finally, on global governments, the Pact contains a commitment to a meaningful reform of the Security Council. Together with Ambassador Tarek al-Banaei of Kuwait, I had the honor of co-chairing the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform and facilitating the actions in the Pact, where leaders pledged to ensure greater representation for underrepresented regions and rectify the historical injustice against Africa, where leaders reaffirmed their determination to making the Council more effective, transparent, and accountable, including by discussing limitations of the veto, where they agreed to work on the basis of a consolidated model of a new Council, and where they agreed specific interim measures until the reform enters into force. As the Secretary General said, this constitutes the strongest language on Council reform in a generation and the most concrete steps to Security Council enlargement since 1963. This augurs well for the future efforts to reform the Council. Excellencies, Austria strongly believes in multilateralism, that the solution for global challenges lie in cooperation, dialogue, and partnership, and it’s in this spirit that we are a candidate for a non-permanent seat to the Council at the elections in 2026. In closing, let me thank the Secretary General for bringing us together today. The pact for the future shows that there is so much that unites us, so much more than divides us. As the summit of the future becomes the event of the past, let us set out for the future with optimism and humility. Multilateral diplomacy can only work with open minds. If we come to the UN not to speak only, but also to listen. If we show respect and believe diverse views are positive. If we engage in the spirit of compromise. If we put acting together first in and through the United Nations. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of Austria. We have heard the last speaker for this meeting. The next meeting of the summit of the future will take place immediately following the adjournment of this meeting to hear speakers listed for that meeting. Before adjourning the meeting, I wish to inform members that following the deadline of 29 July 2024 for inscription by states and the European Union in the list of speakers for the plenary meetings of the summit of the future, the sectariat has received additional requests for inscription from three delegations. If I hear no objection, may I take it that the assembly decides to reopen the list of speakers for these delegations to hear the statements at the last position in the appropriate category at the afternoon meeting today, 22 September 2024. I hear no objection. It is so decided. The meeting is adjourned. Plenary meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. The General Assembly will continue the summit of the future under agenda item 123, entitled Strengthening of the United Nations System. Before we begin with the list of speakers, delegations are reminded that statements should be limited to five minutes for participating states and three minutes for other statements. Pursuant to Rule 72 of the Rules of Procedure, when a representative exceeds his or her allotted time, the President shall call the speaker to order without delay, which shall be done by means of automatic microphone cutoff. In accordance with Resolution 72, Slide 313, the All Protocol Observed Principle is recommended, whereby participants are encouraged to refrain from the listing of standard protocol expressions during their statements. Within this time frame, I would like to appeal to speakers to deliver their statements at a reasonable pace so that interpretation into the other official United Nations languages may be provided properly. The list of speakers for each meeting shall be completed, and no speakers will be rolled over to the next meeting. Speakers who are not present when the speaking turn comes will be automatically moved to the next available speaking slot within the category at the same meeting. I invite His Excellency Aleksandar Vucic, President of the Republic of Serbia, to address the Assembly.

Aleksandar Vucic: Esteemed participants of the Summit, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I am very happy to be present on this important summit of the future and will not take much of your time by quoting the characters of Alan Ford comics and by saying that it is better to have peace and cooperation than war and conflicts, that it is better to be healthy than ill, and I do not want to repeat the empty stories about the observance of international law norms because international public law applies only to small and not so strong ones and only in cases when they are not attacked by the same big ones. And speaking about the most powerful countries, it is incredible with how much lies and hypocrisy they brutally violate the law of the United Nations and more than anything, peace. Peace is today more important than anything, but no one sees peace as an important value. But all the big ones, while justifying their big politics, speak about a just peace, which means that they should win and that the other ones not only should lose, but they should be completely disquiet. All the stakeholders, with no exceptions, will refer to those norms of international law which are in their favor, and they will intentionally forget all they have been doing and that they are doing today. They will be reminded of the respective by the other big ones, which will also forget all those misdeeds, but they will find endless violations of the international law in the case of the first ones. Serbia supports the plan of the UN Secretary General. The Republic of Serbia supports the Pact for the Future in spite of having remarks and in spite of the fact that… we would like to see more compromise done for the developing countries and that the big countries could better understand the needs of the small ones. All five chapters are important to us. Sustainable development and financing for development, international peace and security, science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation, youth and future generations and transforming the global governance. But what kind of financing for development, position of youth and sustainable development can we speak about when we have huge regional conflicts in the world and tensions involving almost all biggest world powers? Speaking of remarks, Serbia supports the demand of the Group 77 developing countries, joined also by the People’s Republic of China and we believe that financing of the problem of climate change should be a separate issue and not a part of the financing for development. We believe that the U.S. and the EU will have more understanding for reforms of the existing financing architecture. Additionally, we believe that the remarks of Brazil and Russia where the issues of the climate and the climate change are more related to security than to development are serious ones and that they deserve attention. Additionally, Serbia believes that it is very important to find the balance between the Western point of view on the issue of the rule of law on one side and the demand of the numerous countries when it comes to the family and traditional values because human rights are one thing and their abuse and overemphasizing lead towards the destruction of traditional conservative societies which many countries worldwide cannot accept and particularly when it comes to family values and precisely those values are cherished and nurtured by the Republic of Serbia. Serbia is on its European path. Unlike many others, Serbia observes the norms and regulations of international public law. At the same time, Serbia is a modern country with a big growth rate but also not ready to sacrifice its own traditional values and And it will be capable of resisting all the attempts from the outside that the so-called woke movement is imposing to it as the highest possible value and the state of society that we must allegedly reach in the future. I thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Sebia. I invite His Excellency William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander in Chief of the Defense Forces, to address the Assembly.

William Samoei Ruto: Mr. President, a year ago I stood before this Assembly urging bold reforms of the UN system to tackle the rapidly evolving and increasingly complex global challenges. Today, that call is as urgent as it was then. The planet is heating up, our climate is in crisis, oceans are rising, deserts are spreading, and conflict is engulfing the world. Individuals are displaced, poor and without access to basic services. Unfortunately, our multilateral system has proven inadequate in addressing crises such as climate change, inequality, and debt. And it continues to falter in providing any, let alone timely, solutions. Without immediate action, humanity will face an unprecedented global crisis. crisis. Today, we have no choice but to reject outdated systems and reimagine a framework of international cooperation that works for all 8 million of us in the planet. This means redesigning international financial system, strengthening partnership for common security, bridging the digital divide, and investing in human capacity, especially empowering women and youth. The window to achieve this is, however, fast-closing. The Secretary General’s 2024 SDG report paints a dire picture. Only 17 percent of SDG targets are on track, largely due to unmet financial commitments, and developing countries, particularly in Africa and the global south, are facing severe funding shortages and the gap is widening. At the 2023 UN SDG summit, we highlighted the urgent need to overhaul the global financial system. As we approach the fourth financing for development forum in 2025, imaginative solutions for debt relief and development financing are essential to close the SDG gap. We must address the historical injustice of Africa’s lack of permanent representation on the UN Security Council as a matter of justice in the ongoing UN reforms. Additionally, region-led peace operations sustainably funded by the UN assessed contributions are critical in addressing today’s complex security challenges. In Kenya, we aim to increase forest cover by 30 percent by planting 15 billion trees, an effort largely led by our youth. Two weeks ago, I launched Climate Works, a program to employ 200,000 young people in sustainable public works focused on ecological restoration and infrastructure. infrastructure, but we must recognize that the pace of technological advancement, particularly with AI, is widening the global digital divide. Africa holds critical resources for the tech revolution, yet receives disproportionately low benefits. A year ago, I stood here at this assembly to declare Kenya’s commitment to contribute to an international security support mission to Haiti. Yesterday, I was in Port-au-Prince to witness the significant progress made by Kenya’s Africa-led mission, even with the constraints of limited resources. What looked like mission impossible is now a present and real possibility for peace in Haiti. I hosted the inaugural Africa Climate Summit, whose seminal outcome, the Nairobi Declaration, formed the basis of a common African position in multilateral engagement at the COP and other fora. At the World’s 21 IDA 21 Replacement Summit in Nairobi in April this year, the 17th, AFDB Replacement, and IMF-SDR rechanneling, we, together with African leaders, championed for significant enhancement of the concessional window of affordable financing available for developing countries to provide critical public services, undertake investment in economic transformation, and implement ambitious climate. On the basis of this progress we have achieved under our current inadequate multilateral institutional framework, I am optimistic about what we can achieve under a radically reconfigured multilateral institutional framework. This is why reforms are an urgent necessity that we cannot delay. The path of the future has been developed through intense negotiations, sustained discourse between members. I take this opportunity to thank all of you for your contributions.

Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. I invite His Excellency Gitanas Nausėda , President of the Republic of Lithuania, to address the Assembly.

Gitanas Nausėda : Mr. President of the General Assembly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Germany and Namibia for your work in mobilizing the international community for this summit of the future. Your efforts to address the pressing challenges of today deserve the highest praise. Thank you. Excellencies, my country, eager to build a safer, more sustainable and inclusive world, has put constructive work into the Pact for the Future and its accompanying documents. We welcome the commitment by the Declaration on Future Generations to safeguard those who will inherit the world. To shape our future for the benefit of all, we must act with vision, courage and unity. And we must act now. First, we need to return to the rules-based international order. For Lithuania, this means supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom and democracy. It is crucially important that Russia is not allowed to walk away with occupied Ukrainian territories. Therefore, Lithuania calls on the international community to put more efforts into limiting Russia’s ability to continue its colonial war. Russia must be forced to completely withdraw from the entire territory of Ukraine. Sadly, the lack of multilateral response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has already put forward serious doubts about the United Nations’ ability to maintain global peace and security. Structural reforms of the organization, including those of the Security Council, are clearly needed. The United Nations must be empowered to stop and contain both present and future aggressors. This would contribute not only to global peace and security, but also to sustainable development and human rights. Second, we need to put more effort into achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Right now, one of the key obstacles to accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals is the lack of financial resources. We need to create a global financial architecture that is more equitable, just, and responsive to crisis. Lithuania is also eager to address the climate crisis. To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, we need more investment into renewable energy and innovative technologies. Future prosperity will be driven by digital transformation. While Lithuania welcomes the shared vision for the digital world outlined in both the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, we also call for addressing challenges related to new and emerging technologies. I am delighted that under Lithuania’s presidency, the Council of Europe adopted the first-ever Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights. and the rule of law. This Vilnius Convention establishes a global standard for protecting human rights from the risks posed by AI. My hope is that it will be set an example of addressing all kinds of global issues through concerted multilateral efforts. Today I call on the participants of the summit to support the main guiding principles of the United Nations – peace, security, human rights, and sustainable development for all. The future we desire is within our reach. Let’s seize this moment to build it together. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Lithuania. I invite His Excellency Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique, to address the Assembly.

Filipe Jacinto Nyusi: Thank you very much, Mr. President, Your Excellencies. Let me greet and congratulate Your Excellency for chairing this important event and express wishes for success in our deliberations. Excellencies, multilateralism is a key and indispensable tool of cooperation among states. It is a safe vehicle to pursue our common global agenda. The United Nations Charter defined the organization as the center for harmonizing actions of nations to achieve common purposes. It is in this regard that we view the 2023 report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. on our common agenda, which charts the way for the next 25 years and stresses the importance of multilateralism. Multilateralism is not just a choice, but an imperative and an unequivocal requirement to address complex challenges, particularly within the framework of international peace and security, which are indivisible. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how important it is for international cooperation to address global crises, despite being in a constrained way. The coordinated multilateral response was key to combat and distribute resources that were unforeseen for the most vulnerable countries. The following are some of the complex challenges requiring bold multilateral cooperation, terrorism and violent extremism, endemic diseases and pandemics, climate change that induce natural disasters, among others. Another challenge requiring multilateral engagement is the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development. However, for the response to global challenges to be more effective, it is necessary to conduct profound resources to the multilateral system, especially with respect to the representation of developing countries in strategic decision-making positions such as the Security Council. On the other hand, we reiterate our firm support to a new international financial architecture that is responsible to challenges of poverty and development of the world and collective decisions that can no longer remain delayed indefinitely. Your Excellency, I conclude by reaffirming the primacy of multilateralism as the best tool to address the complex and multilateral challenges. multiple challenges humanity is faced with, and to this end, it is urgent to restore the confidence of our people to international institutions and to an inclusive international law. If we are serious about promoting global prosperity for humanity, Africa, with its youth and hardworking population with its rich diversity and potentials, it would be a total collapse to leave it behind and exclude it from the most important cycles of decision making. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Mozambique. I invite Her Excellency Gordana Siljanovska Davkovaa, President of the Republic of North Macedonia, to address the Assembly.

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova: Respected President, distinguished attendees, it’s a difficult task and a great responsibility to talk about the future and abstract from the UN, because it is the only organization that enjoys universal legitimacy and has proven integrity and credibility in resolving humanity’s biggest and burning problems. On the eve of the 18th birthday, I am confident that the UN has accumulated enough knowledge, experience and creation, learned numerous lessons, gained wisdom, acquired rich memory as necessary assumptions for a real perception of the present and future. and for projecting the future. The future is neither a fiction story nor an illusion, but a real assessment of expected changes based on a thorough critical analysis of evidence and diagnosis of natural and social conditions. Hence, the future could perhaps be seen as a certain expectation of change. I believe there is no place more appropriate than the UN for a consensus on the future seen through the prism of the biggest dilemmas and challenges. I believe it is a high time to face the ugly reality of wars, natural disasters, enormous pauperization, inequality and injustice, violation of international law, even of Uyghurs, practicing the rule of man instead of the rule of law, sacrificing justice, ethics and morality for profit and power. Difficult problems ultimately impose ambitious goals, but also require decisive action. Brave undertakings are impossible without profound reform of the UN, strengthened multilateralism in decision-making, developed checks and balances mechanisms in the relations between the Secretary-General, the Security Council and the General Assembly, greater inclusiveness and transparency of the decision-making process, as well as decisiveness and efficiency in dealing with the enormous threats to peace, sustainable development and human rights. Sincerely, I think that the curative of the UN, with or flying without moving, are not enough. But what we need is substance. Structural, functional, meritocratic, democratic changes. The role of the General Assembly should be strengthened as a representative body of the United Nations. The International Court of Justice must be given a stronger role, and its judgments must become binding for everyone. More intensive cooperation and partnership with civil society must be established. Transparency of the work of all authorities and bodies must be increased. I am not of the opinion that enlarging the Security Council with a few new permanent members with exclusive veto rights by itself would mean a greater guarantee for peace and security. Although it is clear to me that the relationship of powers on the global stage today is not the same with the one from 1945. As a representative of a small country, I believe that the participation of the smaller countries in General Assembly should be increased in the body to protect themselves from the real danger from the bigger countries. Of course, the UN Charter remains a fundamental act, a constitution of the nations, but also a social international contract. An end should be put to the disrespect, bypassing and selective application of the Charter, as in the Macedonian case. As the first Macedonian female President, I fiercely advocate for more women at the highest positions, and I am personally fulfilling these commitments. I believe that the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations are a solid foundation an inspiring framework for tracing and building a future in which peace, prosperity, and justice will not be wishful thinking.

Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of North Macedonia. I invite His Excellency Carlos Manuel Vila Nova, President of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, to address the Assembly.

Carlos Manuel Vila Nova: Mr. President of the General Assembly, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Heads of State and Government, Delegates, Good afternoon. It is with great honour that I address this historic summit at a crucial moment for the future of humanity. The world is facing complex challenges that require urgent and coordinated action, and the interactive dialogues of this summit point to fundamental ways to ensure a prosperous, fair and sustainable future for all. I thank the President of the Republic of North Macedonia for the invitation to be part of this historic summit. of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Saint May Prince reaffirms his commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. We believe that global governance should be based on the fact that small and vulnerable countries, like ours, can have an active voice in the decisions that affect the common destiny. I don’t know what? No, I don’t. The world is facing growing threats to peace and stability, and only through effective multilateral diplomacy can we guarantee the security of all nations, regardless of their size, economic power or military capability. As a member of the international community, we reaffirm our commitment to peace and cooperation. Regarding the creation of a common digital future, it challenges us to face the digital revolution in an inclusive way. The digital force continues to expand inequalities, especially in developing countries. Saint May Prince sees in the strengthening of digital innovation an opportunity to train its young people and promote economic growth. However, this will only be possible through international partnerships that guarantee inclusive access to technologies and digital opportunities, so that no citizen is left behind. Finally, when it comes to strengthening the global system for current and future generations, we remember that the decisions we take today will shape the world that we will leave for future generations. Saint May Prince In this context, I am pleased to announce the creation of the Conservation Trust Fund of São Tomé and Príncipe. This fund aims to reposition the conservation of biodiversity in São Tomé and Príncipe in order to improve the quality of life on the island. This fund will be used to improve the quality of life on the island. This fund will be used to improve the quality of life on the island. The fund aims to reposition nature as a strategic economic asset, capable of driving our sustainable development. As a small island state in development, we face challenges related to access to predictable sources of financing and the diversification of our economy. The CTF will be financed by the commitment of investors and philanthropy, in addition to the goal of facilitating currency exchanges for climate adaptation. This fund will allow the protection of 30% of our ocean, as stipulated by the Convention on Biodiversity, and will serve as a central pillar for the development of our blue economy and ecotourism. The CTF will not only protect our biodiversity, but will also create new opportunities for subsistence for our communities in the intrinsic value of our nature. We are committed to articulating the conservation of nature with economic development, promoting the emission of carbon credits based on sustainable agricultural production and the conservation of our marine and terrestrial areas. Our commitment to the CTF strengthens the country’s ability to guarantee a sustainable and prosperous future for future generations. Finally, we urge all countries present here to work together.

Chair: Presidency Robinah Nabbanja government business in Parliament of the Republic of Uganda to address the Assembly.

Robinah Nabbanja: Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you greetings from General Yoweri Museveni , the President of the Republic of Uganda. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Today we live in a global scenario that has changed dramatically since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and progress at the halfway point of the Agenda is slow or fragile. The gap between developed and developing countries continues to widen, and major challenges generated by the current unfair international economic order for developing countries have reached their most acute expression in the current times. We are gathered here in the Summit of the Future to recommit our international cooperation in Pact for the Future that has been the result of long, complex, but constructive negotiations at different levels over the past one year. Our hope and conviction is that this pact should not become another footer exercise, but must garner political will and commitment across all levels of global leadership to pragmatically address current issues and lay a foundation for solutions for our future global progress and challenges. The future we want should be free from any oppression and free from global inequalities and divides in levels of development, financing, technology, and innovation. It must deliberately offer opportunities capacity to the majority of global South to catch up. Therefore, the global community should commit to the practical implementations of all the agreed actions in a pact for the future. The impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and desertification unfairly burden developing countries and pose additional challenges to their pursuit of sustainable development and poverty eradication. We remain concerned about the growing gap between the needs of developing countries and the support available to face these challenges. In regard to that, we regret that the pact falls short in recognizing the actions needed to close this gap, including developed countries to fulfill their obligations to provide the means of implementation, including capacity building, technology transfer, and adequate, sufficient, predictable, quality, and additional financial resources for supporting developing countries to implement their nationally determined contributions, adapt to the growing impacts of climate change, and respond to the associated losses and damages. Nonetheless, in the pact we have adopted today, it contains concrete actions to prevent people from falling back into poverty, including establishing well-designed, sustainable, and efficient social protection systems for all that are responsible to SOCS. We reaffirm our commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to accelerating our efforts to the empowerment of all women and girls in all domains. We have also agreed in the Global Digital Compact to initiate an annual global dialogue on artificial intelligence governance under the auspices of the UN, and to initiate an inclusive process toward international data governance arrangements. We have decided to deliver a robust, impactful, 20-first implementation of the International Development Association that includes contributions and strong policy commitments, both new and existing donors that significantly increase IDS resources and work towards increased funding, the pathways to implement the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Also we decided to strengthen the multilateral response to support countries with the high and unsustainable debt burdens, with the meaningful participation of the countries concerned and all relevant actors, ensuring an up-

Chair: I thank the Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament of the Republic of Uganda. I invite Her Excellency Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Independent State of Samoa.

Fiamē Naomi MataÊ»afa: Mr. President, it is an honour to address you today on behalf of EIOSIS. As we gather under the banner of a shared tomorrow, we stand at a crossroad where our collective will and wisdom to shape the future, a future not just for the benefit of a few, but for all. Small island developing states are not mere dots. on a map. We are vibrant symphonies of life, rich with history and culture, whose resilience and courage stand as a testament to both the beauty and fragility of our world. Yet our stories are tinged with urgency. The challenges faced by SIDS are not isolated. They are intertwined with our global destiny. We know, as we have reaffirmed at the fourth international SIDS conference earlier this year, that if we save the smallest and most vulnerable amongst us, we save the world. Multilateralism is not just a principle. It is a practical necessity for addressing the challenges before us. By coming together, we can forge solutions that no single nation could achieve alone for present and future generations. First and foremost, we must confront climate change. For SIDS, coastal erosion, increasingly severe weather events and rising sea levels are not distant concerns. They are an immediate and severe reality. It is not enough to simply acknowledge the risks. We must act decisively. Let us breathe life into the Paris Agreement with renewed vigour, ensuring that our collective efforts are not just a whisper but a clarion call to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Among the immediate threats of climate change lies an economic tempest of its own. SIDS are often left adrift to face global uncertainty amidst a swelling tide of debt, economic fluctuations and external shocks. To address this, we must champion the reform of the international financial architecture to correct deeply entrenched imbalances, drive economic diversification, and promote international partnerships that can deliver resilient prosperity. Debt relief and access to concessional financing, including the use of the MVI, can give SIDS the breathing space we need to anchor our economy’s instability and invest in our future. Lastly, it has become abundantly clear that artificial intelligence and digital technologies can be a game changer in solving our common challenges. Yet significant barriers continue to persist for SIDS, in harnessing its full potential, as the pace and misuse of such technological advancements seem to only expand the divide between us. By bridging this digital gap, we can improve sectors vital to our communities, share best practices, and unlock new opportunities for growth and digital transformation, including through the SIDS Center of Excellence. In closing, the future we envision enshrined in the pact for the future must be one where no one and no country is left behind. As we chart our course towards the horizon of our shared fate, let us all sail together with a spirit of unity and compassion. Mr. President, may our actions be a beacon of hope, reflecting the strength and will of our collective humanity, so that every country, no matter how small, finds its place in the sun. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Independent State of Samoa. I invite you to join me in welcoming our new Prime Minister. I invite His Excellency Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, to address the Assembly.

Justin Trudeau: Mr. President, fellow delegates, friends, as we meet here in New York at the UN General Assembly for this Summit of the Future, we’re at a global inflection point. Faced with escalating instability undermining the very foundations of the international order, beset by the increasingly dire costs of climate change, contending with rising inequality that is leaving the most vulnerable behind, plagued by the erosion of women’s rights, LGBT plus rights, and Indigenous rights, and grappling with dire humanitarian crises perpetuating record levels of displacement, we have a choice. On the one hand, we can bury our heads in the sand, eschewing multilateralism in favor of short-sighted self-interest, or we can recognize that collectively we have a responsibility to set our differences aside, to confront the serious global challenges, and to deliver on a pact for the future that builds a more peaceful world, but also one where everyone, every generation, has a real and fair shot. In Canada, that’s what we are squarely focused on. As I travel across my country, Canadians of all walks of life, but particularly young Canadians, tell me that they’re worried. They’re worried about the state of the world and the future, but most importantly, they’re worried about the very promise of Canada, the promise that if you work hard, you can do better than the generations that preceded you. That promise is slipping out of reach. reach, so as a government, we are stepping up. The solution to anxiety and angst is not to deceive and deflect, but to take action. We know that confident, successful countries invest in their citizens, in their workers, in their middle class, in national $10-a-day childcare that saves families money while ensuring women can choose the best path for themselves, in nutritious school meals so our kids can focus on learning and growing, in an ambitious housing plan that will deliver good, abundant, and affordable homes, in a national dental care program that in its first months has already delivered quality care to three-quarters of a million Canadians, in a growth and industrial strategy that creates good-paying, community-building, middle-class jobs, all while fighting climate change. These are choices that deliver on the promise of Canada for every generation. These choices reflect a commitment to investing in our people and in our future, but also a commitment to tackle global problems that we all share. Climate change and inflation don’t stop at borders. Inequality is a problem for the entire world, for people from all walks of life. If we really want to serve our own citizens, we must, together, tackle the great global challenges. We should work within institutions such as the United Nations and renew our commitment to the Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030. We need to protect and support the rule of law and democratic values. We should spearhead efforts to reform the international financial institutions. We must put women’s and girls’ rights at the very heart of our efforts, much like we have done with our feminist international assistance policy. We must recognize also that rich countries such as Canada have a duty to fight climate change, which is what we’re doing through our commitment of $5 billion towards global climate financing efforts. And we are the first big oil and gas producing country to establish an emission ceiling in this sector. Delegates, nearly 80 years ago, in the aftermath of the most destructive war in our collective history, we formed these United Nations. And we did so with the aspiration to build something better for today’s generations, yes, but also for many generations to come. All of us gathered here have an opportunity to hold true to that mission, to fulfill the promise of our pact for the future, to deliver fairness for every generation. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the Prime Minister of Canada. I invite His Excellency Feleti Teo, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, to address the Assembly.

Feleti Teo: Mr. President, Excellencies, it is with absolute and immense honour that I, as the head of government for the government of Tuvalu, offer my perspectives on the objectives and pursuits of the Summit. of the future. The summit presents a timely opportunity for the global community to recast and to reform the global architecture on multilateralism and international cooperation. The exercise is essential to assure their relevance and effectiveness in addressing the challenges of today and for those of years to come. Tuvalu expresses its solid support for the pact for the future, together with a declaration on future generations and a global digital compact. The pact represents a well-crafted and delicately negotiated set of commitments and recommitments by the global communities. Those commitments, if enacted fully, will provide the requisite prescription to reinvigorating and to enhancing the robustness of international cooperation granted on the spirit and the letter of the United Nations Charter. Excellencies, the global community in adopting the 2030 agenda and the SDGs acknowledge the reality that sustainable development, the preservation of the environment, the maintenance of peace and stability are all interconnected and intertwined. It is therefore imperative to understand that achieving one goal is dependent on achieving all others. The SDGs, which include the eradication of poverty, ensuring quality education and health, and combating climate change, to name some, are the blueprint for a better and more sustainable and secure future. To achieve these noble goals, it is incumbent on the global community to review, to renew with vigor its commitment to a reinvigorating multi-lateralism system that is adaptable and resilient to new and emerging challenges. This summit has been an opportune moment for the global community to take stock and to reflect on the current architecture of multi-lateralism and the UN system in general and to ask the hard question does the current architecture of multi-lateralism and international cooperation remain effective? The overwhelming response with due respect has not been in the affirmative so the summit has been challenged to provide the necessary and essential reforms and to come up with the requisite prescription to strengthen, to reinvigorate and to reboot multi-lateralism and international cooperation to foster a spirit of solidarity and collaborations. Excellencies, the world we live in today is a world that is characterized by the multiple crisis that we must endure. Crisis that are unfortunately of our own making, be it environmental and climate change, harm conflict, financial crisis and gross social inequities. Tuvalu is a small Pacific Island nation and is also a large ocean state. As such, Tuvalu has a strong affinity with the ocean and the environment. Tuvalu is of the firm belief that we are only temporary stewards and caretakers of the ocean and the environment on behalf of future generations. The summit must therefore recognize the importance of intergenerational responsibility as we approach multiple tipping points. Our decision today will have profound implications for future generations and we must act with the utmost respect and care for future generations. For Tuvalu, climate change induced sea level rise is the greatest and the most devastating manifestation of climate change. The ocean that used to define us as a people and as a community. And as a nation, we’ll soon engulf us if sea level rise is not halted or the resilience of our land territory is not reinforced. Climate change-induced sea level rise risks the lives and livelihoods of present and future generation of my people. But Tuvalu contributed negligibly, if at all, to the cause of climate change. That is how grossly unfair and inequitable the world we live in today. Tuvalu and other vulnerable states, at the forefront of the devastating impact of climate change-induced sea level rise, suffer first and the worst, while states that benefit the most from fossil fuel extraction continue to accelerate their development and prosperity at the expense of the most vulnerable states, which are left well and truly behind. That is why Tuvalu is leading and supporting…

Chair: I thank the Prime Minister of Tuvalu. And I invite His Excellency, Daniel Risch, Prime Minister, Minister for General Government Affairs and Minister of Finance of the Principality of Liechtenstein.

Daniel Risch: Mr. President, Excellencies, When Liechtenstein applied for membership on the United Nations in 1990, safeguarding our sovereignty was a key incentive. We have certainly greatly benefited from over three decades of membership. At the same time, there is also a sense of frustration, occasionally also disappointment among the people of Liechtenstein. They expect us, the United Nations, to be the guardian of peace and security as the organization that stands up for… sovereign equality of all states, small and large, the guarantor of the rule of law and the protection against those who believe that might makes right. Too often these expectations have been thwarted. We do not agree with those who are resigned to the dictates of realpolitik. Instead, we promote this view that the United Nations can do valuable work in many areas to address the challenges of climate change, humanitarian disasters, and global health crisis, among others. The United Nations symbol on this podium reminds us of the overreaching goal of this organization. We see the earth in the center and olive branches as the universal symbol of peace, embracing it. Can I ask you, is there anything more we should understand about the United Nations being a peace organization created to save future generations from the scourge of war? This mission that we are realizing also in Europe is of more urgent relevance than we had hoped. The drafters of the UN Charter have entrusted the Security Council of the United Nations with the primary responsibility over peace and security, the body of which five states can block any decision, even when supported by an overwhelming majority of the international community in this room. This is taken to a level of absurdity by the fact that one veto-wielding member, the Russian Federation, far from acting as guardian of the international order, has engaged in a blatant and far-reaching aggression against another state, violating the core principles of our common organization. We in Liechtenstein strongly believe that this is a moment to stand up for what this organization is doing. represents and a moment to fight back against those who are trying to roll back history. We believe that small and medium-sized states which make up the maturity of this organization can shape our own fate and stand up for our interests. In the Security Council, if the Security Council cannot uphold its responsibility, we must find alternatives and indeed they do exist. The General Assembly has a strong constitutional role on peace issues and it should step in where the Council is silent. By presenting the veto initiative, Liechtenstein has ensured that a veto in the Council is no longer the last word. We can now use the power given to the General Assembly by taking decisions when the Council is unable to do so. We also encourage the Secretary-General to use the unique authority of the UN grounded in international law to mediate, prevent and address conflicts. And we remind each Council member to observe all relevant Charter provisions including those requiring them to abstain from voting on resolutions regarding disputes to which they are a party. The Charter is not a menu to pick and choose from but a set of clear ground rules for the conduct of multilateralism. The many complex and diverse challenges we are facing today from climate change to nuclear threats from impunity for international crimes to sea level rise have one thing in common. They all require responses based on international law. Liechtenstein is well known for its consistent and principled engagement for the rule of law at the United Nations. This engagement will persist on the basis of enlightened self-interest as our contribution to the international order, which enables us to live in prosperity and in solidarity with our partners around the world, the world that, as the UN symbol above me shows, should be embraced by peace. I thank you.

Chair: I thank Prime Minister, Minister for General Government Affairs and Minister for Finance of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Now I invite His Excellency Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister and Minister for National Security, Legal Affairs and Information of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Please, you have the floor.

Ralph Gonsalves: Mr. President, Your Excellencies, today we are presented with a historic opportunity. The Summit of the Future has been billed as the chance for us to reinvigorate our multilateral system, particularly following the 2023 SDG Summit. This system has been ailing for far longer than many of us would wish to acknowledge, but it appears that we are now poised, finally, to make what one may call some surgical incisions, and hopefully can lead to healing at a more fundamental level. For the better part of a decade, we have been limping towards the goal of the 2030 Agenda. Notwithstanding the difficulties faced along the way, We ought to commend the tireless efforts to achieve a pact for the future, which aims to realign us to the achievement of the SDGs and make the United Nations fit for purpose. The discussions which have taken place over the last three or so years have undoubtedly forced into the spotlight the deficit of trust and the geopolitical tensions that have challenged us in securing a more inclusive, cohesive and effective multilateral system. Securing agreement on the fundamental issues for meaningful and multi-pronged international cooperation sets us up to take a leap forward, in a sense a kind of turbo-charging our commitments and to accelerate action for the delivery of the SDGs. We know and we have heard the litany of all the vulnerabilities of small island developing states and all the historic issues which give rise to legacies of underdevelopment. I don’t want to repeat those. What we have to do in the first order of business is to reform comprehensively an outdated international financial architecture that has been ill-suited to respond to our vulnerabilities and special circumstances. We have this very important issue, which is yet to be addressed properly, is the millstone of crushing debt with which we struggle as we seek to avoid sinking into a quicksand of exogenous shocks, including and very especially climate change. So a multilaterally-leading… lead overhaul of the debt architecture is an imperative. And the truth be told, the developed countries have been making a lot of promises to us and breaking them, cynically. My own country, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we have been recovering from the United States, that we have to really take in the international community a much more ambitious action to address this climate crisis. Otherwise, all of us here, we are going to go to hell in a handbasket. You know it, and I know it. We have to reform the architecture in global governance for peace and security. This involves the reform of the Security Council. We have been talking about that for many, many years. Technology in crafting opportunities for young people and the future generations. Within the context of the SDGs, I want to raise the issue, which I’ll speak more to in my address later this week, to the General Assembly, the question of reparations for native genocide and the enslavement of African bodies. In re-imagining our future in the multilateral system, we have to, really every one of us, resolve to work together better. I reiterate, this is a

Chair: I thank Prime Minister and Minister for National Security, Legal Affairs and Information of Sandin Sant and the Grenadines. And now, I give the floor to His Excellency, Mihai Popșoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova.

Mihai Popșoi: Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. It is an honor and a privilege to speak before you today. The current global system, featured by global challenges, including pandemics, economic downturns, energy crisis, climate change, geopolitical conflicts in different parts of the world, and the weakening of multilateralism itself, requires an intensive update to address the complexities of the 21st century. In the Our Common Agenda Report, the UN Secretary-General called for solidarity among people, countries, and generations, as well as a renewal of the multilateral system to accelerate existing commitments and address gaps in the global governance. The United Nations remains the core institution that must reflect today’s realities and shape not only the current but also the future global landscape. In this vein, the Summit of the Future is a rare opportunity for all of us to forge a new international consensus on delivering a better present and safeguarding a better tomorrow. Today, we gather to envision the future of the United Nations and the renewed international community where the digital dimension has erased the territorial divides and accelerates an unprecedented pace of global development. We are continuously building and developing our digital infrastructure with the goal of achieving a fully digital society. However, we are recognizing that the ongoing development and malicious use of transformative technologies is problematic. This is why we must unite to be able to address the common enemy hidden behind the screen, threatening our security anywhere in the world. But what is a future without youth? Children and youth are the agents of change. They are the next generations shaping our lives and pointing to our mistakes. They are aware of the evolving dynamics of the modern world and can already guide us to what matters, especially in the future that they will be living in. Therefore, we must integrate youth into both multilateral and national discussions and give them equal opportunity to contribute to conversations and restoration of what we have neglected and to the development of what remains to be achieved. Mr. President, for more than two and a half years, the Russian Federation has waged a war of aggression against Ukraine, challenging its territorial integrity and its sovereignty in the middle of Europe. The Republic of Moldova remains resolute in firmly condemning the brutal war of aggression against Ukraine and reaffirms its unwavering support for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and within the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine. We firmly reject any threat of use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state which should have no place in international relations. The aggressive policy of the Russian Federation and its regional implications generate significant negative effects for the Republic of Moldova, making it a target of hybrid threats such as cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, complemented by efforts to disrupt public order meddled in electoral policies. Nevertheless, we stand strong and manage to preserve peace across the country, including in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, where Russian troops are stationed illegally and where concerns about human rights violations are deeply worrying. We are committed to achieving peaceful settlement in the Transnistrian region, evacuating for foreign troops and munitions, ensuring stability in our region’s security, achieving reintegration, consolidation of independence, and state sovereignty. Mr. President, the Pact for the Future in its entirety must not become just another UN document that is adopted and forgotten. On the contrary, it should serve as a living document to be implemented through the most effective means at our disposal, namely effective multilateral cooperation and the full commitment and engagement of the United Nations, governments, civil society, private sector, and the international other relevant stakeholders. Together, we must overcome existing challenges and advance multilateral solutions to protect global commons, promote shared public goods, and deliver tangible benefits to all the citizens worldwide. Thank you.

Chair: I thank Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, and now I invite His Highness Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Laos People’s Democratic Republic.

Saleumxay Kommasith: Mr. President, Excellencies, in the current context of multifaceted challenges, effective cooperation is a must to ensure both our survival and progress. We must redouble our efforts to restore the trust and confidence and to revitalize the international cooperation frameworks that are adaptable to the complexities of today’s geopolitical, economic, and environmental landscape. Mr. President, the Lao PDR believes that three pillars of sustainable development and principles of peace and security are interrelated and mutually reinforcing. The achievement of one is contingent on the stability of the other. Therefore, we pledge our full commitment to fostering global peace, security, and stability in alignment with the UN Charter and international law. Therefore, we endorse the Pact for the Future. which will not only rejuvenate our collective pursuit, but also forge a more robust mechanism. Mr. President, The Lao PDR is deeply concerned by the increased SGT financing gap. We must acknowledge the urgencies to provide predictable, sustainable, adequate development finance from diverse sources to developing countries, particularly the poorest and the most vulnerable ones. Why the Pact articulates renewed commitment to financing and the true measures of our success lies in our ability to translate this commitment into a tangible outcome. On this note, we call for affordable, actionable financing frameworks, including SGT, ODA, and private sector’s investment to ensure that resources are available. My delegation welcomes the adoption of the Global Digital Compact as a vital component of this ambitious Pact for a future to harness the opportunity and mitigate the risk of using digital technology. In addition, we support the bridging of STI divide and responsible use of STI as drivers for sustainable development and build necessary capacity for sustainable transformation. The youth and future generations play a crucial role in future prosperity. The Lao PDR strongly encourages the meaningful engagement of young people and creates a conducive environment that empowers them to realize their full potential. Thus, we will continue to safeguard the interests of young people and future generations through commitment and means of implementation. outlined in the Declarations on Future Generations. At the global level, the Lao PDR supports UN reform, especially UN Security Council, in order to enhance its effectiveness, representation, accountability, and trust. Likewise, we envision that revitalized UN General Assembly should have a crucial role in safeguarding peace and security. Moreover, we also call for an urgent reform of international financial architecture so they can be more inclusive and reflective to today’s economic needs and potential reality, and provide an effective safety net for developing countries. We believe that this can be achieved only through great participation of developing countries in economic and development decision-making process. Mr. President, as leaders, the decisions we take today will have a lasting impact on future generations. The more equitably we distribute resources and opportunity now, the more we pave the way for better outcome for the next generations. It is time to call for united global action as we bear the shared responsibility to inspire new hope and drive meaningful changes. I thank you.

Chair: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and now I give the floor to His Excellency, Guylain Nyembo Mbwizya the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Planning and Development, Aid, Coordination and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Guylain Nyembo Mbwizya: Ladies and gentlemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo welcomes the holding of this important meeting, which, in the light of recent events, the threats posed by persisting poverty and hunger, the resurgence and appearance of conflicts, as well as the rise in extremism around the world, not forgetting, of course, the question of our collective survival when faced with climate change, is a glimmer, or nay, a window of opportunity for a better tomorrow. Indeed, no one could have predicted 78 years ago, when our dear organisation was born, this kind of future, this kind of scenario, a scenario whereby this community of nations has its very essence called into question, and where the sacrosanct principles of equity, solidarity, universality, which were supposed to reflect reciprocal trust between all, seems to have died out, to the benefit of a minority that is ever stronger, faced with a majority contend to be irrevocably weaker, or indeed absent from the table of negotiations. President, the Pact for the Future is an excellent opportunity for humanity and decision-makers here today to embrace a new paradigm for the benefit of young people and the future inhabitants of our planet. This paradigm, that we want to be more just and more equitable, must also be notable by the fact that it promotes the principle of inclusivity, both within and between states, and also the continued implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and also room should be given for innovative action through the promotion of science for the benefit and safeguard of our common good, that is our planet. For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the future contains more investment in humanity. and capital, particularly through mass investment in basic education, health care, continuing implementation of policies that seek to support women’s and young girls empowerment, as well as the inclusion of vulnerable people at the same time as investment in research and technological innovation. However, the pact that we will adopt up following this summit will be in vain if the most pressing questions that are hindering the proper functioning of our organizations but also the making of progress within our respective states possible, particularly the less developed countries, if these are not resolved. Indeed, no future can be envisaged unless this entire continent, indeed, in this case, Africa, does not find its rightful place once again within our organization through two permanent seats being granted to it within the Security Council. In the same vein, no bright future can be envisaged unless there is real solidarity in the financing for the SDGs that takes into account the crucial role that artificial intelligence could play in their implementation. No future, indeed, could be implemented without real climate justice and the continuation of actions that seek to support greater inclusion of countries from global forest basins and their role in acceleration of the energy transition. Finally, there can be no future at all while we can still hear weapons being fired and that the community of nations remains notable because of its incapacity to really sanction bellicose attitudes, attitudes that run counter to the charter of our dear organization. Our organization advocates for the peaceful existence between nations. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Planning and Development, Aid Coordination of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and now give the floor to Her Excellency Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, Secretary of Foreign Affairs. of Mexico.

Alicia Bárcena Ibarra: Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished delegates. Jaime Torres, Mexican diplomat from 1947, spoke before this assembly, I quote him, he said, we are meeting at a solemn point in time. This is not that we are meeting here because of the concerns that all peoples have. It is worrying to see how relevant his words are 75 years on, because this is a crucial point in time, and this summit of the future is the time to renew the collective commitment of the international community to multilateralism, an indispensable vehicle to face current challenges, but which is being questioned increasingly. One year away from the UN’s 80th birthday, it has enormous challenges to fulfill the essence of its mandate to preserve humanity from the scourge of war, to protect all human rights, international law, to collectively address climate change and promote inclusive, sustainable development. This is our organization. It cannot be criticized by spectators. We are responsible as we look at our own capacities and our own shortcomings. This summit, therefore, is a good point in time to take a critical look at the international architecture, recognize the crisis of legitimacy that the UN is facing, and to sow the seeds of hope for the future. We come to this summit after very many efforts to We’ve come here with expectations to find agreements. Mexico will continue to deploy efforts to serve as a bridge between various schools of thought. The world of 2024 is very different to that of 1945 with regard to its centers of power and military structures. Things have changed radically. Armed conflicts, the risk of a nuclear war, the climate crisis, growing inequality, and the accelerated technological change with all of those challenges and opportunities. But above all, erosion of public trust in global institutions requires us to take urgent action. Multilateralism must overcome nationalist partial views and find forms of implementation on the basis of differentiated but shared responsibility. Address injustice and inequality. In this process of negotiating the pact, Mexico has made a contribution with specific proposals to move towards substantive gender equality, to rethink development models that remove privileges, and to address environmental degradation and exchange that for sustainability. We want the world to be inclusive and representative and rather than an additional document, we need to look at three issues. We need to have a world free of nuclear weapons in the context of high military tension. Secondly, we absolutely need to have funding for development. Thirdly, we need to reform multilateral governance and identify ways that we can reform the Security Council and the international financial architecture. Likewise, we believe that we need to guarantee viable and appropriate transformative solutions that can can measure the situation and measure it together, and then we can give the UN the mandate to measure and implement agendas in cooperation and coordination. The ambition to reform the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, that vision has been diluted, however, in recent years. So it’s an outstanding issue. We need to adapt these structures to the current situation, and we need to have more respect for the South and eliminate the veto. We urgently need to examine the way in which fora function in order to overcome citizens’ disillusion and speedily take the necessary action that we need to in the United Nations. I extend the greetings of my President and Claudia Schema, who will be the first President of Mexico, in the new administration. We will spare no effort to implement the pact. We won’t achieve this alone. We’ll do this together. And when a woman does this, we do it all together. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank Secretary of Foreign Affairs. of Mexico and now give the floor to His Excellency Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain.

Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani: In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, Your Excellency, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Your Excellency, President of the General Assembly, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses, Honorable Attendees, At the outset, I would like to convey His Excellency, His Royal Highness, the King of Bahrain, who wishes that this summit would come up with tangible and successful outcomes, as provided for in the Pact of the Future, which was under discussion. We express our sincere appreciation to the effort of the Secretary General and all co-facilitators Germany and Namibia for this valuable initiative, which coincides with the challenges facing the world today. Our world today is actually facing huge and interlinked challenges. This requires that we renew our commitment and effort by working together effectively to counter the root causes of such challenges. This overcomes the countering of the direct challenges to peace, security, prosperity and development. Instead, it requires greater studying of the main reasons, which include achieving fair and sustainable development, guaranteeing wider access to science and technology for all countries, empowering our youth, effectively cooperating to end conflicts and supporting the principles of international law. The Kingdom of Bahrain is fully committed to such objectives. This is underpinned on our strong principles and norms, in line with the vision of His Royal Highness, the King of Bahrain. In this vein, I would like to stress that Bahrain, under the guidance of His Highness, the King of Bahrain, has made concerted effort to sure that the Arab summit hosted by Bahrain last May would come up with valuable outcome. All Arab leaders agreed on the need to put an end to the Israeli-Arab conflict through the two-state solution and the establishment of a sovereign, viable Palestinian state. The summit has adopted the Bahrain initiative to host an initiative to hold a conference in the Middle East, and we will accept also the full-fledged membership of Palestine in the United Nations. The summit stressed that Arab countries would commit to counter the wider humanitarian, political, and social challenges facing our world. This included initiatives that aimed at greater health care and education for those affected by conflict. This will come through the cooperation with concerned agencies and the United Nations, as well as supporting technological financing systems to assist our countries. Your Excellency, the Secretary General, on behalf of the Kingdom of Bahrain, I would like once again to welcome the summit of the future. We look forward for constructive solutions through concrete steps that would impact all our peoples and countries. Thank you.

Chair: I thank Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, and now I give the floor to His Excellency Yusuf Maitama Tuggar Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria.

Yusuf Maitama Tuggar: the regards and best wishes of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, I wish to commend the convening of the Summit of the Future to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. With most of the Global South significantly behind in the implementation of the SDGs 2030 agenda, it is imperative we adopt measures to address challenges impeding development. This is especially important in Africa, where economies are most vulnerable due to historical imbalances in the international multilateral system. The SDG index estimates that only about 16% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved. We must, therefore, ensure that today’s adoption of the Pact for the Future is backed by a real willingness to fulfill outstanding commitments. With the remaining 84% of the SDG targets for 2030 yet to be achieved, countries in the Global North must do more to support sustainable development in the Global South. We are optimistic that these targets can be met if commitments are backed by action. However, in the event we fall short of achieving the SDG targets by 2030, we strongly believe that the deadline should be extended. Excellencies, the collective resolve and support of the international community could help Africa to address regional challenges, particularly to sustainable financing for the SDG implementation. We must, therefore, take action-oriented measures to engender the following. One, reform of the UN Security Council to ensure a permanent seat for Africa. Two, reform of the international financial architecture to promote an inclusive, non-discriminatory approach to the SDG. discriminatory and transparent international trading system, as well as to implement comprehensive debt relief measures. Three, fulfillment of all commitments under the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, particularly to facilitate sustainable financing for development. Four, support for local indigenous production and export from Africa. Five, strengthening of measures to ensure timely repatriation of illicit financial flows and assets. Six, adoption of a U.N. Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation to ensure African economies are no longer shortchanged through tax evasion and exclusion in global tax decision-making. Seven, support for the actualization and implementation of the U.N. Secretary General’s SDG Stimulus Proposal, which includes a provision of $500 billion per year for the Global South. Eight, commitment to fossil fuel energy transition. Nine, access to the climate loss and damage funds for the Global South. And ten, bridging the digital divide between the Global North and South through technology sharing and capacity building, including in areas such as artificial intelligence, to ensure no one is left behind. It is also imperative the international community develops measures to enhance a common understanding on cryptocurrency, given its significant impact on the global economy, as well as its links to transnational crime and money laundering. In concluding, I wish to reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Our collective resolve to accelerate the SDGs through the Pact for the Future should result in concrete measures and solutions to the challenges of the Global South, most especially Africa. I thank you.

Chair: Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and now give the floor to his Excellency Albert Shingiro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation of Burundi.

Albert Shingiro: President, distinguished delegates, all protocols observed. I can’t begin to express the joy, happiness and privilege that I have this time as I’m taking the floor at this Summit for the Future. On behalf of His Excellency Mr. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi, who gave me the honor of representing him at this meeting to which he wishes fruitful and constructive outcomes. President, in addition to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic which is weighing heavily still on our economies and the negative effects of climate change, frozen wars, terrorism in several regions of the world, geostrategic positioning, trade tensions and the rejection of multilateralism and the erosion of international solidarity is a real and existential threat to us all. Today more than ever the world seems to be walking further away, further and further away from the ideals of peace, security and solidarity and cooperation which, as you know, were the guiding compass of the founding fathers of the United Nations from 1945. Collective rules are regularly flouted, yielding to muscle diplomacy and demoting preventive diplomacy, the spirit of compromise and international solidarity to the background. In these conditions, President… What else could we expect other than the disintegration of the world into warring blocks as we’re seeing at the moment? What else could we expect other than the weakening of multilateralism? increasing exclusion and inequality The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer President the situation is grave very grave indeed And no one can say with any certainty What we can expect in several years or indeed several decades nevertheless. We should not be excessively discouraged We should not be led to inertia on the contrary presidents. We owe it to ourselves to act individually and collectively to Calmly tackle the challenges of the current of the world today in order to build solidarity and a peaceful stable Prosperous world and thus spare future generations from the horrors of war and and to avoid repeating the dark history that humanity saw before the creation of our shared organization In order to do this president. We must respect the commitments made in regional international forum whether this be regarding protecting the planet or promoting peace and international peace and security and human rights Digital cooperation Whether it be the fight against all forms of exclusion the creation of a climate of trust As well as the far-reaching and comprehensive reform of global governance To make it more legitimate inclusive effective and better adapted to the realities of the contemporary world President this is why my country Burundi it is to the spirit and letter of the pact of the future And its annexes as negotiated and adopted by our respective governments this morning in this very room Nevertheless, it is a matter of public record that signing a pact is one thing and implementing it is another. The political will of all stakeholders, the respect for commitments on all levels, as well as salvaging multilateralism, all of this is the only secure and sustainable way to make sure that this pact isn’t just another document, but it should be a kind of compass which guides us together towards a peaceful, inclusive, prosperous world to benefit current and future generations. Thank you for your kind attention.

Chair: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development, Cooperation of Burundi, and now give the floor to His Excellency Hussein Awad Ali, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sudan.

Hussein Awad Ali: In the name of God, peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, Mr. President, Your Excellency, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Excellencies, Your Highnesses, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen. At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, in the name of the delegation of Sudan, on holding this important summit. We wish you all the success. We reiterate our support to the effort of the Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency António Guterres, to reform this international organization. This is more important and urgent now, in light of the crises, tensions, wars, and threats witnessed today. today. These threaten not only our current generation, but the future generations and our planet as well. Mr. President, the challenges, crises, their reasons and complications are crystal clear. All statements addressed the challenges and problems, whether in this chamber or elsewhere, are the hope of reaching solutions and settlements and also fearing their dangerous repercussions today and in the future. In light of the above, I would like to share with you the current issues which in our point of view represent a huge challenge to our organization and to our developing countries. It requires comprehensive and urgent solutions. First, there is a need to strictly adhere to the UN Charter, its principles and purposes. We must avoid highlighting certain principles and not the others or interpreting such principles and rules. The stability of our international order is underpinned on the respect of the UN Charter, especially the non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, the respect of state sovereignty and its territorial integrity, and the non-use of force in international relations. It’s regrettable to see such double standards and selectivity in implementing these principles. This underlines the credibility of the international system. We regret that certain legal mechanisms are used to achieve such political objectives. This is what we are subjected to today. Second, it’s important to adopt a comprehensive reform of the international financial architecture to counter the challenges and problems facing developing countries, post-conflict countries, and those in special situations, especially due to poverty, conflicts, or climate change. Some are also subject to sanctions, which undermine their ability to achieve the SDGs. There is a need to counter poverty in all its forms. We must ensure the right to development and put it at the forefront of our priorities to ensure that no one is left behind. We have seen a great consensus in the different negotiation rounds on the Pact of the Future document, and especially the reform of the international financial institutions and their modernization. This would help us to achieve the desired objectives and ensure an equitable representation to the developing countries, their participation in decision-making processes, access to capital and financing, and ensuring long-term assistance. It would also encourage investment and addressing sovereign debt as well as the debt restructuring. We must mobilize resources and promote mechanisms to ensure technical transfer, our technology transfer, and building the capacity of future generations. Third, we believe that the United Nations can be an appropriate podium to lead the reform of the international financial institutions. Fourth, the joint… future of humanity depends. The sound was cut off.

Chair: I thank Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sudan. And now give the floor to His Excellency Carlos Pinto Pereira, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities of Guinea-Bissau. I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sudan. to His Excellency Carlos Pinto Pereira, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation Communities of Guinea-Bissau.

Carlos Pinto Pereira: Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the President of the Republic, I have the honour to transmit the message he had for this Assembly. It is with great pleasure that I address the Summit of the Future, a crucial event that gathers global leaders to discuss our common path to a better tomorrow. I thank the Secretary General and all the organizers for this opportunity to share Guinea-Bissau vision on the opportunities we have. We live in an interconnected world where climate change, poverty, inequalities, and health crises require collective responses. The Summit of the Future is an essential platform to renew our commitment with the multilateral cooperation and to strengthen our determination and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals until 2030. Guinea-Bissau, as all countries in development, has significant poverty, food insecurity, and impact of climate change. daily our population. In the meanwhile we see opportunities. We believe that with the support of the international community we can implement innovative solutions that will benefit not only our country but the whole region and the world. Education is the basis to build a more prosperous future. Invest in education, in a quality education for all. It’s essential to give capacity to our population and promote sustainable development. We need to guarantee that all children and youth have access to an education that can prepare them to the future. The youth are the force of our future. Today youth are the leaders of tomorrow and it is crucial that we give them the opportunities and the tools so that they can contribute fully to the societies. We should involve youth in the decision-making processes and guarantee that their voices are heard and valorized. Decisions we take today have an impact in future generations. It is our responsibility to guarantee that we leave a better world to our children and grandchildren. We should adopt policies that support sustainability of environment, social and economic sustainability and ensure that future generations can live in a better world with justice and peace. To tackle today’s challenges we should reform our governance systems. The summit of the future is a turning point where we can adopt concrete measures. to turn our institutions more inclusive, representative, and we should guarantee that no one is left behind and that all countries, independently of their size and economic growth, can have a say in our common future. Guinea-Bissau is committed to its part and we are working hard to strengthen our institutions, to promote peace and stability, and implement policies that can promote sustainable development. However, we recognize that we cannot achieve that alone. We need continuous support from international communities, from the international community, from the United Nations to achieve our objectives. Excellence, the summit of the future is a unique opportunity to reaffirm our commitment and to build a path for a more fair and just future. Guinea-Bissau is ready to cooperate and contribute to this global endeavor. Together, we can… Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs of International Cooperation and Community of Guinea-Bissau and now give the floor to His Excellency, Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali.

Abdoulaye Diop: Mr. President, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of His Excellency, Colonel Asimi Goita, President of the Transition Head of State and President of the Alliance of Sahel States, bringing together Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The summit that brings us together for this pact is… is coming at an appropriate time, our common organization, the United Nations, was indeed created to preserve future generations from the scourge of war. It is regrettable to see that after almost 80 years, we have never been as threatened by existential challenges as we are now, but most of them are avoidable. The proliferation of tensions and crises in the world, particularly terrorism, poverty, climate change, inequality, illnesses, geopolitical confrontations, and neo-colonial domination and hegemony have sorely tested our framework for multilateral action incorporated by the United Nations itself. This now seems to be a world of yesterday. We had a lot of hope in the international forces deployed in our country, but ten years on we have had to conclude that this was a failure and the government has had to strengthen its defense and security capacities itself. This has made it possible for us to make tangible progress in reconquering our territory and preserving our national integrity and protecting our population. Here I’d like to renew the thanks of my country to countries and organizations, including the United Nations, that have expressed their solidarity with my country in the light of the cowardly terrorist attacks carried out in my country on the 17th of September last. We thank the United Nations and the Security Council for stating that it’s important for all member states to act to fight terrorism by respecting their international commitments and particularly not to support sponsors of terrorism. They must be brought to justice. The summit of the future is a new departure for international cooperation in an international multilateral framework that can offer a bright future for the whole of humanity. But we have to act together to renew our commitment for a thoroughgoing change to the multilateral system that has governed world affairs up until now. In this regard, it is essential that decisions meet the aspirations of our peoples, particularly those of the Global South. It’s also essential that we have the courage to proceed to reform our current multilateral institutions, particularly the Security Council and international financial institutions, in order to adapt them to the realities of our time, so that they are more inclusive, more just, and fairer. And above all, more representative. The issue of young people is very important, and that must be a major concern for us. My country, Mali, is attached to the principles of our Charter, namely the non-interference in domestic affairs of states and respect for the sovereignty of states. Mali also pays particular attention to the issue of financing for development, particularly sustainable development. We feel that the digital issue is also essential, and my country has undertaken an ambitious digitization program of public services. Finally, we believe that the Pact for the Future is very ambitious nationally and internationally, but it must go beyond a mere declarational promise. It must meet the aspirations of current and future generations. I thank you.

Chair: I thank Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mali. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc, Minister for Foreign foreign affairs and international cooperation in the revitalized transitional government of national unity of the Republic of South Sudan.

Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc: Your Excellencies, esteemed leaders and distinguished participants, on behalf of the government and the people of the Republic of South Sudan, I am honored to address the Summit of the Future, a platform that invites us to shape a collective vision for a peaceful, equitable and sustainable world. As a young nation still navigating the challenges of post-conflict recovery, South Sudan looks to the future with hope and determination. We are committed to playing our role in ensuring that future generations inherit a world where peace, opportunity and dignity are accessible to all. In this regard, we wish to highlight the following priorities. South Sudan’s journey has taught us that peace is a base of everything and the base of progress. We call upon the international community to continue supporting efforts for peaceful conflict resolution, dialogue and reconciliation in our country and in other countries. The future we envision must be free from wars and we believe in the power of diplomacy and cooperation in achieving lasting peace. Climate change remains one of the most urgent threats to our future. In South Sudan, the effect of the climate change, flood drought and unpredictable weather erupted the livelihoods of millions of our citizens. We call for global solidarity in addressing climate change by investing in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and environmental conversation to secure a resilient future for our people and the world. The key pillar of future lays in our youth. South Sudan young population is the greatest asset that we have, and empowering them through education, innovation, and entrepreneurship is very essential. South Sudan is committed to fostering a diversified economy that reduce our dependency on oil and open doors for innovation, agriculture, and regional trade. We seek partnership that encourage inclusive economic growth, job creation, and infrastructure development to elevate the standards of living for all our citizens. As we gather at this summit, we stand united with the global community in our commitment to shaping a future that is built on hope, justice, and solidarity. South Sudan is ready to contribute to the global effort of creating a world where all people, regardless of background, geography, or everything, have the opportunity to thrive. Let’s seize this opportunity and moment to build a future that we all aspire to. I thank you all.

Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the revitalized transitional government of national unity of the Republic of Sudan, South Sudan, and now I give the floor to the African Union.

African Union: Heads of State and Government, Mr. Your Excellency Philemon Yang, President of the United Nations General Assembly, Your Excellency Antonio Guterres, my United Nations Secretary-General, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to commend the Secretary-General for his tireless commitment to overcome global challenges, which are more complex every time and every day, and they threaten the existence of humans and other life forms more and more. The summit of the future, here we are, created and organized under your impetus, dear Antonio, and it can claim the honor of having accurately reflected the issues at stake. It completes the picture and the context through providing the best solution to successfully overcome the obstacles in our way. The solution is the adherence of all member states of the United Nations to the principles of multilateralism, solidarity, not hostility, with respect not scorn, peace not war, sharing not exclusion, freedom not servitude, equality and not supremacy. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, clearly declining for a certain amount of time over recent times, multilateralism has been eclipsed under unilateralism and has led to a return of a policy of power struggle. We welcome the Pact of the Future because it builds its deployment around a rejection of this approach. It plans on renewing and strengthening the confidence of states in multilateralism. This position has been constantly defended by the African Union, and hence its interest to fully adhere to the five sections of the pact, and indeed the 60 actions recommended by the pact, particularly the Global Digital Compact, cut across the seven aspirations of the 2063 agenda. For each of these fields, the African Union has created strategies that are then translated into plans of action. even though their implementation has been hobbled significantly by the scarcity of financing and deficiencies in governance. And there’s no point in hiding this. Therefore, these are problems that are familiar to us in Africa, even if Asia and Latin America, in certain respects, are still in the same conditions of precarity that the African people are. The African Union welcomes the philosophy of the pact, which seeks to take into account the specific aspects of developing countries, island states, landlocked countries and LDCs, the majority of which are in Africa. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, while the African Union welcomes this holistic approach that embraces and reflects the whole landscape of the challenges to come, it is no less does it also ask profound questions on the ways of implementing all of these actions. A lot of promises have been made, even though they have not necessarily been followed up on. Let’s hope that this time the wealthy keep their promises and Africa and other parts of the world themselves can be sources of intelligence, motivation, willingness and necessary solidarity for it to become an emergency economy and save their economies. Safeguarding an environment that is enabling for this and the conditions for success of the digital revolution are the best keys for the future. The hymns currently sung today by hundreds of millions of young Africans is resonant and this is a question of renaissance. The next G20 in Africa will be represented, where Africa will be jointly represented by the African Union and the Republic of South Africa. The speaker’s microphone has been cut off.

Chair: I thank the representative of the African Union and now give the floor to Her Excellency Diana Elena Mondino, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina.

Diana Elena Mondino: This forum is for us to think constructively about the challenges that the international community has and how we can address those challenges. This is a special opportunity to express our points of view. Argentina has decided to operate a society where people are responsible for their actions but can act in freedom and where we have equality for all. We want to address the challenges of terrorism, the threats to territorial integrity, democracy, international security and economic development. In order to do this, we take as our guide the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. Deviations from these purposes and principles create problems, not just in a given country that loses its own freedom but also for those countries interacting with that country and we see this all the time. It’s our obligation to remember what it says in our national constitution and since 1953 we have liberal principles which we should never have departed from since 1973 and we are convinced that an agenda should not be made up of main principally of declarations. We need to state how we’re going to get to where we want to go and for this we need economic freedom. Hunger will not give us economic growth. Development means that we need to respect institutions and respect private property above all. Our young people will have a better future if we respect life and freedom. Argentina has embarked upon this path and we’ve carried out our own realistic diagnosis as hard as that may have been and we are beginning a serious transformational reform of the state, opening ourselves up to the world and assuming the commitment to be able to say proudly that we want to be one of the freest countries of the international community. And in exercising that freedom, my country would like to recall that agendas such as this that bring us together today are made up of aspirations which, legally speaking, are not binding. And every state, as they exercise their sovereignty, has the right to interpret these things autonomously, taking into account the various realities, capacities and level of development of each country, and respecting its national policies and priorities, such as stated in Resolution 7001 of the General Assembly. However, very many points of the pact and its annexes have certain reservations. This document has been worked on now since 2022 with our government, and the current Argentine government is in the process of advanced negotiations. Nevertheless, we have proposed various constructive actions which were not always taken into account, and that meant that on those points we had to disassociate ourselves. However, when it comes to the pact of the future, these things aren’t an obstacle for Argentina. On the contrary, we want to have wings for our growth, our growth in freedom. Mr. President, my country reaffirms our commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and an international rules-based order based on democratic values. We want to demonstrate that the only fight that’s worth fighting is the cultural one, showing that it’s possible to have peace between nations, and we hope that the outcome of this exercise will lead us to a safer and a more prosperous world. You can be sure that my country is prepared to continue, as we always have done, working together to think again together about how we can face the new challenges that are occurring. and challenging us as humanity. Not just words, but work, work, and more work. That is the best and really the only solution. We want to be free to choose a better world, and I’m sure that all members of this assembly also want to guarantee this for all of the men, women, and children that make up our common home. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Chair: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Worship of Argentina, and now I’ll give the floor to the representative of the International Development Law Organization.

International Development Law Organization: Mr. President, Excellencies, it is a pleasure to participate in the summit on behalf of IDLO, the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law to advance peace and sustainable development. The commitments in the Pact for the Future, together with the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations, can help tackle our biggest challenges and build a renewed multilateralism, but only if we work together to make them a reality. IDLO’s 40 years of experience, partnering with some 100 countries, has shown us that the rule of law is key to delivering on the bold ambition of this summit. Let me share three reasons why. First, the rule of law is critical to rebuilding public trust. The unmet demand for justice is at the root of multiple crises around the globe. The rule of law helps ensure fairness, accountability, and transparency. People-centered justice systems protect the rights of the least powerful and give people confidence that institutions are working in the interests of all. The inclusion of women, youth, and other historically excluded groups is essential for the whole-of-society approaches needed for lasting peace and sustainable development. Secondly, the rule of law, most prominently reflected in Goal 16, can accelerate progress across the whole 2030 Agenda. The rule of law principles of inclusivity, equity, and non-discrimination are incorporated throughout all 17 SDGs. Effective laws and accessible and accountable institutions are essential for implementation. Finally, the rule… of law is key to reinvigorate and repurpose multilateralism for the 21st century. The rule of law at the international level, as enshrined in the Charter, guarantees the sovereign equality of member states and is the basis for the preservation of international peace and security. A multilateral system that is fit for the future requires rule-of-law-based solutions to deal with complex transnational challenges, including climate change and the regulation of frontier technologies such as AI, to ensure that progress is rights-based and avoids creating new forms of inequality. For these reasons, IDLO welcomes the many references in the Pact to the rule of law, justice, human rights, and the promotion of gender equality. We hope that these words will be backed by tangible action and financing in national budgets and ODA. We look forward to the linkages with the Financing for Development Conference next year. IDLO remains committed to collaborating with all partners to work towards a more peaceful, just and sustainable world through the rule of law. There is no better investment that we can make in our collective future, and it is the best way for us to stand in solidarity with future generations. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the International Development Law Organization and now give the floor to the representative of the United Nations Development Programme.

United Nations Development Programme: Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Today on the occasion of the Summit of the Future, many will perhaps be forgiven for wondering how people outside of this hall will receive the Pact when we live in a world divided and scarred by conflict, with fault lines such as growing poverty and inequalities, climate change, and the destruction of our natural world. Many of the distinguished speakers have addressed themselves to these today. Yet, amidst these tremors, the young people of our world, of our communities, and the young people that I have met here during the past two days, the action days in New York, have truly stood out to me. Their faith in a better tomorrow holds and their determination to build it as well. So what is the United Nations Development Program’s unique offer to put the five areas of the pact for the future into action? First, on sustainable development financing, our efforts include supporting 86 countries at this moment in implementing integrated national financing frameworks to channel billions of dollars to key areas from job creation to gender equality, the energy transitions, nature, and just one stream of engagement to shape the new SDG financing ecosystem that has been so central also in the pact. Second, over 2 billion people currently live in countries affected by conflict and instability. Our global development support, alongside the humanitarian response, continues to provide a proven pathway out of these crises by enabling millions of people to access essential services such as water, clean energy, and livelihoods, and ultimately enabling them to still have a perspective of the future. Third, UNDP is working to ensure that young people have a meaningful say in the future areas like climate change and our climate promise. This initiative is now the vehicle through which the UN family is mobilizing support to 125 countries to advance their NDCs that can still give our next generation the hope to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Fourth, in this age of opportunities, digital technologies spread quickly but not evenly. Yesterday’s SDG Digital Day was a remarkable convening of leaders from the entrepreneurial world, big business, but also startups, government regulators, policymakers, citizens. Our ability to turn this opportunity that the summit also with the compact has focused on is central to the promise to these young people. UNDP’s expertise will help advance the global Digital Compact to realize that brighter digital future for everyone, everywhere, by accompanying dozens of countries on their digital transformation pathways. I would like to thank all countries represented here in the General Assembly Hall for the confidence and the trust that you continue to place in the development promise of the United Nations. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the United Nations Development Program, and now I give the floor to the representative of World Health Organization.

World Health Organization: Mr. President, Excellencies, I have three minutes and three requests. First, a commitment to promote, provide, and protect health. Health is not created in clinics and hospitals. It’s created in streets, homes, communities, schools, markets, workplaces, and parliaments. It’s created in the air people breathe, the food they eat, the water they drink, the condition in which they live and work, and in our changing climate. When people do need care, they must be able to access the health services they need when and where they need them without facing financial hardship by paying for care out of their own pockets. Second, a commitment to a pandemic agreement. The COVID-19 pandemic showed that when health is at risk, everything is at risk. The outbreaks of Mpox in Africa demonstrate once again why the world needs the WHO pandemic agreement, a shared approach to share. threats. There are those who say the pandemic agreement will cede sovereignty to WHO, giving it the power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates. This is not true. It’s a fake information. The agreement is being negotiated by countries for countries and will be implemented in countries in accordance with their own national laws, period. And third, a commitment to peace. This time last week I was in Adra on the Chad-Sudan border, which more than 640,000 Sudanese have crossed in search of safety and food. These are among more than 12 million people displaced. The conditions are indescribable, the needs overwhelming, and the international community is not giving this crisis the attention it deserves. WHO is working with our partners to deliver aid to Sudan and meet the health needs of both refugees and the host communities. But the people of Sudan need more than aid, like the people of Gaza and Ukraine, is a ceasefire, a political solution, and peace. Because there is no health without peace, and there is no peace without health. A commitment to promote, provide, and protect health, a commitment to pandemic agreement, and a commitment to peace. Thank you so much.

Chair: I thank the representative of the World Health Organization and now give the floor to the representative of the United Nations Office for Project Services

United Nations Office for Project Services: Mr. President, this year’s Summit of the Future marks a crucial opportunity for the international community to deliver on the promise of creating a more peaceful, fair and just world. greener, safer future for people and the planet. It is a moment of realism in the face of the many challenges our world faces, but also a moment of hope and determination to work together to overcome those challenges and build a better future for all. Today multilateralism received a boost. The pact of the future is three years’ worth of important analysis, discussions, and negotiations. It represents an ambitious response to the youth’s aspirations on peace and sustainable development. UNOPS is committed to supporting the outcome of the Summit of the Future. Through our focus on practical solutions, we support our partners to respond to conflicts and crises, deliver sustainable development, and advance climate action, responding to needs now while building the foundations for a sustainable and peaceful future. We do this by supporting our partners to implement projects through our expertise in infrastructure, procurement, and project management. Mr. President, we already have a vision of the future we want for people and the planet. Yet, our progress is painfully slow. Finance and policy gaps are a part of the problem. But to succeed in delivering, we all need to better understand and respond to the challenges of implementation, particularly where needs are greatest, including in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. UNOPS stands ready to bridge the gap that exists between ambitions and reality on the ground, always working in partnerships, always driven by the commitment to fight inequalities and to provide opportunities for the most vulnerable. We take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to young people and future generations as part of this journey. We are determined to support efforts to create a world where every child and young person can thrive and reach their full potential, a world where the voices of the youth are heard, and where they are an active part of our collective. efforts to find sustainable solutions to our shared challenges. Our future hangs in the balance. We owe it to the present and future generations to act collectively, responsibly, and decisively to deliver peace and prosperity for people and the planet. UNOPS is committed to this effort. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the United Nations Office for Project Services, and now I give the floor to the representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, we strongly welcome the adoption of the pact for the future. Member states have provided clear guidance. Now we need to implement it. At UNIDO, we are committed to leading concrete solutions for inclusive and sustainable industrial development in line with our mandate within the UN system. We specifically welcome the strong call in Action 4 to close the SDG financing gap by scaling up investments in sustainable industrialization. The landmark outcomes of all the major conferences this year are telling us the same story. To achieve the SDGs, developing countries need to invest in transforming their economies and industrialize. Countries that do industrialize are making the biggest strides in poverty eradication, ending poverty, and wealth creation, both historically and today. Every job in manufacturing creates, on average, 2.5 jobs in other sectors of the economy. Action 2 and 3 on poverty and hunger depend on realizing this strong nexus which holds true in an increasingly digital world. Equally, Action 9 on climate change requires that we prioritize the decarbonization of heavy-emitting industries for current and future organizations. And there is good news. Industry is already part of the solution and the driver of green innovation today, with industrial firms holding nearly 60 percent of green patents globally. And finally, as this summit aspires to reform global governance, it must also help to set standards for the global economy. Fair and sustainable supply chains are a must, and Action 29 is critical in this regard. Excellencies, UNIDO is already actively working towards these and other actions in the pact. In addition to flagship initiatives on industrial deep decarbonization and green hydrogen, we have launched new ones, such as the Global Alliance and Partnership for Responsible and Green Minerals. I’m also pleased to invite you to our upcoming flagship initiatives this year, the Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum 2024 in Riyadh next month, and the World Without Hunger Conference in Addis in November. Allow me to conclude and reiterate that UNIDO is committed to working with all of you to implement the pact through concrete solutions on the ground. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the Distinguished Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Sovereign Order of Malta: Mr. Speaker, Heads of State and Government, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. The Sovereign Order of Malta is one of the most ancient institutions in the world, with more than 900 years of service to those in need, and we are honoured to join in this summit and to subscribe to the pact for the future. We share with you our commitment to working with all of you to implement the pact through concrete solutions on the ground. the sense of hope and determination that inspires the pact in looking in positive terms and with confidence at the future. Technology and scientific innovation, artificial intelligence in particular, may carry substantial improvements and advances for humankind. We should never lose sight, however, of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in our societies. Leave no one behind corresponds indeed to the core and the inspiring source of the historical mission of the Sovereign Order of Malta and must represent an imperative for the whole international community. The overarching goal of the eradication of poverty should thus remain at the heart of international efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. No progress at the economic and social level can be achieved without preserving and strengthening the system of multilateral cooperation centered around the United Nations. We renew our appeal for respect for international humanitarian law. Tragic elements and events connected with wars, conflicts, internal strife, where civilians and relief operators are subject to and even become deliberate targets of military attacks. Violence and acts of inhuman treatment are wholly unacceptable. The Sovereign Order of Malta is determined to continue its mission for the benefit of those who should not be left behind. We serve the sick, the poor, the disadvantaged on every continent based upon the principles of neutrality and impartiality without discrimination as to nationality, religion, or gender. Among our most significant emergency operations, I wish to recall those in Ukraine and now Gaza, where we provide food and other aid in cooperation with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The order attaches utmost importance to the goal of safeguarding and promoting religious freedom. Religions, dialogue amongst them, and the work of faith-based organizations can be powerful vehicles of conflict mediation, social advancement, and sustainable development. Together we can accelerate progress toward a future where dignity, human rights, access to health and education are realities for all, leaving no one behind.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of the Sovereign Order of Malta, and now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Thank you, Mr. President. This morning, we heard from three young people, including Monica, a bright woman, a refugee. I don’t have much to add to her wise and beautiful words, but let me reflect from the same perspective, as the future also belongs to all the young people who, like Monica, have been forced to flee their homes because of our collective failure to make peace. And so these young people are now forced to dream of a new future, away from their countries or their communities. What will those dreams be? What will be the dreams of 120 million refugees and displaced people? We have the opportunity to help them shape the future, especially those for whom it brings fear as much as hope. We have the opportunity to say that we refuse to let refugees bear the price of our failures, that we refuse to abandon those countries and communities that have been hosting refugees decade after decade. And what a chance we have to include refugees and all displaced people, young and old, to open doors, schools, clinics to them, with support from the international community, so they can contribute to the communities hosting them, while we work together. finding solutions to their plight. Let us all, donors, host countries, the private sector, the UN, civil society, displaced people, all work towards the vision of the Global Compact on Refugees, where refugees are seen as an opportunity and not a burden, and they can think of a future in which they are not refugees. And let me add UNHCR’s voice to Monica’s voice, to the voice of all the displaced and join them in the call for peace. At this summit for the future, we must be able to imagine and work towards a future without refugees, but without peace, Mr. President, this will simply not happen. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Nations Environmental Program, Environment Program.

United Nations Environment Program: Excellencies, as environmental, technological, and social change join forces to disrupt human, planetary, and economic health, we must not just prepare for the future, we must shape it so that coming generations can live in peace, prosperity, and equity. This summit and the pact for the future that emerges from it can help us do exactly that. The pact acknowledges that there can be no sustainable future, no economic stability without a healthy environment. Action 10 calls for a shift to a world in which humanity lives in a harmony with nature, a world with healthy lands, water, and oceans, a world with stable climate, a world free of pollution, a world in which humanity sustainably and equitably uses resources. Now commitments have already been made to deliver this shift in many multilateral agreements that cover the three planetary crises, the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss and desertification, and the crisis of pollution and waste. And a new commitment is coming as negotiations on an instrument to end plastic pollution will conclude in Busan this November. UNEP calls on all member states to do their utmost to forge a strong, impactful agreement and quickly move to the adoption, ratification and implementation. To deliver on all agreements and strengthen sustainable development, we must operationalize the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. We must commit to financial and economic transformations that build equity and resilience. We must ensure circularity and sustainable consumption and production, including in the energy transition and digital transformation. And we must adopt One Health approaches that improve human, animal and planetary health at the same time. And finally, we must identify and respond to the emerging challenges that cause disruptions. Member states can count on UNEP’s science, our support and our advocacy as they seek to deliver on the actions that will be reflected in the outcomes of this summit and so shape a sustainable future for the benefit of every person on this planet. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of the United Nations Environment Program, and now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the International Telecommunication Union.

International Telecommunication Union: Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, today is a momentous day for digital, following yesterday’s this amazing Digital Action Days, as just mentioned by the UNDP administrator. Congratulations to member states for delivering the Pact of the Future, the Declaration of Future Generations, and the Global Digital Compact. Today you have sent a powerful message to the world that our future is digital, and that we can, and we must, write it together. ITU as the UN Agency for Digital Technologies will be with you every step of the way. We stand ready to support the implementation of the Compact, just as we did 20 years ago with the World Summit on the Information Society. Now, like then, our common mission is to bridge the digital divides, because we can no longer tolerate that in an age of unimaginable digital opportunities where innovation in areas like artificial intelligence and space continues unabated, one-third of humanity is still unconnected without a voice. Nor can we accept that countless others are left behind because for them the digital experience isn’t affordable enough, isn’t relevant enough, or isn’t safe enough. And now, like then, we must balance the challenges that we face with the opportunities before us. Today, we say no to digital inequalities and yes to digital opportunities. For ITU, this means ensuring that the radio frequency spectrum and the associated satellite orbits, the building blocks of advanced global communications, are shared equitably and sustainably for all of humanity, strengthening international standards at a time when they are taking center stage in global governance discussions, and supporting global digital development. from AI to cyber security, digital literacy, e-waste, emergency telecommunications, regardless of where countries are in their digital journey. Ladies and gentlemen, the future of development, the future of humanity is digital. As we look to 2030, let’s turn the vision of the Pact for the Future and its global digital compact into a lasting reality. Let’s redouble our efforts to advance universal meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation, ITU’s two strategic goals, and the cornerstones of an inclusive and responsible digital future. Let’s rescue the SDGs with digital. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of the International Telecommunication Union, and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Food and Agriculture Organization. Thank you.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, good late afternoon. The world faces a daunting food security and nutrition picture. More than 730 million people worldwide faced hunger in 2023, and more than 2.3 billion were moderate or severely food insecure. We are not on track to achieve any of the global SDG target. And we see that huge inequality persists along the various dimensions, including wealth, gender, rural areas, and accessing assets and opportunities. The future we want is a future that is food insecure for all, for our planet, for our prosperity, and for the future generations to come. We want a future where the right to food is the best human rights security. For this future, we must transform our agri-food system today to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable. The future will be determined by a more equitable agri-food system, and I’m pleased that this is recognized by the proposed PAC for the future. We need to invest integratively on the four betters, better production, better nutrition, better environment, better life, leaving no one behind. This is at the core of the effort work. Allow me to share three key elements for the way forward. One, we must set up an effort to achieve SDGs by 2030. And the second, we must focus on fostering and promoting innovation, public-private partnership, and more cost-effective investment. Three, hunger and food insecurity can be defeated through effective collaboration between all the partners and effectively utilize each other’s expertise and resources. And by leveraging our comparable advantages, we have to do together. Effort will continue to do its part to ensure a better future we want. Have a nice evening and enjoy a healthy food. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of Food and Agriculture Organization, and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Council of Europe.

Council of Europe: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the Council of Europe represented here has a mission to promote and protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law throughout the European continent. And of course, beyond the continent, with everyone who shares the same values. This is what guides us. What guides us is the European Convention on Human Rights, ratified by all of our 46 member states. That convention is interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights. And we share a strong commitment with the United Nations for the – for peace, and this is a relationship that is ongoing with the United Nations. We’re very proud in this regard to be contributing to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. But the Council of Europe also has its own goals. Our current priority is to support Ukraine, which is one of our member states. In the beginning of this year, the Register of Damage has become fully operational. This is a register that receives contributions for the loss and damage caused by the war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation. This is a first tool, but it is absolutely necessary as a step toward an international mechanism for compensation. Here we’ll play a central role, as we will play a key role when it comes to any tribunal aiming to judge the crime of aggression. We’re going to be working together to implement a plan of action for resilience, recovery, and reconstruction in Ukraine as well. The European Conventional of – the European Court of Human Rights is the only international jurisdiction that, as of now, has ruled on human rights violations in the context of the war. There are other tools the Council of Europe has, of course. These have allowed to address the challenges of our time. I could mention the Istanbul Convention to Prevent and Combat Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women, and I could also mention the very recent Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence. This is an – unprecedented treaty, the first of its kind, which aims to protect human rights in the context of technological evolution, which is currently underway. At this anniversary of the Council of Europe, I would like to close the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe. I would like to conclude with advocacy for the greatest number of countries to sign and ratify our key conventions, because at a time when democracy is backsliding, we need to do ever more to promote our values through words and in deeds. This is the best way to bring about a better future and more democratic future for our citizens. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of the Council of Europe and now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

World Intellectual Property Organization: Mr President, distinguished delegates, throughout today we have heard world leaders speak about the magnitude and gravity of the challenges ahead of us. While they are truly sobering, we must not lose hope. Instead, let us remember that it is often in times of crisis that we are at our most innovative and that we must now harness the power of human invention, innovation and creativity to build a more resilient, prosperous and sustainable future. All of this will require us to transform what intellectual property, or IP, means. While in the past IP was viewed as only relevant to the largest corporations in industrialised countries, this is changing. 70% of global IP filings now come from Asia, Africa and Latin America, a huge change from 50% just 20 years ago. At the same time, as more and more countries use digitalisation, entrepreneurship, research and technology to drive growth, IP is shifting from a technical area of of interests only to experts, to an increasingly important cornerstone of economic and trade policy, a catalyst for growth and development, and a key enabler for addressing our common global challenges. In response, WIPO is transforming the global IP ecosystem. Allow me to highlight three areas of work. First, we are evolving the global IP regime so that it is more inclusive and vibrant, as well as bringing the global community together to address cutting-edge issues like AI and IP, and the use of IP as a collateral. In May, we made history when all 183 member seats agreed by consensus on a new treaty on IP, genetic resources, and associated traditional knowledge. This is not just a victory of multilateralism, but also shows that the global IP system can be both pro-inclusivity and pro-innovation. Second, bringing IP to all. In the past two years, we have launched WIPO’s first IP and gender action plan, our first IP youth empowerment strategy, and transformed our development assistance, including a graduation package for LDCs, and rolling out over 80 customized projects that have uplifted thousands of beneficiaries around the world. These efforts are meeting growing demand for IP knowledge and skills. Over the past four years, the WIPO Academy, the world’s largest provider of IP education, trained over 500,000 people, over 80% from developing countries. Third, connecting the world. Our international registries facilitate the cross-border movement of hundreds of thousands of technologies and solutions each year, while WIPO Green, our global tech matching platform for climate change technologies, accelerates the deployment of such solutions around the world. Covering 130,000 technologies from over 140 countries, it is the largest climate change tech platform in the UN system. To conclude, IP is no longer just about technical IP laws, but also a catalyst for progress, opportunity, and sustainability. WIPO pledges to work with everyone to harness the power of IP innovation and creativity to support the aims of this summit. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the Distinguished Representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization and now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of the International Organization for Migration.

International Organization for Migration: Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives, on behalf of IOM, I commend and thank the United Nations Secretary General for convening us all today, and the co-facilitators of the Pact of the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations, and the co-facilitators of the Pact for the Future, the Declaration of Future Generations, and the Global Digital Compact, and everyone involved in the process for leading negotiations on this landmark document. This summit really embodies the power and potential of multilateralism. IOM, as the coordinator of the UN Network on Migration, supports an agenda for change to rebuild trust and strengthen international cooperation in tackling the challenges of today and tomorrow. Generation after generation of people have moved in search of a better life, and we know many more will move in the future. With this in mind, we cannot take for granted the promise of migration as a solution as we face major global transformations and crises. We at IOM believe that investing in safe, regular, and orderly pathways for migration can help reduce irregular migration, accelerate inclusive growth, strengthen decent work, bridge democratic shifts and labor gaps, and foster sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda, the Global Compact for Migration, the Secretary General’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement are all clear and existing frameworks that can and do guide our work. All of us here today have a collective responsibility to protect and respect the human rights of all migrants. We must live up to that responsibility. We at IOM are delighted to contribute to this milestone. I reiterate our unshakeable commitment to support and work with people on the move and all our partners towards safeguarding our shared future. I thank you.

Chair: I thank the Distinguished Representative of the International Organization for Migration. And now I give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of the Parliamentarian Assembly of the Mediterranean.

Parliamentarian Assembly of the Mediterranean: Mr. President, Your Excellencies, since its inception in 2005, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and its members from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions have been deeply committed to ensuring the implementation of the UN Charter and its deliberations through innovative mechanisms to ensure effective and coordinated follow-up. Today I am honored to renew the commitment of the PEM and its member parliaments to the implementation of the objectives of the Summit of the Future, the Pact for the Future, and the Future Generation Declaration and the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact to, among others, support the establishment and functioning of stronger and more influential multilateral institutions by all member states without exceptions in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the international law obligations. Second, ensure effective responses to current and future challenges, such as food security, climate change, in collaboration with key stakeholders. Three, promote an open, free, and secure digital future anchored in universal human rights. Four, ensure the interests of future generations are taken into account in national and global decision-making processes. At the PAM side event, we announced two concrete initiatives through which the Assembly will contribute to achieving these ambitious goals. First, the creation of a permanent parliamentary observatory of the Global South for the Sustainable Development Goals based and managed by Morocco. Second, the creation of a permanent global parliamentary observatory on the misuse of AI and emerging technologies served by the PAM Center for Global Studies, and that will be a platform for monitoring, analyzing, and promoting effective legislation, principles, and criteria so that these tools are not used by terrorists and criminal groups for their own malicious purposes, but for the benefit of all humanity. Mr. President, speaking of the future requires us all to work to overcome current obstacles, and in the Mediterranean, there is a continuing war regardless of its reasons. Its results will bring more extremism, violence, and hate. It is the war against Gaza and the innocent victims on both sides. We call upon you to give primacy to the sound of reason and to end this conflict and to return to negotiations to implement the resolutions of the international community and to attain the two-state solution, an independent state of Palestine and a safe state of Israel. I thank you.

Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, and now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific: Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the future belongs to our next generation. The future they inherit, however, depends on the choices we now make. With two-thirds of the world’s population living in Asia and the Pacific, the decisions taken in the region will largely determine our collective future. The region accounts for nearly half of the world’s economic activity owing to its large, young, healthy and educated labor force, availability of capital and widespread introduction of technology. Millions have been lifted out of poverty. Out of our 53 members, only one remains low income. Out of the original 14 least developed countries, only five will remain by the decade’s end. Despite the various divides and uneven progress towards sustainable development, its trajectory has undeniably been a success. A future with even greater possibilities, however, calls for a transformative change to this model of development. Given its significant economic size, the region must reduce its carbon emissions through every means possible. With the median age expected to reach 40.5 by 2050, those above 65 will account for a fifth of the total population by 2050. Without further expansion of labor force, we must now fully draw upon the resources that we already have, including women, seniors with the interest in remaining in the workforce and persons with disabilities. With the anticipated drawing down of savings and pensions by retirees and increased demand for social safety nets, an equitable social security system must be established while we are still benefiting from the demographic dividend. Dressing financing gaps as well as debt servicing and mobilization of private sector investment now will be critical. Given the decline in labor force as well as domestic savings, improvement in the quality of life will increasingly depend on the harnessing of technology. Equitable access to new technology, including AI, will shape our collective future. Robust governance and universal connectivity are prerequisite to this inclusive technological transformation. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, our future depends on the potential that we invest in our youth. They must see possibilities, participate in decision-making, and seize opportunities before them. As the Regional Commission for Asia and Pacific, we identify emerging issues and propose solutions, among others, on energy transition pathway, sustainable financing, and inclusive businesses. We must pass on a future with even greater possibilities to the next generation, and we stand ready to support the implementation of the Pact of the Future. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the Distinguished Representative of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and now I give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of the Economic Commission for Europe.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe: Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we are building the future today, step by step, and this is why a strong emphasis on action is essential. We have agreements in place, we have now the Pact for the Future, and it is really the time to implement them. But first, looking at this day’s developments, including this morning’s discussions, it seems right to be reminded for whom we are doing this. We are doing this for the children and youth of today, for our future generation, a generation that hopefully would know to agree better than we do or that we did today when matters are concerning the survival of our planet or the sustainability of our future. That is why I believe that our work on education for sustainable development, a comprehensive program on which at UNICEF we have been intensively working for over 10 years, should be prioritized so that when the youth of today will have to take decisions tomorrow, they will know to put environment and social concerns first before economic or political gains. I encourage you all to do the same, to invest and support education for sustainable development. Dear colleagues, the success of our commitments for the future depends on us, yes, but it also depends on our understanding of the need to have an inclusive approach. The actions are taken by people of all ages, by women and men, by communities, by local and regional authorities in the first place. They are on the front lines. Enabling them, trusting them and partnering with them in the pact of the future implementation is not only a way to be successful, but it is the only way. In two weeks’ time in Geneva, we will convene the city summit of the future. It’s a unique platform in the UN, a forum of mayors where they come in their own capacity, not as part of governmental delegations, really to discuss and agree how to implement the pact in a very practical way, addressing challenges of urbanization, social housing or mobility. And I’m confident that the final statement to the mayors will be one to serve both as a roadmap, but also as an inspiration for some of our global commitments. That is why, once again, I would like to reiterate that action is required and it is required at multiple levels, partnering with both public and private sector, involving international, regional and national actors, local communities and individuals. A third and final observation. Being a regional commission, an economic commission, UNICEF, With a very strong normative footprint, reaching globally when it comes to transboundary water management, air quality, environmental impact assessment, industrial accidents, road safety, transport, classification of critical minerals, there is one thing we understand, that our biggest challenge remains to be the competition over natural resources.

Chair: I thank the representative of the Social Commission for Europe and I now give the floor to the Global Fund for Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Global Fund for Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Excellencies, as a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, the Global Fund welcomes the Pact for the Future that shines a spotlight on the urgency of increasing efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda and to accelerate progress towards better health for all. We applaud the leadership of Namibia and Germany in co-facilitating the Pact of the Future process, including engaging with civil society and communities. Only a pact that champions multilateralism and empowers communities and civil society to be meaningfully involved in global governance can safeguard our collective future. In a world where about 4.5 billion people, more than half of the global population, are not fully covered by essential health services, we know that health is fundamental to eradicate poverty, achieve gender equality, economic growth and to ensure peaceful societies. Now is not the time to shy away from our commitments, but to take advantage of every opportunity to bolster progress towards universal health coverage and raise the bar so we can ensure a healthy future for all. Now more than ever, we need to ensure that global health stays at the center of the international agenda. We hope that the Pact can help elevate our common aspirations for better health and well-being of present and future generations. We applaud the Pact’s focus on climate change as an existential issue of our time, in fact the biggest global health challenge of our time. The phenomenon is destabilizing the foundations of human health, deepening inequalities and leading to the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. Ramping up our collective response is an urgent imperative in today’s challenging context of interconnected crisis. We commend the focus on closing the SDG financing gap. As a unique partnership of government, civil society, the private sector and people affected by the diseases, the Global Fund stands ready to step up the fight to achieve global goals and to prepare for and respond to future risks. The Global Fund is an example of the transformative power of communities and civil society, a partnership powered by equity. And as we come together to applaud the Pact for the Future today, we call on the international community to ensure that this leadership is recognized and upheld. We hope that the Pact for the Future and the urgency and enormity of current challenges will continue to push the global community to find a new course, one that can broaden and deepen multilateralism to create a more healthy, fair and peaceful world for today and for all future generations.

Chair: I thank the representative of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. And I now give the floor to the Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank.

Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank.: Excellencies, it’s an honor to deliver this message on behalf of the CAFA, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, as an observer of the Organization of the United Nations. We are committed with the provisions of the Pact for the Future and the Digital Pact adopted this morning, specifically the adjustments in the international financial system that was referred to. The hope of new generations and the well-being of the population of the planet require rapid and decisive action, echoing the invitation to this summit convened by the Secretary General to decide on what to do and focus on how, rather. We believe it’s important for multilateral development banks and regional ones to be strengthened at all levels to be able to meet current challenges. For this, the international financial architecture must be efficient in deployment of greater resources to achieve sustainable development. The global south requires differentiated approaches, innovative, flexible solutions with appropriate financing to confront the triple transition. The size and characteristics of current challenges were not – could not be predicted when the SDGs were established. I’m talking about the high level of indebtedness, climate change, and the pandemic. And of course, we in the development bank believe that if we had greater capital, we could have the potential to increase resources. It could be a reliable channel to provide financing to meet specific challenges. Thirdly, to generate efficient programs to those who most need it. We will continue. with our role to assist countries by optimizing their tax systems, easing their debt burden, and improving investments as the CAF is ready to take its part in implementing the renewed agenda that has been discussed at this summit to contribute to the well-being of future generations. Thank you very much.

International Labour Organization: Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, the ILO welcomes the summit, which is a unique opportunity to forge pathways towards a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future for both current and future generations. In our interdependent world, no country can solve global issues alone. Multilateral cooperation is critical not only to tackle global challenges but also to advance the national interests of each and every country. This is essential for the world of work. The world needs a more equitable distribution of economic benefits, more inclusive labor markets, and the universal access to social protection. This requires the multilateral system to work together and the involvement of non-state actors, including workers and employers’ organizations. Allow me to recall the ILO Constitution says no lasting peace could be attained without social justice. Hence, ILO, with all its constituents, including the workers and employers organization, embrace the ambition of the UN Pact for the future, including the necessity and the necessary reforms of the global governance and the financing for development agenda. I would like to specifically recall that in 2023, 20% of young people were neither in employment, nor in education, nor in training. And that, as we are speaking, 3.8 billion people have no access to any single social protection. And over 2 billion people are struggling to make a living in the informal economy. With the adoption of the UN Pact for the future, you can count on the ILO, as we have done in the past 100 years, to continue to fight for access to decent work and social justice for all, especially the most vulnerable, as it’s critical for lasting peace and sustainable development. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the International Labour Organization, and I give the floor to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation: Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it is indeed a great honor and privilege for me to have the opportunity to be part of this important gathering and address this plenary session of the Summit of the Future, representing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAC, comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Achieving the post-2015 development agenda, including all the sustainable goals in the remaining period of 2030, will require an ambitious, comprehensive, holistic, and transformative approach with respect to the means of implementation, synergizing the different means of implementation. It is required enhanced and revitalized global partnership in addressing the shared resources and investment gaps. Regionalism can play a crucial role in the endeavor to achieve the accelerated SDGs. It is through the regional cooperation that we can harness our collective strength, share best practices, and address the specific needs of our communities. Each region has its own cultural, economic, and environmental context, and it is essential that we tailor our approaches to fit these diverse landscapes. By fostering the regional partnership, we can create synergies that amplify our efforts and drive meaningful progress towards SDGs. We need to secure the significantly enhanced level of resources allocation by combining the traditional development assistance and innovative financing solutions. Development partners must meet the needs of the official development assistance, and while doing that, must avoid the double-counting of the resources and both climate and development financing. In the meantime, there is a strong need to recognize the importance of addressing the diverse needs and challenges faced by the countries in special situations, in particular the least developed countries and the countries in transition to the middle income. These groups of countries are are the most vulnerable and resource-constrained group of countries need enhanced global support to overcome the structural challenges they face for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Such support should be provided on multiple fronts in a synergetic manner, including development assistance, market access, technology transfer, FDI, and debt relief. Mr. President, the linkage between the global prosperity and South Asia, which forms nearly one-fourth of the humanity, cannot be over-emphasized. The region, being highly vibrant and diverse, holds an immense potential for global prosperity. With almost half of the population of 1.8 billion below the age of 24, South Asia will have the largest youth labor forces in the world until 2040. This offers the region the potential to drive the vibrant and productive economies.

Chair: I thank the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and I give the floor to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia: Dear Presidents of the General Assembly, distinguished leaders, esteemed delegates, it is both privilege and profound responsibility to address this high-level gathering. The summit represents a moment of introspection for the global community, and I am very excited to speak to you as the Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, SICA, in short. The idea to convince SICA was proposed by Kazakhstan from this very rostrum on October 5, 1992. Having been founded on the core principles of multilateralism, dialogue, and trust, SICA unites 28 member states, covering 90% of Asia, as well as 10 observer states and 11 observer and partner organizations. Through the implementation of SICA catalog of confidence building measures, we are fostering dialogue among nations with diverse backgrounds, creating an environment where these agreements can be managed through trust, mutual respect, and most importantly, on equal footing. Interaction in these dimensions contributes to the sustainable development goals. Having reached a mature level of institutional development, SICA has permanent institutions like youth council, business council, think tank forum to discuss common issues, challenges, and ways to address them. In 2022, the SICA fund was established in order to mobilize funding to implement projects in a wide range of areas. Excellencies, let me outline the initiatives of President Tokayev of Kazakhstan, which is the current chair within the SICA framework. The SICA ministerial conference on environmental issues held on August 28 this year adopted a high-level statement that reflect member states’ dedication to advancing collaboration and addressing critical environmental issues. In a few days, we will organize a rally of volunteer movement leaders from SICA countries under the youth council. The partnership network of leading universities of SICA will be established rather soon in December at the ministerial council meeting in Baku. Member states currently discussing two other ideas, creating the Council on Sustainable Connectivity to address global economic challenges and transforming the finance summit into a permanent platform to strengthen cooperation among financial sectors of our member states. Esteemed delegates, organizations like SICA are crucial in addressing global challenges at the regional level and can serve as a valuable outreach platform for the U.N. This summit of the future gives us the opportunity to rethink our structures, reassess our… priorities and, importantly, to strengthen our mechanisms for cooperation. Together we can build a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future. I thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, and I now give the floor to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, allow me, first of all, on behalf of the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to express our gratitude for the invitation and the opportunity to speak at the summit for the future. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was created over 20 years ago. Today, it has 26 member states with different status. We call them the SCO family. And over half the population of the world is represented in the organization, a quarter of the surface area and a quarter of the economy. And the organization has huge economic and scientific potential, as well as a huge reserve of natural resources. Working based on Chapter 8 of the UN Charter, the organization is committed to the principle of openness and the Shanghai spirit, which means mutual trust, equality, consultations, respect for cultural diversity, and striving for development. Our organization excludes a confrontational or block-based approach in dealing with regional and international issues. Ladies and gentlemen, today we’re witnessing addressing tectonic changes in global policies and international relations. We believe that the best response to today’s challenges is to unify efforts to shape a more representative, more democratic, equitable, multipolar world order based on the principles of international law with the central coordinating role of the United Nations. We call on countries, regional organizations, and structures to set aside a policy of confrontation and mutual threats. It’s important to establish an open dialogue to unify our efforts to effectively counteract the challenges that are common for all of us. In this context, this summit is extremely timely. At the Astana Summit of the organization in July of this year, an initiative was adopted for unity, for development, which is the contribution of our organization to the summit for the future. We hope that the international community will join us. Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization play a leading role in the area of sustainable development. 2025 has been declared the year of sustainable development by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. I’d like to also note that achieving peaceful life for the future generations is the primary task for all of us. We have to approach the 80th anniversary of the creation of the U.N. with real, tangible achievements based on the U.N. charter. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is ready to do its part. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization for your intervention, and I give the floor to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa: Mr. President, Excellencies, I’m honored to address you on behalf of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. We are meeting when the The foundation of humanity is being tested and Africa is bearing the brunt. Multiple crises have exacerbated the challenges of finance, debt, climate, and energy. Twenty-one African countries are in or at high risk of debt distress and the public debt has increased by over 180% since 2010 and currently exceeds over 60% of GDP. Basic social expenditures are being crowded out and there is limited access to long-term concessional finance. Furthermore, unprecedented climate effects are costing up to 5% of Africa’s GDP annually. Yet, we cannot attract sufficient investments because the rules of engagement of global rating agencies do not favor Africa. We also see imbalances in the borrowing costs. For example, Africa’s borrowing cost is four times higher than the United States and even more than four times higher than Germany. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, justice for Africa cannot be served by an outdated global financial architecture system. Promises are either not fulfilled or half fulfilled, leaving governments frustrated, young people unemployed, and children without a future of hope and prosperity. Excellencies, if we remain theoretical on the reform of the maritime system, it will be a disservice to the generations that come after us. Undoubtedly, then, maritime governance structures must change. Specifically, we need increased representation for developing countries, improved transparency, a reflection of the role of emerging and frontier markets and regional maritime development banks. Furthermore, the finalization and implementation of the international tax cooperation framework must be pursued vigorously. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Africa can be the global power force if we address the critical gaps for a fair and promising future. We must take deliberate steps to invest in our youth because one in three young people globally will be African by 2050. Therefore, investments in modernizing education systems, increasing skills in STEM and integrating TIVET in education systems is necessary and the Global Digital Compact can offer Africa a level playing field, but we must build the necessary infrastructure to take full advantage of this. As I conclude, this is our once in a lifetime chance to demonstrate to the future generations that we got it right. It is my belief that we can make it count.

Chair: I thank the representative of the Economic Commission for Africa and I give the floor to the representative of the International Olympic Committee.

International Olympic Committee: Mr. President, Your Excellencies, please accept, first of all, my heartfelt congratulations on the adoption of the Pact for the Future. In particular, I would like to thank you for recognizing the role of sport as an important enabler and, indeed, accelerator to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The recent Olympic Games Paris 2024 illustrates in an excellent way how the International Olympic Committee is contributing to the SDGs through sport. The IOC considers peace as the most fundamental of the SDGs. This is why we are very happy and proud that despite all the geopolitical tensions, we were able to bring together the athletes from the territories of all 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. Before the Olympic Games, these athletes Allies joined for a powerful call for peace. During the Olympic Games, they competed fiercely against each other. At the same time, they lived peacefully together under one roof in the Olympic Village. They shared their meals, their experiences, and their emotions. They respected each other with no incidents or discrimination whatsoever, even if their countries are at war. With all this, the athletes created a culture of peace, showing us how our world would be if we all were to live in the Olympic spirit of peaceful coexistence. There were many other achievements with regards to the UN SDGs. These Olympic Games were the first ever Olympic Games with full gender parity. The IOC Refugee Olympic Team participated with a record number of 37 athletes and won its first ever Olympic medal. Paris 2024 reduced its carbon emissions by 50% compared to previous Olympic Games. These are just a few examples how we at the IOC are promoting the role of sport as an important enabler and accelerator of the SDGs. We are ready to continue and strengthen this contribution of sport in the framework of the Pact for the Future, because this pact perfectly reflects our Olympic motto, faster, higher, stronger, together. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the representative of the International Olympic Committee, and I give the floor to the Inter American Development Bank.

Inter American Development Bank: Excellencies. Distinguished Members, Gabriel Garcia Marquez once said in Spanish, No es verdad que la gente deja de perseguir sus sueños porque envejecen. Envejecen porque dejan de perseguir sus sueños. Not true. I thank you for your interpretation. We gather for the summit of the future. Our world faces a pivotal moment that demands this youthful energy and relentless pursuit of dreams. Climate change, poverty and hunger affect billions of people today and the future of our youth tomorrow. Even with drastic emission cuts, global economic output could shrink 19% by 2050 as climate change accelerates biodiversity loss, creating a harmful feedback loop exemplified by historic drought in the Amazon. While two-thirds of the population is under 30, 20% of young people are not working, studying or training. In Latin America and the Caribbean, over half of the young people who are still poor. And globally, 828 million people suffer from chronic hunger, mostly women and children. But as Garcia Marquez said, a youth-like pursuit of dreams and possibilities can help turn these challenges into opportunities. It is not about problems, challenges, difficulties. It’s about opportunities to create jobs, force innovation, build a foundation for growth, prosperity that satisfies the most basic of human needs. And we need to leap, step forward. Paraphrasing Gabriela Mistral, the Chilean poet, and Nobel laureate, where there is work to be done or a challenge to be faced, it is up to us to step forward, take responsibility, and act where others may hesitate. Today, multilateral development banks are stepping up, coordinating and taking action, leading. We are leveraging our strengths to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. We are collaborating like never to deliver concrete results. We agreed on 16 concrete deliverables in our published viewpoint note. We are working as a system, not any system, a system that puts people at the center. We are also working closely with the UN. Today, we stand ready at the intersection of urgency and opportunity with our actions now can redefine the future for generations.

Chair: I thank the representative of the Inter-American Development Bank, and I now give the floor to the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I stand on existing protocols and commend the Secretary General of the United Nations and his team for convening this important session. The timing of the summit is particularly significant, coming as it does, at a time when our world stands at a crossroads between a path to the past, where global affairs were reduced to a war of the jungle, and a road that promises a more just and peaceful world that thrives on multilateralism, collaboration, and justice. Excellencies, let us be frank with ourselves and ask the question, what is new in the pact for the future? The answer, Excellencies, is that there is hardly anything new in the pact that we have not committed ourselves to in the past under the UN and other frameworks. The fact that we have come back to the same old commitments suggests that we still need greater political will to deliver on the good promises. For ECOWAS, therefore, the difference between the pact for the future and earlier global agreements will lie in delivery. In delivering on our commitments in the areas of peace and security, sustainable socio-economic development, climate change, and climate justice, as well as youth empowerment. It will also mean concrete action to promote and support our regional unity, not our disunity, our integration, not our disintegration, and a commitment not to turn Africa, especially West Africa, into a zone of proxy conflicts. If we fail to deliver once again, history will look back to this summit not as the summit of the future, but a summit of the past. This is the choice before us. I thank you for your attention.

Chair: I want to thank the representative for the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, and I’d like to give the floor to Relit. I’m sorry, I misrepresented the previous speaker.

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia: Distinguished delegates, today we stand at a defining moment in human history, a moment when our choices will shape the future of our world for generations to come. The crises we face are complex and interconnected, challenging the very fabric of our societies and threatening our collective future. But this is also a moment to move beyond managing crises to shaping a future grounded in resilience, sustainability, and shared prosperity. The summit of the future and the adoption of the Pact for the Future is our commitment to turn aspirations into action and transform challenges into catalysts for profound positive change. For the Arab region, this pact is a crucial opportunity to redefine our trajectory. It allows us to harness the transformative power of artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and predictive analytics to tackle economic volatility, social inequalities, and escalating threats of climate change. Our region has shown time and again that we can overcome adversity through unity and decisive action. We at ESCWA are leading this transformation with a vision rooted in the core principles of this pact – resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability. We are integrating intelligent technologies and foresight methodologies into policymaking processes, transforming how governments forecast trends, assess risk, and make proactive decisions. Through advanced policy simulation tools and data-driven insights, we are equipping our member states to design policies that are not only resilient and inclusive, but also aligned with the long-term aspirations of the Arab region. of their people. Our commitment to climate action is embedded in the Arab Climate Resilient Initiative, where we use these innovative technologies to develop robust adaptation and mitigation strategies. Looking ahead, our focus will be on fostering regional cooperation and ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation and AR are accessible to all. We will champion the development of inclusive digital economy that empower youth and women, having the economic diversification essential for the long-term stability and prosperity of the Arab region. Excellencies, this is our moment to act with vision and courage, to turn the promise of the Pact for the Future into a reality that resonates with the aspirations of all people in the Arab region and beyond. Let us seize this opportunity to build a future that is not just better, but transformational. A future where technology and human values converge to create a world that is just, equitable, and sustainable for all. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. And I now give the floor to the Common Fund for Commodities.

Common Fund for Commodities: Honourable President, Distinguished Delegates, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is with great pride that I address you today on behalf of the Common Fund for Commodities at this crucial summit of the future. We come from the innovation reach, the Netherlands. We stand here at a defining moment in history where commodities must be transformed from mere resources into powerful catalysts for sustainable development. sustainable development, justice, and ethics within global value chains. Commodity dependence remains a significant challenge for developing countries with 101 of 191 UNCTAD member states relying on primary commodities for over 60% of their exports, particularly in the great continent of Africa where this figure reaches as high as 90%. Our pledge to reshape the world’s financial architecture with concessional and direct finance is more critical now than ever as it holds the key to unlocking these vital goals. Commodities are the lifeblood of many economies, especially in developing nations where billions of smallholder farmers at the lowest income levels depend on commodities and commodity-related jobs for their livelihoods. Commodities have the potential to fuel sustainable economic growth, generate jobs, and provide vital revenues while paving the way for a greener, more equitable world yet high and mismanaged. These very commodities can become sources of environmental devastation, social injustice, and economic fragility. Therefore, it is our moral duty to ensure that justice and ethics are open into every step of the commodity value chain, transforming them into forces that uplift the society’s contribute meaningfully to the SDGs. The Common Fund has been a vital partner in supporting commodity-dependent countries through numerous projects. Since the adoption of our base of pyramid approach, the CFC has supported 127 projects in least developed countries alone with a total value of about 189 million and with a direct contribution of the U.S. dollar $105 million. These projects have created jobs, improved the livelihoods of countless farmers and smallholders. For example, in Kenya, Tencent’s Africa Limited, the world’s first fair trade certified macadamia nut company, expects to reach 10,000 new smallholder farmers with…

Chair: I thank the representative of the Common Fund for Commodities for his statement, and I now give the floor to the African Development Bank Group.

African Development Bank Group: Your Excellencies, the future we are in today was the past. The future we build for tomorrow must be based on better decisions taken today. Building that future for Africa requires more than a reform of the global financial architecture. We need new institutional support systems to build a more solid and resilient future for Africa. First, we must tackle the biases in the current global credit rating systems that leads to higher costs of accessing capital for Africa than other parts of the world. The establishment of the Africa Credit Rating Agency, called for by the African Union, is critical to achieving this. Second, the global financial system does not protect Africa from contagious effects of global financial shocks. Africa is the only region of the world without a financial safety net. That’s why it’s critical to establish the African Financial Stability Mechanism to provide safety nets for Africa. Third, we must address risks facing Africa in leveraging greater private sector financing. That’s why the African Development Bank is pulling all its guarantee instruments into an African Insurance and Guarantee Agency. agency that will deploy risk instruments at scale to bring more investments to Africa. Fourth, we must tackle the rising insecurity in Africa and the rising expenditures on security which are displacing financing for development. To achieve this, the African Development Bank is working with the African Union to establish security index investment bonds that will be used to tackle the reconstruction of areas damaged by conflicts. And finally, Africa’s vast forests, biodiversity, and carbon sinks are the key for saving the world. It is time to properly value the green assets of Africa and include that in the GDP of Africa. Africa must move from being green and cash poor to being green rich through proper valuation of its natural capital in its GDP. These foundations will assure a much richer and wealthier Africa for future generations. They will build wealthier and a more resilient Africa and move it into a future with sound financial structures to bolster its development. The future is Africa’s, and we will take it on boldly. Thank you very much.

Chair: I thank the representative of the African Development Bank Group, and I give the floor to the United Nations Capital Development Fund.

United Nations Capital Development Fund: We’re gathered here today united by a common vision, a world where sustainable development is not a privilege but a reality for all. Public finance is insufficient to deal with the severity of constrained global fiscal spaces with economic, social, climate, and environmental crises that affect current and future generations. The SDG financing gap continues to widen, threatening to leave behind those below the poverty line, further marginalizing last-mile contacts that most need our support, particularly least-developed countries, small island nations, and many other fragile settings. Addressing today’s challenges, those that will jeopardize opportunities, opportunities for future generations requires more than public financing. The pact of the future recognizes the urgency to capitalize the increased private sector investment. This is at the core of the United Nations Capital Development Fund’s original GA mandate of 1966 to assist developing countries in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance adopted right here in this august chamber. In fact, this call by member states for UNCDF to help those furthest behind is even more relevant today. UNCDF is the only UN fund capable of deploying inclusive blended finance solutions at the pace and scale needed to crowd in private streams of finance at the last mile. We are responding to this call by enhancing our unique capabilities to amplify the impact of the United Nations system and the wider development community. As a non-credit rated hybrid development and finance institution, UNCDF is designed to absorb and reduce the high risks that make access to sustainable capital simply unobtainable. Our grants, guarantees, and fit for purpose financial instruments enable UNCDF to unramp and catalyze investments that otherwise would be unbankable. UNCDF’s impact is felt in fragile developing countries around the world today but it needs to be scaled up. Our performance-based instruments are tied to tangible results ensuring that scarce donor funding pays for only what works. Every dollar that we invest in local currency not only supports today’s needs, it paves the way for long-term prosperity that builds on public-private partnerships. In fact, if UNCDF did not exist today, it would be created as a disruptor to foster a more inclusive development finance system. This is the role that UNCDF and CDF can play within UN System 2.0. We are a UN fund. It’s a platform for partners to crowd in public and private financing. And together, we can build a future so that no one is left behind. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the representative of the United Nations Capital Development Fund, who was the last speaker of this session. The next session of the Summit of the Future will take place tomorrow, Monday, September 23rd, at 9 a.m. And we will hear those who have inscribed their name on the list of speakers for that session. The meeting is adjourned.

Agreement Points

Reform of the UN Security Council

Speakers

Multiple speakers

Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, Mexico

Arguments

Need to reform UN Security Council for greater representation

Need to revitalize UN system to be more effective and responsive

Summary

There was broad agreement on the need to reform the UN Security Council to make it more representative and effective in addressing global challenges.

Reform of international financial architecture

Speakers

Multiple speakers

Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Nigeria

African Development Bank

Arguments

Call for more inclusive and equitable international financial architecture

Addressing debt burdens of developing countries

Call for valuing Africa’s natural capital and green assets

Summary

Many speakers emphasized the need to reform the global financial system to be more inclusive of developing countries, address debt burdens, and properly value natural assets.

Addressing climate change and environmental challenges

Speakers

Justin Trudeau, Canada

Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, Samoa

United Nations Environment Programme

Arguments

Urgency of climate action and meeting Paris Agreement goals

Need for climate financing and support for developing countries

Need to transition to sustainable and resilient economies

Summary

There was strong consensus on the urgent need to address climate change, provide support for developing countries, and transition to sustainable economic models.

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and sustainable resource management for small developing states.

Speakers

Carlos Pinto Pereira, Guinea-Bissau

Ralph Gonsalves, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Arguments

Importance of regional cooperation and integration

Importance of sustainable management of natural resources

These speakers shared a focus on the importance of youth empowerment and intergenerational responsibility in shaping the future.

Speakers

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, North Macedonia

Feleti Teo, Tuvalu

Economic Commission for Africa

Arguments

Importance of youth participation in decision-making

Need for intergenerational equity and responsibility

Harnessing demographic dividend of young populations

Unexpected Consensus

Digital transformation for development

Speakers

Multiple speakers

International Telecommunication Union

Arguments

Harnessing digital technologies and innovation for development

Promoting digital literacy and bridging the digital divide

Explanation

There was unexpected broad consensus across diverse countries on the importance of digital technologies for development, including from both developed and developing nations.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement included reforming global governance structures, addressing climate change, promoting sustainable development, and harnessing digital technologies for development.

Consensus level

There was a high level of consensus on the need for systemic reforms and collective action to address global challenges. This broad agreement suggests potential for significant multilateral initiatives, but implementation may still face challenges due to differing national interests and capacities.

Disagreement Points

Approach to global security challenges

Speakers

Israel representative

Abdoulaye Diop, Mali

Arguments

Combating terrorism and violent extremism

Need to reform global security architecture

Summary

The Israeli representative emphasized combating terrorism through decisive action, while Mali’s representative called for reforming the global security system to better address contemporary threats like terrorism. This suggests a disagreement on whether the current system needs reform or just more forceful implementation.

Priorities for international financial reform

Speakers

Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Nigeria

African Development Bank

Arguments

Addressing debt burdens of developing countries

Call for valuing Africa’s natural capital and green assets

Summary

While both speakers advocated for financial reforms to benefit African countries, they emphasized different priorities. Nigeria focused on debt relief, while the African Development Bank stressed valuing natural capital in GDP calculations.

Unexpected Disagreements

Approach to youth empowerment

Speakers

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, North Macedonia

Economic Commission for Africa

Arguments

Importance of youth participation in decision-making

Harnessing demographic dividend of young populations

Explanation

While both speakers emphasized the importance of youth, their approaches differed unexpectedly. North Macedonia focused on political participation, while the ECA emphasized economic potential. This highlights different conceptualizations of youth empowerment across regions.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of disagreement centered around approaches to global security, priorities for international financial reform, and strategies for addressing climate change and sustainable development.

Disagreement level

The level of disagreement among speakers was moderate. While there was broad consensus on the need for reforms and action in various areas, speakers often differed on specific priorities or approaches. These disagreements reflect the diverse needs and perspectives of different countries and regions, highlighting the challenges in reaching global consensus on complex issues. However, the shared recognition of key challenges and the general commitment to multilateral solutions suggest potential for finding common ground through further dialogue and negotiation.

Partial Agreements

While many speakers agreed on the need to reform global governance structures, there were differences in emphasis. Some focused specifically on Security Council reform for greater representation, while others like Trudeau emphasized broader multilateral cooperation without explicitly mentioning Security Council reform.

Speakers

Multiple speakers

Justin Trudeau, Canada

Arguments

Need to reform UN Security Council for greater representation

Importance of strengthening multilateralism to address global challenges

Both speakers emphasized the importance of addressing climate change, but Samoa focused on the need for increased financial support to vulnerable nations, while UNEP stressed broader economic transitions. They agree on the goal but differ on immediate priorities.

Speakers

Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, Samoa

United Nations Environment Programme

Arguments

Need for climate financing and support for developing countries

Need to transition to sustainable and resilient economies

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and sustainable resource management for small developing states.

Speakers

Carlos Pinto Pereira, Guinea-Bissau

Ralph Gonsalves, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Arguments

Importance of regional cooperation and integration

Importance of sustainable management of natural resources

These speakers shared a focus on the importance of youth empowerment and intergenerational responsibility in shaping the future.

Speakers

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, North Macedonia

Feleti Teo, Tuvalu

Economic Commission for Africa

Arguments

Importance of youth participation in decision-making

Need for intergenerational equity and responsibility

Harnessing demographic dividend of young populations

Key Takeaways

There is broad agreement on the need to reform global governance structures, particularly the UN Security Council and international financial institutions, to be more inclusive and representative.

Climate change is seen as an urgent existential threat requiring enhanced global cooperation and financing, especially to support developing countries.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires closing financing gaps, addressing debt burdens, and mobilizing both public and private resources.

Empowering youth and future generations through education, skills development, and meaningful participation in decision-making is crucial.

Strengthening multilateralism and international cooperation is essential to address complex global challenges effectively.

Digital technologies and innovation are seen as key enablers for sustainable development, but require bridging digital divides.

Resolutions and Action Items

Adoption of the Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact, and Declaration on Future Generations

Commitment to implement the 60 actions outlined in the Pact for the Future

Call for reform of the UN Security Council to include greater representation for underrepresented regions, particularly Africa

Proposal to establish an Africa Credit Rating Agency to address biases in global credit rating systems

Initiative to create an African Financial Stability Mechanism to provide financial safety nets for Africa

Commitment to host the Global Sustainable Island Summit in St. Kitts and Nevis in May 2025

Unresolved Issues

Specific mechanisms for reforming the global financial architecture

Concrete plans for closing the SDG financing gap

Details on implementing climate financing commitments for developing countries

Specific steps for achieving Security Council reform

Measures to address ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises, particularly in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine

Suggested Compromises

Balancing the need for digital innovation with concerns about privacy, security, and ethical use of technologies like AI

Finding common ground between developed and developing countries on climate finance and loss and damage mechanisms

Addressing both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term development goals in conflict-affected regions

Reconciling national interests with the need for stronger multilateral cooperation and global governance

The future we deserve demands deep-rooted change that is transformative and lasting. For this, we must redefine multilateral spaces. We must promote unbiased international partnerships that honor the strength and resilience and the tenacity of small islands.

Speaker

Joyelle Trizia Clarke

Reason

This comment challenges the existing power dynamics in multilateral spaces and calls for a reimagining of international partnerships to better serve small island states.

Impact

It set the tone for subsequent speakers to address the need for reforming global governance structures and financial systems to be more inclusive of smaller and developing nations.

We need to act at several levels to shore up multilateral mechanisms and to reiterate our commitment to the principles of the Charter and to the respective international law, including by taking a new approach to international cooperation for the common well-being of nations on the basis of equality, mutual respect, noninterference in internal affairs, respect for the sovereignty of states, and solidarity while acknowledging our community of destiny and our common responsibility.

Speaker

Mohamed Ali Nafti

Reason

This comment articulates a comprehensive vision for reforming multilateralism based on key principles of international law and cooperation.

Impact

It deepened the discussion on multilateral reform by providing specific principles and approaches, influencing subsequent speakers to address these themes.

We defend the Palestinian cause. We are in favor of an independent Palestinian state in the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we confirm our trust in the justice of the international system. But this has been sorely tested given the impotence of the international community in putting an end to the tragedy happening in Gaza and which is in danger of extending to Lebanon and the whole region.

Speaker

Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty

Reason

This comment brings attention to a specific ongoing conflict and challenges the effectiveness of the international system in addressing it.

Impact

It shifted the discussion to include more concrete examples of current global challenges and the limitations of existing international mechanisms.

We must recognize also that rich countries such as Canada have a duty to fight climate change, which is what we’re doing through our commitment of $5 billion towards global climate financing efforts. And we are the first big oil and gas producing country to establish an emission ceiling in this sector.

Speaker

Justin Trudeau

Reason

This comment acknowledges the responsibility of developed nations in addressing climate change and provides a specific example of action.

Impact

It encouraged other speakers to address climate action more concretely and discuss the role of developed nations in global challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that when health is at risk, everything is at risk. The outbreaks of Mpox in Africa demonstrate once again why the world needs the WHO pandemic agreement, a shared approach to share threats.

Speaker

World Health Organization representative

Reason

This comment highlights the interconnectedness of global health and other global issues, and advocates for a specific policy solution.

Impact

It broadened the discussion to include global health as a key aspect of future planning and multilateral cooperation.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by consistently emphasizing the need for reform in global governance structures, highlighting the interconnectedness of global challenges, and calling for more inclusive and equitable approaches to international cooperation. They pushed the conversation beyond general statements to include specific examples, policy proposals, and acknowledgments of current shortcomings in the international system. This resulted in a more nuanced and action-oriented dialogue about the future of multilateralism and global cooperation.

How can the international financial architecture be reformed to better support developing countries?

Speaker

Multiple speakers, including representatives from African Union, South Sudan, and African Development Bank Group

Explanation

This was a recurring theme, with many speakers emphasizing the need for reform to address issues of debt, access to capital, and support for sustainable development in developing nations.

What concrete steps can be taken to implement the Pact for the Future and ensure it doesn’t become just another declaration?

Speaker

Multiple speakers, including representatives from Mali and Burundi

Explanation

Several speakers expressed concern about the implementation of the Pact, emphasizing the need for actionable steps and political will to turn commitments into reality.

How can the digital divide be effectively bridged to ensure equitable access to technology and digital opportunities?

Speaker

Representatives from Nigeria and International Telecommunication Union

Explanation

Addressing the digital divide was highlighted as crucial for inclusive development and to ensure all countries can benefit from technological advancements.

What specific measures can be taken to reform the UN Security Council to make it more representative, particularly of African nations?

Speaker

Multiple speakers, including representatives from Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo

Explanation

The need for Security Council reform, especially to include permanent representation for Africa, was emphasized by several speakers as crucial for a more equitable global governance system.

How can the international community better support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries, particularly small island states?

Speaker

Representatives from Samoa and Tuvalu

Explanation

Small island states emphasized the existential threat of climate change and the need for increased support from the international community to address this challenge.

What strategies can be employed to ensure meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes at national and international levels?

Speaker

Multiple speakers, including representatives from Comoros and United Nations Development Programme

Explanation

The importance of youth involvement in shaping the future was a recurring theme, with calls for concrete mechanisms to ensure their voices are heard and considered.

How can the international community address the growing debt burden of developing countries while ensuring continued access to development financing?

Speaker

Representatives from African Union and Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank

Explanation

The issue of debt sustainability and its impact on development financing was raised by multiple speakers as a critical challenge requiring innovative solutions.

What measures can be taken to strengthen multilateralism and rebuild trust in international institutions?

Speaker

Multiple speakers, including representatives from Canada and Liechtenstein

Explanation

Many speakers emphasized the need to reinvigorate multilateralism and restore faith in global institutions to effectively address shared challenges.