Chair: The fifth 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 her or his allotted time, the president shall call the speaker to order without delay, which will be done by means of automatic microphone cutoff. In accordance with Resolution 72-313, the All Protocols Observed Principle is recommended, whereby participants are encouraged to refrain from the listing of standard protocol expressions during their statements. In 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 their category at the same time. Speakers who are not present when the speaking turn comes will be automatically moved to the next available speaking slot within their category at the same time. I invite His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, to address the Assembly.
João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço: His Excellency Philemon Yang, President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Excellencies, I am honoured to take the floor at this important summit, which I consider crucial for us to discuss together the best strategies to strengthen and renew the multilateral system so that we are better prepared to face new global challenges and emerging threats. I would like to congratulate His Excellency António Guterres for launching the initiative to convene the Summit of the Future. I take this opportunity to highlight with appreciation the exemplary work carried out by the Republic of Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany, who co-facilitated the negotiation process for the adoption of the Pact for the Future. We hope that by convening this summit, we will be in a position to jointly find effectively multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow. The adoption of the Pact for the Future represents undoubtedly a real turning point for a more dynamic, committed, engaged and assertive approach to the issues that are important to humanity. It is our belief that the political commitment we make will contribute significantly to the world managing together the necessary resources to finance sustainable development and efforts to build a new peace architecture, always with the defense of human rights, gender equality. and the imperative to leave no one behind at the center of our approach. Excellency, in the implementation of this global roadmap, we cannot leave out the youth and women who are vital drivers for the transformation and modernization of humanity. As we can all see, the Pact for the Future offers an opportunity for more active, meaningful and active participation by young people and women in decision-making at all levels. In our commitment to building a sustainable future for all, we must also make an important commitment to stepping up the fight to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, which is the greatest global challenge of our time and an indispensable requirement for achieving sustainable development. Food security, access to energy, digital connectivity, education, employment and social protection. We cannot achieve our common ambitions for the future and face this great challenge without putting the poorest and most vulnerable people at the center of our actions and ensuring that no human being or country is left behind. Excellencies, in the area of peace and security, we need to evolve towards an architecture of peace in which the principle of shared security is defended and protected by all, so that no citizen, state, region or geographical area feels protected at the expenses of the insecurity of others. The Republic of Angola believes that it is not possible to build a balanced, safe and sustainable world in which dignity and access to opportunities are the exclusive benefit of a small group of privileged people to the detriment of the majority of the world’s population. We also defend the need to reach consensus on reforming the world’s financial architecture and the architecture of the world’s sovereign debt, which is crucial if we are to have a fairer international financial system that is also capable of serving the interests of developing countries. Angola has made a crucial and responsible commitment in recent times to the issue of transitioning to the economy towards the digitalization of all processes that involve it. We are convinced that by taking this step we will bring our populations and institutions closer and more closely linked to the most modern mechanisms for global interconnection of the economy and trade, thus reducing the geographical barriers that the traditional economy imposes. To conclude…
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Angola. I invite His Excellency… Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, to address the Assembly.
Petr Pavel: Mr. President, Secretary General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I am grateful to address this distinguished audience and express my gratitude to the Secretary General and his team who started one of the most important processes of our time, focused on revitalizing multilateralism. The 2030 Agenda is our common goal and roadmap for sustainable development. Now we have a unique opportunity to accelerate its implementation. The Pact for the Future creates a solid base for a better and more effective multilateral system, and we stand ready to work together with other delegations on ensuring summit’s successful follow-up. In order to find the right way forward, we need to know and understand the challenges that threaten our future. Let me clearly state that the Russian aggression, an aggression by a country that is a permanent member of the Security Council against sovereign Ukraine, represents singular challenge shaking the very core of the international system and the fundamental principles of the United Nations. But addressing one challenge does not diminish the urgency of others. We are aware of the suffering caused by wars and conflicts, of the life-threatening disasters aggravated by climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, the slow progress in achieving sustainable development, or pervasive violations and abuses of human rights. These challenges are connected. No country is immune to them, and no country can address them on their own. Let me now highlight specifically two points. First, I welcome the Global Digital Compact. It outlines a common vision and intent to promote realistic international cooperation in the context of digital technologies worldwide and presents a joint understanding of some core principles. Czechia will play an active role. Digital transformation cannot serve to the benefit of every individual without human-centric and human-rights-based approach to the challenges that are ahead. The potential of today’s emerging technologies like artificial intelligence or biotech is enormous. They will surely contribute to finding solutions to many of today’s challenges. At the same time, greater technological dependence creates greater vulnerabilities. Therefore, I recently co-sponsored the launch of the Prague Geotech Summit to be held every year at the GlobeSec Forum. It aims to foster dialogue between business, academia, and government to contribute to our shared understanding of how to handle technology safely on a daily basis and protect ourselves against its misuse by malign actors, being it individuals, groups, or states. My second point concerns climate change. The current climate crisis and its far-reaching implications must be addressed in a comprehensive and integrated way through enhanced and effective multilateralism. The recent floods in Central Europe, probably worst in decades, are a clear reminder of the growing threat of climate-induced weather events. Czechia will continue to advocate for a stronger global response. Addressing climate change is more than one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It is a threat multiplier with the potential to worsen some of humanity’s greatest challenges such as poverty, hunger, or health. We are ready to work with all international partners to ensure successful outcome of the next UN Climate Conference to be held in November in Baku. Through our bilateral and multilateral development assistance, we implement a wide range of climate-related projects to help partner countries to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Ladies and gentlemen, the outcomes of the Summit of the Future will only become effective if we fully implement them. And our work begins at home. The Czech historical experience with transition from authoritarian to a democratic state, from a centrally planned to a market economy, taught us many lessons. Ever since then, we have been striving to build upon the benefits of participatory decision-making, particularly youth engagement, rule of law, and accountable institutions as catalysts for a sustainable future for all. That work never finishes. To end with, I wish to confirm that Czechia joins others in demanding a tangible reform of the UN system. Czechia will also continue to pay its regular budget contribution to the UN in full and on time, and urge others to meet their financial obligations as well to ensure that the UN can carry…
Chair: I thank the President of the Czech Republic. I invite His Excellency Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Transitional President of Gabon, Chairman of the Committee for the Transition, to address the Assembly.
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, heads of state and government, Mr. President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Secretary General of the United Nations, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, on the occasion of this historic date, I wish to take this opportunity to voice my encouragement to the President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, His Excellency Philemon Young, as well as all member states on the convening of this important summit on the sidelines of the General Assembly. Like previous speakers, I wish to thank the co-chairs of the negotiations for their efforts. Since my assumption of office, the Committee for the Restoration of Institutions has demonstrated not just the desire to restore the fundamental rights of citizens, but also to implement meaningful reforms, reforms to improve people’s living standards while upholding our international commitments. This process, an inclusive process, is a promise of hope through transparent and accountable governance, thereby enhancing trust between peoples and leaders. This spirit of national restoration is reflective of our commitment to multilateralism, which we view as a critical lever towards peace throughout the world. In terms of international peace and security, it appears evident to all that the United Nations Security Council needs to be reformed to reflect present-day realities and demands, as well as challenges. Africa It is an area where there are unfortunate conflicts taking place and needs to be proactively involved in these reforms. And to achieve this, there is a need for the reform of the international financial architecture with meaningful investments in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. As we seek to leave no country behind, there is an important need for all to have equitable access to financial resources. This requires the easing of debt and concessional financing opportunities, including concessions for the preservation of forests and the Debt for Nature initiative. International solidarity also requires scientific and technological innovations and cooperation to advance technological progress and to facilitate technology transfers. Mr. President, more than half of our population is under the age of 20. This is a challenge for our government in terms of planning for the future. For this reason, I warmly welcome our commitment towards a pact for the future to meaningfully enhance the participation of young people at the international level. Such a commitment requires meaningful investments in the development of international accessible educational systems accessible to all, generating both entrepreneurship and jobs. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to emphasize that the pact for the future is a part of a solidarity, pragmatism, and cooperation. In my country, Gabon is fully committed to contributing to this endeavor. Thank you.
Chair: Chairman of the Committee for the Transition, I invite His Excellency Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, to address the Assembly.
Andrzej Duda: Mr. Secretary General, Your Excellencies, At the outset, let me thank the Secretary General for his initiative to convene this summit and all the countries facilitating the negotiations of its documents. We believe the summit provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the effectiveness of current structures in addressing key global challenges. We all can see significant shifts in international relations. The order based on international law and solidarity enshrined in the UN Charter is under serious threat. The global multilateral system has become in many ways dysfunctional and needs to be reformed. We cannot accept that those who challenge the order based on the UN Charter are gaining strength. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a striking example. As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia should uphold the UN Charter and the international law. However, by attacking a sovereign state, it has relinquished his responsibility. Consequently, Russia can no longer claim to be safeguarding the security of the international system and that of other nations. We must strive to improve the efficiency of the UN system. In order to restore faith in multilateralism and maintain peace and security, it is necessary to strengthen international law. Despite many reservations about the UN system, there is no better alternative to multilateralism. Today’s global challenges are complex and require collective action, as individual states cannot address them alone. Commitment to multilateralism with the UN at its core is a cornerstone of Polish foreign policy. We are determined to defend the UN Charter and its principles. We advocate for far-global governance and the reinforcement of international cooperation across the key pillars of the UN â peace and security, development and human rights. Ladies and Gentlemen, We are pleased that the Pact for the Future addresses the strengthening and promotion of the three pillars of the UN activity â peace and security, development and human rights, as well as respect for the UN Charter and international law. It identifies the actions needed to achieve the ambition goals related to strengthening the multilateral system and achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda. It is necessary to ensure adequate participation of women in global governance and take into account the perspectives of the younger generation. At the same time, the issues related to aging populations and the expectations of younger generations remain equally challenging. We are aware that the outcome of the Summit must reconcile various perspectives and ambitions. We are ready to work together to achieve ambitious results and fully implement the Pact for the Future in the coming years. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Poland. I invite His Excellency Daniel Noboa Azin, Constitutional President of the Republic of Ecuador, to address the Assembly.
Daniel Noboa AzÃn: Excellencies, delegates, ladies and gentlemen, global decisions and commitments must always be determined with the involvement and the contribution of those who today can build the world of tomorrow, our young people. As a young president, I feel responsible for representing and sharing our hopes and wishes that the Pact for the Future will fulfill the promise of ensuring that we have a resilient, sustainable and inclusive future. We must tackle the alarming and growing rates of youth unemployment through public and private investment because allocating sufficiently targeted financing will make it possible for us to provide better access for education at all levels and in all forms, as well as better conditions for job opportunities. Only in this way can we pull our youth away from the grasp of crime, drugs and transnational organized criminal activities. In Ecuador, we are creating tangible and genuine opportunities for our youth so that they have alternatives � dignity and to improve their living conditions, the living conditions of their families and of all of Ecuadorian society through comprehensive public policy, scholarships and financial incentives. We’ve taken decisions that have given us hope because that is the way to build an environment of safety and peace. In so doing, we are ensuring that every young person will contribute to the economic, social and environmental development, a better future for our society. If we do not give our youth a country at peace, what future can we speak of? And therefore, I reaffirm at this global forum Ecuador’s commitment to peace. We must promote multilateral and UN mechanisms to address the multidimensional crises, new global threats, destabilizing regions, eroding democracy and the rule of law and reducing opportunities for the well-being of our young citizens. There is an inseparable link between peace and development. Violence and insecurity are often associated with instability, the lack of opportunities and resources. We must recognize this interrelationship in order to develop effective strategies which will comprehensively address economic inequalities and security problems. Our voluntary national review introduced two months ago at this UN revealed that six targets of SDG 16, peace, justice and strong institutions, have synergies and interlink with 125 targets in the other SDGs. I’m very grateful for the support that we’ve received and for the tireless work done to assist us in our efforts. This correlation reaffirms that, in fact, making progress in areas of peace and justice is crucial for the comprehensive success of the Agenda 2030. demonstrating these close ties between peace and stability and sustainable development. Ecuador is committed to accelerating implementation of Agenda 2030 and we have aligned our national development plan with the SDGs. We have achieved significant achievement in reducing poverty, combating child malnutrition and contributing to care of the environment. Today Ecuador reaffirms its commitment to continue to work closely with all countries of the world in order to make the Pact for the Future adopted yesterday a reality. I would also make a particular comment. I understand what is happening in our countries, what’s happening in Latin American countries is happening in Africa. Forty percent of our people in our country are between the ages of 14 and 35. If we do not meet their basic needs, if we do not address the basic needs and concerns of our young people, we will not achieve Agenda 2030. If we do not think about educating our young people, ensuring jobs for them, it will be impossible for us to achieve this agenda. We have to have a clear vision. Our young people are not just the future, they are our tool for arriving at that future, ensuring balance and justice. The microphone has been cut off.
Chair: I thank the Constitutional President of the Republic of Ecuador. I invite His Excellency Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic, to address the Assembly.
Peter Pellegrini: Slovakia, as one of the co-founders of the UN system, is and remains a long-term and consistent advocate of multilateralism and international cooperation. We welcome the agreed pact for the future and its annexes, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generation. It’s a long-needed success of multilateralism. My gratitude to the co-facilitators for their work and also to the Secretary General for his vision that guided and shaped this summit. By the next year, 80 years will have passed since the Bretton Woods Conference, which changed the way of global governance. We know that what used to take centuries or millennia now takes decades or even years. In plain speech, many changes come more often and much faster than in the past. But we also live in a world with the highest amount of conflicts and humanitarian crisis. We see unprecedented refugee numbers and growing climate change impacts too. What was considered best in class for most industries 10 years ago is now slower than the average. If this applies to business, why wouldn’t it apply to international cooperation? We can afford no more senseless exchange as we did on climate exchange. We need to reflect on facts instead of denying them. One of the most positive features of our time is huge data collection. Together with the rising AI technology, it gave us the power to see and do things based on facts and science. The flip side is the spread of disinformation and lies. Our policies have to reflect that our lives are increasingly transferred. to the digital space, our online identities become equally important as our physical identities. We need to create conditions of what I call digital humanism, defining the rights and obligations of the virtual world, and equally important, tools for their enforcement. We need to ensure that the rules of the online world mirror the rules of the physical world. Online threats and dangers aren’t less real than their offline versions. Words and deeds in the virtual world can be even more destructive because they reach a much broader audience. Expressing opinions in digital space shouldn’t be restricted, but it should be guided by similar principles that we already apply outside the Internet, full responsibility and clear identity. Let’s not confuse such rules with harm to the freedom of speech. Every freedom requires accountability. We don’t know what the future holds for us, but what we do now is that the pace of change will not get any slower. We also know education, inclusion, investing in our youth and reducing the digital divide play a vital role in bracing for our digital future. We don’t get to choose in which part of the world we are born. Everyone deserves an equal starting line with the digital technologies. Today, they provide access to information, higher economic growth and fairer social conditions, the way to a better life. Access to digital tools shouldn’t be determined only by money, but by individual skills and talents. Living in a digital world also means lifelong learning. I am in my 50s and love technology, but I have to be ready to constantly learn new skills to keep up. Change and adaptability will remain the only constants. Wise infrastructure choice, rich data collection and analysis, not intuition, bias or prejudice should primarily shape our policies. We are on a steady road to an increasingly unstable world full of repeated crisis. The global challenges are urgent and complex and so must be our decision-making. Of course, a stronger, more effective and reformed multilateral system would be desired, but we can also manage with institutions and mechanisms that we already have in place. We need to invest more in respectful, practical and result-oriented cooperation, just like we did with this pact. It’s also a way to reduce the mistrust among UN members and institutions. I consider the pact for the future a stepping stone of adoption, not the end of the journey. There are many tasks ahead of us. Thank you very much.
Chair: I thank the President of the Slovak Republic. I invite His Excellency Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland, to address the Assembly.
Alexander Stubb: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen. You know, there are a lot of cynics outside of this room who are probably thinking, what’s this pact on the future? I actually disagree with them. I think this is an extremely good pact. Why? Because in many ways, it shows the difference between multilateralism and compromise and cooperation versus multipolarity and disorder. And in many ways, I think we are witnessing the 1920, 1945 or 1989 moment of history. And do you remember in 1920, the League of Nations was a good idea? But it wasn’t able to sustain peace at the end of the day. In 1945, 79 years ago, when the UN was founded, it was a success. Why? Because we pulled sovereignty and tried to find common solutions to common problems. And I think that yesterday’s pact shows that the UN works. I have two questions today. The first one is, what’s the paradox of our times? And the second one is, why we need to reform the UN right now. Now, the paradox of our time is that precisely at the moment when we need multilateral cooperation, we are reverting to multipolar transactional disorder. Look where it’s taking us. We’re not achieving our sustainable development goals. We’re not achieving our targets in the climate crisis. And we’re witnessing four major wars simultaneously in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, and, of course, Syria. Now, I’m really worried. The problem is that we have a whole bunch of global goods, such as climate change, technology, sustainable development, immigration, and conflicts, which we cannot solve without the United Nations. And I actually think that the pact on the future gives us a lot of answers. My second question is, why do we need reform now? Now, a lot of those people who bash the United Nations, they often bash us here in New York because we’re not achieving political results. And to a certain extent, they’re right. But they forget that there’s a part of the UN that works, and that’s the agencies in Geneva. Now, of course, the main task of the UN Security Council is to preserve peace. And let’s be honest, it has failed to do so. And you know what? The UN Security Council, in my mind, does not reflect the world of today. Why? Because there’s no representation from Latin America, there’s no representation from Africa, and there’s only one country from Asia. And the thing is that if you want an institution to work, if you want to work within that institution, you need to feel that you have agency, that you work with it. So on Wednesday, I guess repetition is the mother of all wisdom, I will make three proposals for the reform of the UN Security Council. The first one is to expand it by five members, one from Latin America, two from Africa, and two from Asia. My second proposal is that the veto power of all permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council should be scrapped. And the third one is that if a member of the Security Council blatantly violates the UN Charter, its voting rights in the Council should be suspended. Is this a realistic proposal? Thank you. I hope the chairman gives me extra time because of the applause. I much appreciate that. So I will then conclude. I come from a very small country, Finland. We lost 10% of our territory to the Soviet Union in World War II, but our success as a country, coming from one of the poorest countries in Europe, now managing quite well, is linked to the United Nations. So I understand the meaning of the United Nations and multilateral cooperation. This pact on the future gives us many good answers. Let’s start implementing it. Thank you very much.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Finland. I invite His Excellency Edgars RinkÄviÄs, President of the Republic of Latvia, to address the Assembly.
Edgars RinkÄviÄs: Your Excellency, President of the General Assembly, Excellencies. The world is changing, bringing along new opportunities and challenges for our societies. We need to be ready to adapt to the new realities. That is why we are all here. For our joint commitment to effective global cooperation, for our roadmap to collective action, the pact for the future. I would like to use this opportunity and thank Germany and Namibia for their leadership in steering the negotiations towards this ambitious outcome. Effective multilateralism is essential in an increasingly interconnected world. Global challenges, from climate change and pandemics, to conflict and inequality, go far beyond national borders. The United Nations has a key role in tackling these challenges. Increase of threats to international peace and security are of particular concern. Building on the Secretary General’s new agenda for peace, we need a new approach to the evolving security landscape. Achieving sustainable development for all and leaving no one behind are commitments we made back in 2015. The overall progress towards Agenda 2030 is too slow. We must be more decisive and bolder. in our commitment to these goals. Allow me to highlight a few points. Digital and emerging technologies can help to reach our goal of sustainable future. The global digital compact is our path to inclusive digital transformation where human rights are the center. Our commitment to combat climate change and sea level rise must be carried out. For some countries, it is a matter of peace and security. For others, a question of their existence. Gender equality and empowerment of women is a requirement for sustainable development. Latvia is a strong advocate for the women peace and security agenda, especially focusing on the elimination of war-related sexual violence. Full and meaningful participation of the youth in decision-making is very important. We must listen to the youth and deliver on our commitment to protect the generations to come. The United Nations is the core of multilateral system uniting all sovereign states. It has an essential role to maintain international peace and security. But the frameworks we have built need urgent revision. International institutions must become more representative. They must reflect today’s political and economic realities. Latvia strongly supports the strive to improve the working methods of the Security Council. The permanent members of the Security Council must uphold their responsibility to protect peace and security, especially Russia, which continues to wage its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. If we deliver on these commitments and a pact for the future, it will echo through generations. Latvia is prepared to work towards a safe, equal, and sustainable future. Our commitment to the international rules-based order is driving also our bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council at the 2025 elections. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Latvia. I invite His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, to address the Assembly.
Emomali Rahmon: Excellency Chairperson, Excellency Secretary-General, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to first of all extend my sincere gratitude to the United Nations Secretary-General for the commendable initiative in organising this summit of the future, as well as for the gracious invitation to partake in this important summit. We held in high regard the diligent efforts of the coordinators of the pact for the future, esteemed representatives of Germany and Namibia. This meeting serves as a valuable platform for the review of the critical issues such as climate change, the safeguarding of public health, poverty alleviation, enhancement of women’s living conditions, inclusive education and other pressing global challenges. Furthermore, matters pertaining to disarmament, arms control and modern threats and challenges to peace and security continue to demand our earnest consideration. It is anticipated that today’s meeting will serve as a significant function in tackling issues pertinent to the reform of the international financial architecture and enhancing the global response to modern threats and challenges. The inclusion of climate and water agenda in the final document of this summit underscores the imperative for sustained and urgent action by Member States and other stakeholders to secure a peaceful and sustainable future for the generations to come. According to the latest data from the United Nations, while there have been some improvements, the progress in the field of water and sanitation remains insufficient. Therefore, we are committed to enhancing our collaborative efforts with other nations to advance our constructive initiatives aimed at addressing water resource management and climate change. The ongoing implementation of the International Decade of Action for Sustainable Development 2018-2028 exemplifies our unfavouring dedication to these critical issues. Distinguished participants, the adoption of the Fact for the Future as a forward-looking outcome of this summit aligns with the pressing reality that millions of civilians across diverse regions of the globe are vulnerable to a multitude of security threats. The actions of the United Nations, in light of the swiftly evolving dynamics on the international arena, underscore the necessity for nations worldwide to enhance their multilateral relationships. The international community can achieve success solely through dialogue and constructive collaboration aimed at addressing modern risks and challenges. Strengthening cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is fundamentally reliant on collaborative efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace and genuine stability. In this context, it is crucial for policy makers and government officials to engage in concerted and coordinated actions at the global level to enhance collaboration and promote comprehensive security. Tajikistan in its capacity as the host nation of the Dushanbe counter-terrorism process welcomes the incorporation of this critical issue into the pact alongside other significant matters. It is important that we enhance international collaboration, facilitate exchange of information and strengthen capacity-building efforts to effectively counter the rise of terrorism, extremism and other global menace. We reaffirm our commitment to the security and security of the Dushanbe and the Dushanbe commitment to the pivotal and coordinating role of the United Nations in this endeavour. Ladies and Gentlemen, Today, we stand at a critical juncture facing an alarming rise in conflict across the globe leading to unimaginable suffering and hundreds of thousands lost among innocent civilians. As Heads of State, it is necessary that we come together, united by our shared vision for a world free from ravages of war. Let us commit to a collective effort to forge lasting peace, alleviate human suffering and prevent terrible consequences of conflicts. It is high time to take decisive action to empower the United Nations and its vital mission of the Conflict Resolution and to restore peace and stability to our planet. Together we can create a brighter future for all. I in this context respectfully propose the adoption of a special resolution by the United Nations entitled Decade of Promotion of Peace for Future Generations. Furthermore, it is imperative that the United Nations, along with agencies and international and regional financial institutions, intensify their efforts to coordinate the actions of the international community in pursuit of sustainable development. I am confident that the deliberations at today’s Summit will establish a solid ground for addressing the pressing challenges of our time. I thank you for your attention.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Tajikistan. Notwithstanding the provision of Decision 79, Slide 504 of 13th September, I invite His Excellency Alessandro Rossi and Her Excellency Milena Gasperoni, Captains-Regent of the Republic of San Marino, to address the Assembly.
Alessandro Rossi: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, colleagues, the Republic of San Marino expresses deep concern about the armed conflicts which are still ongoing around the world. We are now witnessing the highest number of wars since 1945, and the resulting devastating crises, such as the worsening humanitarian crisis, bring every state face to face with its responsibilities. Eighty years after World War II, during which the Republic of San Marino offered hospitality to over 100,000 refugees, our country has once again renewed its concrete solidarity and strong humanitarian commitment in favor of hundreds of Ukrainian citizens. The Republic of San Marino has taken in over 400 Ukrainian refugees, more than 1 percent of the entire San Marino population. Thanks to the solidarity of public and private institutions, NGOs, and with the help of many volunteers, together with refugee crises, the impact of conflicts may lead to a global food crisis. In its capacity of promoter of the resolution established on 29 September as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, San Marino firmly believes that combating food loss and waste will help promote food security and welcomes all initiatives aimed at raising awareness of such responsible behavior. San Marino has decided to cooperate within the framework of international structures and mechanisms, at the top of which is the United Nations Organization. because it firmly believes in dialogue, democracy, and respect for others, as founding values of peaceful coexistence among peoples. No one must remain indifferent to war, but instead we must all work responsibly to create the conditions for dialogue and peace with the full involvement of international institutions.
Milena Gasperoni: The importance of dialogue and its relevance in democratic and inclusive societies are the basis for the plan of action to combat violent extremism and the radicalization that leads to terrorism. The Republic of San Marino still remembers the outstanding work carried out by the late diplomat Guido Bellatti Ceccoli with regard to the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue, which made our country an important point of reference on this subject and led to the opening in the Republic of a place of prayer and meditation for different types of spirituality. The Republic of San Marino is convinced that this historically important summit and its final declaration, the Path for the Future, whose principles are fully shared by our country, will give a new impetus to the entire multilateral system and to international cooperation in general, strengthening the UN institutions so they continue to represent a beacon for the protection of peace and human rights. Indeed, in the case of small states, international law is seen as the one and the only safeguard in the event of a three-to-day resistance and multilateral fora. represent a valuable megaphone to make their voices heard, which would otherwise remain unheard. Within international fora, San Marino has always contributed to highlighting the role that small states can play as facilitators of dialogue and promoters of peace. The Summit of the Future will pave the way toward action leading to a safe, peaceful, fair, equal and sustainable world. And our Republic will actively contribute to the search for collective solutions for a future of peace and dialogue, a better and more sustainable future for us and for future generations. In accordance with international law, including the United Nations Charter. Thank you all.
Chair: I thank Captain Regent of the Republic of San Marino. I invite His Excellency Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus, to address the Assembly.
Nikos Christodoulides: Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, last year’s Summit marked the beginning of a new phase as we collectively committed to accelerating progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We reaffirm our commitment to the 2030 Agenda as our primary framework for addressing the multifaceted crisis. facing humanity. This year is another pivotal moment as we should reinvigorate global efforts to success as a sustainable future for all. Climate change, inequality, and conflict are only some of the multiple challenges the world faces today. Addressing them requires leadership and transformative action. The governmental negotiations of the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations have revealed the extent of our perspectives. However, it is precisely this diversity and the bridging of different views, understandings, and expectations that is the true strength of multilateralism. I welcome the adoption of the pact and I commend the dedication of all who contributed to this and primarily the co-facilitators. I truly believe that we can shape the future that reflects our shared values, even in complex negotiations. But our work does not end here. Ladies and gentlemen, as we move beyond this summit, Cyprus is ready to work alongside our partners in fostering collaboration between governments, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, and the private sector. In this interconnected world, network multilateralism is essential. As a member of the European Union and the Asia-Pacific group, and with strong ties to the small island developing states, Cyprus has a unique position, a stand as a bridge between regions and perspectives. This vantage point equips us to better understand and address the concerns of our counterparts in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and beyond. For Cyprus, climate change is not a distant threat. It is a reality. Droughts, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events affect our livelihoods and communities daily. Hence, we welcome the growing global commitment to addressing these urgent issues as reflected in the Pact for the Future. Dear colleagues, as a small island state, we are committed to working together alongside all UN member states to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights on equal footing. In this spirit of commitment, Cyprus has put forward its candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council for 2025-2027. Our focus will be on advancing the human rights of all, with particular attention to children, women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. We will also promote cultural dialogue to bridge divides and combat discrimination. My country stands ready to continue collaborating with all UN member states, not only to defend human rights, but also to take concrete actions toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Together, we have the power and the responsibility to turn these ambitions to reality and ensure future generations inherit a world defined by justice, sustainability, and peace. Thank you very much.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Cyprus, and I invite His Highness Prince Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, to address the Assembly.
Prince Albert II: Excellencies, I thank the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for having convened this summit, which affords us a unique opportunity to consider the future which we want for our children but also for our planet, our only home. By adopting a firm commitment to implement the 56 initiatives of the pact, this establishes a bedrock for a renewed partnership for a fair, equitable, prosperous world for all. Moreover, the Declaration on Future Generations provides us with the necessary tools to provide our young people with opportunities to fully flourish in a healthy, harmonious environment while advancing the future in security conflicts and terrorism, as well as transnational organized crime. These initiatives impact security and impede the development of our societies. Peace is our most valuable asset. There’s a need to have access for the basic human rights. Without this, it is impossible to provide for a world that benefits all people. The restoration of peace and security is a collective responsibility. It is an urgent responsibility. President, we are aware that international tensions are exacerbated by environmental crises. Climate change, loss of biodiversity, ecosystems of pollution on land and at sea, these are all exacerbating factors which we need to face. This is vital for the establishment of sustainable and peaceful societies. However, none of our objectives will be achieved if inclusion of all women and girls is not made a reality. The achievement of women is critical to the achievement of economic, social, and political progress. We are ensuring equal access to education, economic and decision-making realms facilitate not just their professional, their personal empowerment, but also help to ensure professional So the unification of sports is very frequently â the unifying power of sports is underestimated very often. This brings together peoples and cultures and helps to bring down social barriers. My country will continue to endeavor to ensure that the contribution of sports to peace and inclusive social development is recognized rightly within the United Nations. Mr. President, we are committed to mitigating potential risks linked to the misuse of digital technologies, and we are endeavoring to establish adequate norms for ethical use of these technologies, which is respectful of both human rights and the basic freedoms of all people. We need to guarantee that the use of these technologies is not diverted for malicious purposes. To that end, we welcome the adoption of a global digital compact. This summit, Mr. President, is a milestone for the multilateral system. It affords us an opportunity to rethink multilateralism, to make it more able to surmount present-day and future challenges, and to help reinforce trust in international institutions. This is why it is critical to accelerate our efforts to reform the governance of our institutions with the aim of making them more inclusive and representative and reflective of present-day realities. Multidimensional crises, which we are encountering, have resulted in delays in the achievement of Agenda 2030, and yet we have the necessary tools, legal tools, technical tools, scientific tools, to deliver sustainable and effective solutions to meet present-day challenges. Let us act together decisively for the future which we aspire to depends upon our present commitment. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Sovereign Prince of Monaco and I now invite His Excellency Wesley W. Simina, President and Head of Government of the Federated States of Micronesia, to address the Assembly.
Wesley W. Simina: Thank you, President, ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, distinguished guests. I bring warm greetings from the people of the Federated States of Micronesia, as we say it back home, camaraderie. The Assembly has consistently voiced its concerns on the global stage, particularly in advocating for the reduction of green gas emissions in line with the 1.5 degree Celsius pathway. We also championed initiatives to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and transition away from the use of fossil fuels. This includes addressing non-CO2 emissions and short-lived climate pollutants in order to effectively combat the climate crisis, as these pollutants significantly contribute to global warming in the near term. By prioritizing their reduction, we can achieve more immediate temperature control, safeguard vulnerable communities, and enhance our efforts toward long-term climate goals. While we embrace the Pact for the future, we do have some concerns about the text as adopted. We would like to suggest that the United Nations ensure that the implementation of the Pact includes robust and lasting commitments to transition away from coal, oil, and gas in all sectors. of society, aligning with the 1.5 centigrade limit in the Paris Agreement. Climate change poses an existential threat to the environmental stability, peace, and security in my condition. As rising sea levels and extreme weather events jeopardize our livelihoods and displace communities, it is imperative that we recognize the profound link between climate resilience and the survival of our people. We must foster international cooperation to address this climate crisis with urgency. Our planet is at a critical point of no return, so the time for action is now. We possess the tools, knowledge, and innovative spirit to combat climate change and protect our ecosystems. The Pact for the Future serves as a call to action, urging us to commit to ambitious climate targets and investments in renewable energy. Together, we must strive to create a green economy that prioritizes both our planet and our people. The challenges we face transcend borders. They are global in nature. From public health to economic stability, our interconnectedness necessitates collaboration that goes beyond nationality and ideology. Let us forge partnerships, share resources, and establish frameworks for our collective’s resilience. We have engaged in formal discussions since yesterday, resulting in the adoption of the Pact. So, each of us needs to dream boldly and act decisively in order to make it a reality. Therefore, our vision for the future must be crafted collectively. by leaders, innovators, and citizens alike. Let us empower the next generation with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. The path for the future is crucial for the survival of the livelihoods and the well-being of humanity, especially in small island developing states like mine. We continue to face extreme challenges as a consequence of climate change, and our livelihoods stand on the brink of devastation. Therefore, I appeal to all of you to rally behind this pact so that we can safeguard the future of our people and our world. I thank you.
Chair: I thank the President and Head of Government of the Federated States of Micronesia. I invite His Excellency David Ranibok Adeang, President and Head of State of the Republic of Nauru, to address the Assembly.
David Ranibok Adeang: Mr. President and General Secretary, Excellencies. I want to align my statement with the distinguished representatives of Uganda on behalf of the G77 and China, with Samoa on behalf of AOSIS, and with Vanuatu on behalf of PSEEDS. To the co-facilitators of the Summit of the Future, Namibia and Germany, I extend my sincere gratitude for tireless efforts on the pact of the future. Their exceptional leadership and commitment were crucial in guiding us to a successful conclusion amidst. the immense challenges of this task. The summit of the future is our call to action. It’s a call to rebuild trust, to reimagine our systems, and to secure a livable future. The pact of the future is our roadmap. Our priorities are clear. Climate action, access to financing, and a reformed global governance that serves all nations. Who welcomes the pact’s ambition? And yet, as we consider this pact, we must ask, does it truly address the needs of the most vulnerable? Does it offer more than lofty words and instead provide a roadmap with concrete commitments and financing for those who need it most? Implementation is paramount. We must transform our shared vision into a tangible reality, improving lives across every nation and every community. To achieve this, we need clear goals and robust metrics. These will be our compass, guiding our efforts and allowing us to track our progress transparently. We cannot and we must not content ourselves with words alone. The pact recognizes the need for financial inclusion, but we must translate this into concrete action. The pact’s mention of renewable energy holds potential. Nauru is committed to powering our energy, our future with clean energy. We appreciate the reference to the MVI. The pact acknowledges the complexity of our vulnerabilities, but we must see this reflected in global policies and programs. And we further call upon the IFI and MDBs to integrate the MVI into their frameworks. It is not just another statistic. It is a tool that provides a more accurate picture of our national circumstances. Our strengths, our challenges, and our potential. The path ahead will not be easy. It demands commitment, innovative thinking, and the courage to challenge existing norms. We will judge this pact not on the words spoken here, but on the actions taken in the years to come. And as we leave this summit, let us carry with us not just hope, but determination. Let our actions speak louder than our words, and let us work to ensure that the pact for the future delivers on its promise. Matawai.
Chair: I thank the President and Head of State of the Republic of Nauru, and I invite His Excellency José Raúl Mulino Quintero, President of the Republic of Panama, to address the Assembly.
José Raúl Mulino Quintero: Good morning. Madam President, Distinguished Secretary General, Excellencies, Today I am addressing you on behalf of the Republic of Panama, a country of great strategic value located in the heart of the Western Hemisphere. In Panama, 64.8% of the population is between the ages of 15 and 64. That means a large number of people of working age, a significant number of them are youth. At the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, countries requested Secretary General Antonio Gutiérrez to provide a report with recommendations to advance our common agenda. Many suggestions were made. However, there is one constant according to the Secretary General. The decisions we take or fail to take today may mean either further backsliding or progress towards a greener, better and safer future. For that reason, we cannot speak of a summit of the future and the documents resulting from it without mentioning the SDGs, our common agenda. It serves as a mechanism to accelerate the implementation of existing agreements, including the SDGs. By general consensus, we have adopted the Pact for the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact. These documents contain ideals for the well-being of humanity over the long term, seeing today’s generations as depositories of a legacy for future generations. We have endorsed the appeal of the Secretary General to implement reforms introduced and even deeper reforms through meaningful action. The summit of the future with the participation of all global leaders is a golden opportunity to raise up our voice, reaffirm our commitment to bolstering this multilateral system in such important areas as sustainable development and financing for development, international peace and security, science, technology and innovation, and digital cooperation, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance. It is a well-known fact that the challenges we face are growing much faster than our capacity to resolve them, and we cannot do the job on our own. And therefore, the summit of the future is a crucial step towards building a stronger and more effective multilateralism. If these actions are taken, humanity has the opportunity to act and to reform global institutions, including the Security Council and the International Financial Architecture, so that they can respond to the political and economic realities of the future. The year 2030 has slowed down. Current conflicts are inflicting suffering. Poverty and hunger have already reached critical levels in many countries, while the SDGs seem to be further and further away. Inequality, insecurity and violence have risen daily while access to quality education is lagging behind. Moreover, the growing fear of the use of nuclear weapons resulting from open conflicts is yet one more source of concern. We must not leave future generations a world of inequality, injustice, discrimination, misogyny and racism in all its new forms. These attitudes erode good faith and trust of mankind. President, I cannot conclude without welcoming the proposals put forward in an effort to ensure greater political representation, transformative education, professional training and continuous learning for our young people. The creation and establishment of a UN Futures Lab, as well as the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to guarantee that budget and political decisions take account of repercussions on future generations are imperative. Panama is a country which has cemented its international relations in dialogue, peace and multilateralism, is committed to strive to comply with these actions stemming from the Pact for the Future. Our young people, our children are important to us and we listen to them always. They are the ones who will shoulder this responsibility to fulfill these actions and that is why we have met here to take the first step. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Panama and I invite Her Excellency Hilda Heine, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, to address the Assembly.
Hilda Heine: Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, The Republic of the Marshall Islands welcomes this summit and Pact of the Future as an important opportunity to better match our collective political ambitions with a more effective UN system to help deliver results. Our sustainable development and security challenges are overwhelming. Rightly, the pact has encouraged security and development agenda and assistance to be better aligned, a vital recognition that in the Pacific and in other fragile regions, development and security are closely linked. And as a low-lying atoll nation and small island developing state, climate remains our biggest security threat. By better emphasizing peacebuilding, we can help to reduce vulnerability to rising seas and to rising tensions alike. This meeting should truly be for the future and to boost the rightful participation of the youngest and future generations. It is youth, the leaders of tomorrow, who will face the strongest consequences of inaction today. Mr. President, The global digital divide is a major development challenge for our Pacific Island region. We are some of the most isolated places on earth. We welcome the Global Digital Compact and highlight our joint program to advance digitalization, working with assistance across the UN system. It is important that more actions continue to show that we all can do more than commit. We can implement. Mr. President, The document ultimately reflects not shapes the fragmented multilateral platform. It is hard not to be frustrated over apparent political limitations. There is an incredible and persistent gap between ambitious solutions and international finance at hand. We have all seen far too many studied and forgotten moments at international summits. And the international system is at risk of glossing over where we all have fallen short instead of identifying and addressing the core causes. Many of the SDGs remain stuck in place despite our ambition and political will. And we cannot keep papering over the sobering shortcomings without arriving at the conclusion that the money just isn’t there. Or, when it is, it is so distant that it never reaches our shores and local communities. Finally, it will be an important task to develop clear lines and linkages between the Pact of the Future and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS. Small island nations need and deserve a dedicated focus, which we all adopted earlier this year. But if this pact is to be a blueprint for future partnership, then we cannot leave SIDS out of global goal-setting. Mr. President, Taiwan remains a key partner to the Marshall Islands. Taiwan’s important partnership deserves appropriate recognition. If we are to truly leave no one behind, then Taiwan deserves meaningful recognition. and enhance participation in the U.N. system. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and I invite His Excellency Surangel Samuel Whipps, President of the Republic of Palau, to address the Assembly.
Surangel Samuel Whipps: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Ali from Palau. Our tradition of BUL, a sustainable resource management practice, rooted in conservation and social order, has guided us toward sustainability for centuries, protecting our natural resources for future generations. As Elise contributors to climate change, we face its harshest effects, rising sea levels and extreme weather, threatening hospitals, schools, and food security, putting our children’s future at risk. Our tradition of stewardship through the BUL contrasts sharply with the global crisis we now confront, one we had little hand in creating. The fossil fuel addiction has worsened inequality and poverty. By returning to our traditions of the BUL, sustainable ocean resource management, coupled with science and technology, we can lift our people out of poverty, restore balance to our ecosystems, and effectively combat climate change. We appreciate international funding for climate resilience. However, the burdensome requirements make it inaccessible. Financing tailored to special circumstances of SIDS is critical for effective climate action. The SDGs represent our vision of a world free from poverty and conflict. However, global progress is falling short with only 15% of the targets on track and 37% regressing. The reality is particularly challenging for small island states with limited resources. World leaders need to take decisive action and corporate leaders need to integrate sustainability into their business practices. Despite our challenges, we have made significant strides in exhilarating sustainable development and education has always been a top priority and we have successfully improved access to education and vocational training by implementing online learning options for students in rural areas and expanding vocational programs. To address food security and combat NCDs, we have launched our food is our responsibility, the initiative which aims to boost domestic food production and reduce food imports from 80 to 60 percent by 2030. Additionally, we are building a national fishing port to support fisheries, maximize the value of our tuna fisheries and foster a thriving sustainable blue economy. Building our protected areas network and our Palau National Marine Sanctuary, we are implementing a multi-sectoral marine spatial planning approach to achieve 100% effective ocean management, prioritizing conservation of domestic fishing zones and tourism sites based on science, data traditional knowledge. Aligning with the goal of 30 by 30, we are collaborating with other Pacific Island and partners to discuss a regional ocean protection and production measures, recognizing the power of collective action, the unlocking blue Pacific prosperity, which was launched at COP 28, which aims to create a regional movement that promotes a hundred percent effective ocean management, resilient food systems, and sustainable financing for development. Investments are underway and we call for even greater investments to ensure its full potential is realized. As a big ocean state, we are deeply connected to the ocean. A healthy ocean means a healthy planet and now more than ever, we must resist the temptation to rush into deep seabed mining, which threatens irreparable harm to our ocean and the technologies heralded as part of the green transition must not turn our largest carbon sink, the ocean, into a casualty of short-sighted greed. If we can send people to space, surely we can innovate to meet our energy needs without exploiting the seabed and engaging in other destructive practices. We acknowledge Taiwan’s valuable contribution to global sustainable development and technical cooperation. The irony of this year’s UN General Assembly’s theme, leaving no one behind, is starkly evident.
Chair: I thank the President of the Republic of Palau. I invite His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Tongolese Republic, to address the Assembly.
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé: Distinguished General Assembly President, ladies and gentlemen, heads of state and government, UN Secretary General, heads of delegations, ladies and gentlemen, eight decades ago this institution was created, and the world was emerging from the second global conflict, and the future looked bright and promising, but today complex crises throughout the planet mean that we must rethink our models for international cooperation and development. If we remain passive, then these crises and these models may well lead our planet to a dark future. Let us, therefore, take this opportunity we have here to change direction. The first affirmation would be that when you have a systematic crisis, you need a global response. Food, security, ecology crises mean that countries alone cannot address all of these issues, and these complex crises are interconnected, and they hit regions of the world that are often not involved at the starting point but which are impacted by the fallout. There needs to be a better future for our current and future generations. We must coordinate our efforts as states, and these collective efforts must be carried out. within renewed global policies because multilateralism itself needs to be rethought. The governance of our global institutions has now become obsolete and the multilateral discussions have shown that they have limits. To find a truly effective solution, we need international global cooperation. At this stage, allow me to say a few words about Africa. If you look at the future, you need to look at Africa. Africa will continue to host most of the world’s youth and that is where there is the potential to build the strongest markets, in particular new future markets linked to green and blue economies and that’s where we need to experiment with new types of tripartite partnerships in the public and private sectors. These are decisive so that our actions today will have a positive and lasting impact on the future. In Africa as well as elsewhere, I think the state must play a leading coordinating role because the state alone can ensure progress for its peoples. It can provide guidance for present and future generations. In Togo, we are attempting to build a strong state and we see our state at the heart of all of the problems related to development and humanitarian issues. The private sector, public sector, and civil society are involved and I see that despite our efforts in recent years, international aid often does not meet the requirements and the needs of populations. That is why we must bolster the role of states, African states, and make them a genuine, fair, strategic partner. Development efforts are essential and must be further. They must be financed but there must also be political guidance and finally, there needs to be greater respect for and involvement of African countries in the international arena. For multilateralism to truly be inclusive, then it must respect the dignity and the equality of representation for our peoples. We can build a better future only if all voices are heard and respected. And that means leaving no one behind. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, my country is prepared to play its full role in this great collective to forge a better future. We believe that it is working together in a spirit of solidarity and mutual respect that we will be able to meet the challenges of our times and offer our children a fairer, more prosperous world. Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Chair: I thank the President of the Togolese Republic. I invite His Excellency Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, the Vice President of the Cote d’Ivoire, to address us.
Tiémoko Meyliet Koné: Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary General, ladies and gentlemen, I wish on behalf of His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, to applaud you for convening this summit in such a timely manner. The magnitude of our mobilization reflects the grasp of the challenges related to this summit, which marks a historic turning point in our efforts to reshape the planet. International peace and security are gravely imperiled with wars that are plaguing every continent. The human and material consequences of these conflicts are abhorrent, and no sustainable solution has yet appeared on the horizon. These conflicts compromise the cause of peace, worsening hunger and poverty, and blighting the future of much of humanity, who are facing insufficient mobilization of resources to finance the Sustainable Development Goals. In the light of these challenges, which gravely imperil the future of the world, we reaffirm our call for more solidarity among nations, and for more adequate financing of Agenda 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063. In this spirit, my country welcomes the surge of solidarity which led to the adoption of ambitious documents of our summit, namely the Pact for the Future and its accompanying annexes. Our expectation is that the pact will foster the advent of a just, sustainable world through concrete and decisive actions. I welcome the support for the initiatives of the Secretary General, as well as the prioritization of preventing all forms of violence and security-related threats, as well as the prioritization of peaceful resolution of disputes for harmony among states. Mr. President, in the areas of science, technology and innovation, as well as digital cooperation, we have a duty to step up multi-partite cooperation and to reinforce partnerships to build capacity, deliver technology and mobilize the necessary financial resources to facilitate access to opportunities from science and technologies, to stimulate innovation, to bridge the digital divide and improve governance of emerging technologies specifically. The digital compact, the digital pact, which we have adopted, is a part of this momentum, and we believe will help us to tackle critical challenges. I turn to young people and succeeding generations. There is a need to promote high-quality education, social inclusion, and the representation of young people in decision-making bodies. This is key. Young people are agents for development to build and transform model societies. Lastly, global governance that is more just, more representative, and more inclusive. This is more important than ever before. To that end, multilateralism needs to be revitalized to encourage more robust international cooperation. The time has arrived to tailor international financial institutions and global governance to present-day realities, while at the same time paying particular attention to the modernization of the United Nations, specifically the reform of the Security Council. Mr. President, Côte d’Ivoire cherishes the hope that we will see the effective implementation of the recommendations from the summit for the benefit of young generations and for a future of peace and prosperity for all. Thank you.
Chair: Mr. President, as the Vice President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, I now invite His Excellency Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Vice President in charge of national defense and state security of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, to address the assembly.
Republic of Equatorial Guinea: Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I am speaking on behalf of His Excellency Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. I’d like to begin by congratulating the Secretary General and the President of the General Assembly for taking this initiative and for convening this Summit of the Future, where we have adopted the Pact for the Future. Today, we have an opportunity to come together at a turning point in our history, at a time when the decisions we take pursuant to this pact will define the future of our relationships and the future for the international community. Mr. President, as we understand it, it is quite unlikely that we will achieve the future we all want if we do not recognize the crucial role played by Africa, given its diversity and vast resources. Africa represents both a challenge and an opportunity as we seek a future of peace and security, silencing the guns, multilateralism, inclusiveness, financing for inclusive, equitable, sustainable development, ensuring that no country is left behind. To achieve all of these goals, we need a renewed commitment in order to mobilize financial resources, both public and private, and they must be earmarked for projects which will promote environmental sustainability. job creation and development, international cooperation is essential to build resilient and sustainable infrastructures to benefit all generations. There can be no better future if we do not address unilateral coercive measures and sanctions, fascism and attempts to destabilize our countries, neocolonialist approaches and other such mechanisms, as well as pressure and blockades which do nothing but obstruct the future of other countries, particularly the global south. Mr. President, this pact for the future must involve our youth. They are the future generations and we must therefore invest in their education, their health and their well-being. They must be drivers of change. In conclusion, the summit of the future is an opportunity to renew our commitments to the principles of the UN Charter and to work together towards a more peaceful world, a prosperous and safer world. Equatorial Guinea is calling on all countries from the global north and from the global south to come together to join our efforts and together to build a future where every individual, regardless of their origin, race, gender or belief, can live in dignity and with hope. Thank you.
Chair: in charge of national defense and state security of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. May I now invite His Excellency Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States.
Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas: Mr. President, Excellencies, Head of the States and Governments, Mr. Secretary General, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honor to deliver this statement as the Chair of the Pacific Small Island Development States, represented in New York. We align ourselves with the statement delivered by Uganda on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Samoa on behalf of AOCs, and Tonga on behalf of the Pacific Island Forum. We are on the front line of the climate crisis. The lives, livelihoods, security, and well-being of our people are threatened by the rising tides of inactions. We are here today to merely exchange words, but to forge a pact for the future, a pact that will determine the fate of our planet and the lives of the generations yet unborn. Excellencies, in those intended outcomes of this summit, we understand that the pact for the future, the Declaration on Future Generations, and the Global Digital Compact are more than just a document. They are a blueprint for a world that is equitable, sustainable, and resilient. These frameworks demand transformative multilateralism, urgent climate actions, and the responsible use of digital technology. The stakes could not be higher. As a small island developing state, We confront the devastating impact of climate change every day, rising sea levels, intensified natural disasters, and the erosion of our ecosystem are our daily reality. We must act now. The commitment outlined in the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations compel us to ensure that our actions today do not compromise the rights and well-being of those who will inherit this planet. We must confront the cause and impact of climate change head-on, scaling our efforts to protect the environment and accelerate our transition to a sustainable future. Excellency’s outcome of the COP28 and anticipated decisions after COP29 are pivotal in this endeavor. We affirm the critical need to accelerate climate action during this decisive decade, reflecting equity, the principle of our common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities. We welcome the call on climate finance, starting on a flow of U.S. $100 billion per year, with a focus on the needs of developing countries. As nations disproportionately impacted by climate change, the President urges international community to close the adaptation finance gap that severely affects the developing countries, particularly small island developing states. Moreover, we emphasize the necessity of enhancing international cooperation and support to inspire GURUTA’s ambition in the next round of nationally determined contribution. We must urgently accelerate the development, transfer, and deployment of renewable energy technology. Excellency’s climate change is more merely an environment issue. It is a security issue that exacerbates social tensions, economic security, and humanitarian disasters. We must integrate climate change into peace operation mandates and ensure comprehensive risk assessment that address the needs of vulnerable groups, including women, children, and indigent people. We all recognize the transformative potential of digital technologies, as outlined in the Global Digital Compact. However, this potential can only be realized if we bridge the profound digital divides that exist between our countries. Our digital future must be inclusive, safe, secure, and empowering all people to participate fully in the digital economy and society. We must harness digital technology to advance sustainable development, protect human rights, and ensure that no one is left behind. Let us remember the future we want within our grasp, but only if we have the courage to seize it. The Pact for the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations, and the Global Digital Compact offer us pathways grounded in solidarity, hope, equity, and justice to create a world where all people can thrive in peace and prosperity. We stand ready to work with all nations to turn these commitments into action to protect our planet and secure a brighter future for all. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu. Now I invite His Excellency, Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia, to address the Assembly.
Irakli Kobakhidze: Dear Mr. President, esteemed guests, three years ago in our common agenda, the Secretary General proposed a summit of the future, aiming to promote a new global consensus on delivering a better present. I would like to welcome you to this summit, and I would like to invite you to join me in welcoming the Secretary General to this summit. and safeguarding the future for generations to come. Today, that vision is realized as we gather, united in our commitment to rebuild trust and seek multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow. In today’s increasingly complex and rapidly moving world, achieving a fairer future is more pressing than ever. We face unprecedented challenges, from the lingering effects of the pandemic to persistent conflicts and deepening socioeconomic disparities, humanitarian crisis, and the escalating threat of climate change. As a result, the world is not on track to meet the goals we have set for ourselves. The Secretary General’s recent report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals shows that only 17% of SDG targets are on course to be achieved. In the light of these overwhelming global issues, this summit presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate the power of effective global cooperation and multilateralism. Its outcomes will significantly advance the 2030 Agenda aligned with the declaration of the SDG Summit. At this crucial moment, Georgia stands ready to unite with the international community in this shared endeavor. The Pact of the Future offers us a chance to transform the success of this summit into meaningful, lasting transformation. It sets out a more effective course leading to specific and sustainable progress for future generations. In this spirit, we welcome the adoption of the Pact, including the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations annexed to the Pact, and we look forward to its swift implementation. It is clear that peace and security are the foundations of human rights and sustainable development. In a world marred by conflicts, aggressions and forced displacement, the Pact represents a crucial path forward. promoting global peace and security through adherence to the UN Charter and international law, strengthening accountability, and ending impunity. By following this path, we will uphold human rights and achieve sustainable development. In our digitized world, where technology presents both tremendous opportunities and challenges, the Global Digital Compact should serve as a roadmap towards an open, secure, and inclusive digital future. Global digital cooperation is key to leveraging the advantages of cutting-edge technologies, promoting human rights online and offline, and eliminating the risks posed by the misuse of technology. We believe it’s essential to incorporate the viewpoints of future generations into our policy frameworks, ensuring that the long-term impacts of our actions are considered. The Declaration on Future Generations is a crucial tool for ensuring that their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed in shaping a sustainable future. The Summit of the Future has provided a vital platform for fostering international cooperation and solidarity. As we move forward, the real challenge will be translating our commitments into tangible actions through the effective implementation of the pact. Let us sustain this momentum and work together to build a better tomorrow where the values of this organization are fully respected and upheld. Thank you very much.
Chair: Thank you, Prime Minister of Georgia. I now invite Her Excellency Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy, to address the Assembly.
Giorgia Meloni: Secretary General, Dear fellow delegates, the pact that we have undersigned is the result of complex negotiations for which I want to thank the President of the General Assembly, the negotiators, and of course all the member states. The phase that now begins, that of implementation, is clearly even more complex but definitely more crucial. The challenges that history has placed before us are manifold and multi-form. Climate change, economic inequalities, humanitarian and health crises, transnational crime, and armed conflicts, starting with the unacceptable war of aggression of Russia on the country of Ukraine that make international security increasingly precarious. Faced with such a difficult scenario, we have no choice but to act. Because I think it is clear to all that we live in a time of crisis, yet crises always conceal opportunities. The word crisis, after all, derives from the ancient Greek term krisis, meaning choice, decision. Crises therefore force us to question ourselves. They force us to take a stand and do not allow for hesitation. We know that no state can effectively master current challenges on its own, and that is why Italy is a staunch supporter of multilateralism and of its most representative institution, the United Nations, the forum where each and every voice is heard, where we are called to learn, to understand each other, and to respect each other. Of course, any organization is effective. if its rules are fair and mutually agreed. That is why we are persuaded that any reform of the UN governance, notably of its Security Council, cannot disregard the principles of equality, democracy, and representativeness. The reform makes sense if performed for everyone, and not just for some. We are not interested in creating new hierarchies, and we don’t believe that there are Class A nations and Class B nations. There are simply nations, with their own histories, specificities, and citizens, who have the same rights. Because in our view, all humans are born free and equal. It also means rethinking in new ways about cooperation between nations. Italy has done so with the MATE Plan for Africa, an investment plan designed to cooperate with African nations through an approach that is neither paternalistic nor charitable or predatory, but based on respect and the right for each one of us to compete on equal terms. It is our recipe to promote the development of a continent too often undervalued, build its stability, and finally guarantee one right denied to too many young people, that is, the right not to have to immigrate. And when talking about development, we cannot fail to address the new frontiers of technological innovation, starting with generative artificial intelligence, a phenomenon on which I’m afraid there is still insufficient awareness. AI is first and foremost a great multiplier, but the question we must pose ourselves is, what do we want to multiply? To put it bluntly, if this multiplier were used to cure still incurable diseases, then it would be it would contribute to the common good. But if on the other hand, that multiplier were used to further upset global balances, then the resulting scenarios scenarios would be potentially catastrophic. Machines will not answer these questions. Only we can do it. Politics must do it. And that is why it is crucial that AI be harnessed by human beings and be human centric. All such issues are addressed by this pact and stand at the core of Italy’s G7 presidency agenda. This is the role of multilateralism, not a club where people gather to write useless documents crammed with good intentions, but rather the forum where we must tackle decision making urgency, where ideas must become actions combining different sensibilities. Thank you.
Chair: Mr. President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy, I now invite His Excellency Andrej PlenkoviÄ, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, to address the Assembly.
Andrej PlenkoviÄ: Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, we have gathered here today driven by common purpose, concern for the present and a commitment to shaping a better future. This summit is crucial because the choices we make now will define the world for future generations. I thank Germany and Namibia alongside Sweden, Zambia, Jamaica, and the Netherlands. for their leadership in guiding this essential global dialogue. Today, the world faces an alarming surge in conflicts. The cooperative spirit that has long underpinned international relations embodied by the United Nations is under severe strain. The Russian aggression against Ukraine, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and wider, as well as other global hostilities, are existential threats to global peace, security, and humanity. These challenges do not affect just one region. They endanger us all. In these turbulent times, restoring trust and solidarity among nations is not merely desirable. It is imperative. Croatia understands this deeply. Thirty years ago, much like Ukraine today, we were a nation ravaged by war, defending our sovereignty against a far more powerful aggressor. Today, Croatia stands as a proud member of both NATO and the European Union. Our painful history has shaped Croatia’s resilience and provided us with a unique understanding of the challenges that come with conflict. Ladies and gentlemen, despite the myriad challenges we face, we must prioritize sustainable development as a foundation for global peace and security. Sustainable development is not just an aspiration. It is essential for stability. To achieve this, we must foster global solidarity and urgently reform the international financial architecture to support these goals. Croatia firmly believes that effective multilateralism, rooted in respect for international law, the UN Charter, and genuine partnership is the way forward. Only through a unified approach, combining security, development and human rights, can we ensure prosperity for all. Croatia’s experience as a chair of the Peacebuilding Commission last year and our efforts in peacebuilding are now integral to the global peace framework. This is our legacy. We are also committed to the efficient implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. I am proud to say that Croatia currently ranks 8th out of 193 countries in Sustainable Development Goals implementation. This achievement reflects our commitment to sustainable growth and positions Croatia as a model how even smaller nations can lead by example. We continue to advance three key processes, digital transformation, demographic renewal and decarbonization. These priorities embedded in our national policies drive our growth while ensuring sustainability. Croatia’s forward-looking vision balances economic progress with social responsibility. Looking ahead, I see three critical areas that require our collective attention. First, conflict prevention is more urgent than ever. Our experience in Croatia reminds us of the importance of early action and diplomacy to avoid unnecessary suffering. Second, we must not waver in our commitment to sustainable development. Climate action, protecting biodiversity and reversing environmental degradation are essential for our survival. Third, we must strive for a more equitable and inclusive global governance. system. International institutions must evolve to be more representative, promoting human rights and social development that reflect the diversity of the world’s nations. The outcome of this summit provides us with a clear roadmap. Now it is up to us to turn these plans into reality. The time to act is now. Croatia stands ready to contribute our joint effort of a more just, peaceful and sustainable global order. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia. I now invite His Excellency Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway, to address the Assembly.
Jonas Gahr Støre: With so much dividing us and with so many wars going on, I think we can salute yesterday’s agreement and that we came together and be able to agree on ambitious targets. The Pact for the Future provides a vision for this across all the UN’s three main pillars. That should be saluted. Let me highlight three points from the Norwegian perspective, Mr. President. First, we have reaffirmed our commitment to international law, including human rights. The disregard for human life and international law that we are seeing today must not be allowed to continue. Universally agreed rules and rights remain an indispensable foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and just world. Those who deliberately breach it must be held accountable. Second, we urgently need to address climate change, cut emissions, transform our energy systems and protect the environment. We must deliver on our pledges. We stand firmly by agreed commitments and keep our ambitions high. We need to close the extensive financing gap to achieve the SDGs, leaving no one behind. This includes increasing climate finance and investments. Together with Mexico, Nepal and Zambia, Norway will serve as co-facilitator for the next conference on financing for development. We are committed to working with all Member States to achieve an ambitious outcome in Seville this year. Mr. Chairman, our pact rightfully addresses the need to provide sufficient and timely debt relief to countries in debt distress, to reform the multilateral banks and to promote more inclusive and effective tax cooperation. Norway will continue to engage in an active and constructive manner to develop a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. We must work towards an inclusive, open and secure digital future for all. It’s part of our dialogue here at the UN today. Accessibility is key, particularly for the least developed countries. Some 2.6 billion people remain excluded from the digital world. For too many people also, they lack access to electricity. Norway supports and actively promotes the initiative by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, the Mission 300, to provide 300 million people in Africa with electricity by the end of this decade. Norway is committed to bridging the digital divide. Our efforts include advancing digital public goods and ensuring digital ID access for all. We also urge stronger cooperation among the large states on a safe artificial intelligence regulation that will give us the opportunities of this technology and limit the threats. Thirdly, Mr. President, sustainable development cannot be achieved without peace and security. It almost goes without saying. Preventive diplomacy and peacebuilding must be at the center of our efforts. It is essential to ensure women’s participation in all aspects of the peace and security agenda. There are powerful decisions made here by the UN on this issue earlier. It should be highlighted again. We need a more transparent, inclusive, and effective Security Council with greater limitations to the use of veto. We need to address the historical injustice against Africa and improve the representation of underrepresented regions. The General Assembly plays a vital role in maintaining international peace and security in close cooperation with the Security Council. Mr. President, we should expect from the Security Council that it can get its act together and end the war of aggression that Russia is conducting against Ukraine, and to weigh in and help end the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, and to work towards a two-state solution, giving the Palestinians their right of a state, and a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace. The solutions can only be found in close cooperation with other stakeholders, also in the civil and private sector. So friends and colleagues, a lot to be done. The Pact for the Future is a commitment to one another, to future generations, providing a roadmap for building a better world. Now that work, putting the pact into action, begins, and Norway is eager to get started. Thank you, Mr. President.
Chair: Thank you, Prime Minister of Norway. Now I invite His Excellency John Basio, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment of Belize, to address the Assembly.
John Briceño: The adoption of the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations must not be seen as an end, but rather as a beginning. While these outcomes lay a foundation for action, they represent only a floor for a much greater ambition that is needed to transform our world for present and future generations. The world faces a triple planetary crisis and a development crisis. Human and planetary capacities are approaching limits from which there may be no rebound. Our development and climate goals are slipping farther away from our reach, and yet there has been no effective global response. To say we will do what we have failed to do will not suffice. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, every year has seen record-breaking climate impacts. For the first time over a 12-month period spanning February 2023 to January 2024, global warming exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. If that trend persists, then Paris alone will not be enough, nor will our promise to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. These are unprecedented times. They demand unprecedented action across whole systems at all levels and at all times, guided by values and principles we espouse as a United Nations. We must ensure the dignity of people. We need to reimagine and remake this world into one that is just, secure, and that will one in which every voice matters. Bringing the voices from the margins to the centre, the voices of young people, women, indigenous people, and the voices of countries like my own, the small, island developing states. They should benchmark our collective ambition because a better tomorrow can only be realized if solutions respond to the most urgent of needs, their needs. In Belize, the youth are calling for opportunities to harness individual and technological potential. They need sustained investments in good, decent education, comprehensive healthcare, and a greener and bluer economy that targets support for micro, small, and medium enterprises and startups. We can go faster with international support, but that support must be tailored to the unique characteristics of small island developing states. The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SEADS is a forward-looking blueprint for resilient prosperity. It defines our vision and what the international community can do to help us achieve that vision. My country, like other small island developing states, still lacks representation where decisions are being made on our behalf. As a placebo, we may be given the privilege for a five-minute intervention on a matter that will have consequential impacts on our future. Likewise, the international financial architecture, even in its current phase of reform, is built on a foundation of a bygone era. The dynamics of power are ever-changing. We need to build these institutions to be effective well into the future. Excellencies, today I affirm Belize’s unwavering commitment to achieve the SDGs. They are the only ambitious universally agreed blueprint. to achieve a sustainable and equitable future for all. Let us then push harder for justice, go deeper for change, and make our actions meaningful for everyone. More than an opportunity, the summit of the future is a challenge. Let us rise up to that challenge, go beyond the confines of our present context, be bold in our vision, and embrace a much greater ambition for a better tomorrow. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment of Belize. I now invite His Excellency Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, to address the assembly.
Nikol Pashinyan: President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. It is particularly significant for me to take part in this summit of the future because I have received my current mandate of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia in the parliamentary elections under the slogan of our party, there is a future. All the problems we are facing today are directly or indirectly related to the decisions made or haven’t been made at some point in the past. And the same we can say about all the successes and achievements of today. We cannot change the past. We cannot change a lot even today because today is to some extent a part of the past. but shaping the future is today’s most important task. The agenda of our actions is also known, peace, security, prosperity, freedom, justice, human rights, artificial intelligence, climate change, but what is of high importance is the concept that we should put in the basis of our vision of the future, and consequently how to build the future. It may sound strange, but the most important thing we can do for the future is to create positive narratives and focus on the possibilities of creating the foundations for them, regardless of whether they exist at the moment or not. One of the reasons for today’s global crisis is that international formats have long become an arena for mutual accusations, threats, and the places where crises and deadlocks take place or being announced. I can hardly remember a positive speech on behalf either of myself or other leaders on international platforms, and there are objective reasons for this. There is little material for positive discourse, and maybe it’s because in the past there was very little or there was no any positive narrative at all. We usually come to UN to declare how bad it is going to be, because the facts proving this are a lot and everywhere, so it doesn’t require much effort to see them. Efforts should be made to see the prerequisite of a good future and think about them, because what happens in reality is not what we want. first happens in our minds. My party adopted the slogan, there is a future, under the conditions when it seemed that there was no hope for optimists in our region. Now this happens globally, and at the summit of the future, I want to voice that belief of there is a future, and by doing this I want to have my portion of contribution. Unlike the previous three times, this year at the General Assembly, I will more concentrate on opportunities rather than accusing neighboring countries in my speech, and this will provide room for positive thinking and for talking about the possibilities. Yes, for now let’s only talk, since in the beginning was the world, and the world was with God, and the world was God. Therefore, it is necessary to start with the good words. It is necessary to bring forward the slogan, there is a future, as a theorem, and to work to prove it. Let’s do it. Thank you for your attention.
Chair: I thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. Now I invite His Excellency Luc Frieden, Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, to address the Assembly.
Luc Frieden: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to speak before you for the first time at the United Nations as the Prime Minister of Luxembourg at this summit for the future. Luxembourg is well positioned to understand that no country, regardless of its size, can tackle the challenges it faces single-handedly. This is an observation which lies at the heart of our multilateral commitment. We were present when the United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco because the people of Luxembourg, like all the peoples of the United Nations, was resolved to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, as has so eloquently been enshrined in the preamble of the Charter. And alas, today the scourge of war is afflicting peoples throughout the world. I am thinking of the people of Ukraine who have, with exceptional courage, been resisting the war of aggression being waged by the President of the Russian Federation. I am thinking of the peoples plagued by conflict in the Middle East. I am thinking of African peoples, those in the Sudan, in Sahel, and elsewhere, plagued by war, a lack of security, and terrorism. The international order founded in the rule of law is in crisis. Flagrant violations of the Charter and of international humanitarian law are proliferating. The Sustainable Development Goals for many are far beyond reach. In light of this reality, there is no miracle cure. There is no single solution. All that counts is the commitment, concrete commitment, day after day. Mr. President, it is clear that we need to move from words to action, more effective and efficient action on reform of the United Nations. The Security Council needs to become more representative, more accountable to all Member States. Experience shows that states elected to the Security Council can make a difference. by delivering new perspectives, specifically when permanent members are divided. Luxembourg demonstrated this in the past, and we hope to have an opportunity to do so yet again if we are elected to the Council for the 2031-2032 mandate. Let us reinforce the role of the General Assembly, particularly when the Security Council is blocked by the veto. It is also evident that the global financial architecture needs to be reformed, for it is not commensurate with the challenges of the present day, specifically the needs of developing countries. Our view in Luxembourg is that development, security and human rights need to go hand in hand. Luxembourg is committed to the advancement, to the protection and the promotion of human rights and international law. This is also our priority as a member of the Human Rights Council. Luxembourg will also continue to uphold our commitment to official development assistance by dedicating each year 1% of our gross national income to this. We will uphold our commitment to climate financing too, and this is in addition to our official development assistance. We will continue to support the mobilization of private financing. Thanks to the expertise of our financial center and specifically our stock exchange. Mr. President, Luxembourg applauds the adoption of the Pact for the Future yesterday morning, and we commend both Germany and Nabebia for their facilitation, their successful facilitation of the negotiations. But this moment reminds me of the words of one of my predecessors, who was present during the San Francisco conference. In his words, and I quote, it is not the revision of any given language of the Charter, but rather the revision of the spirit within us. which will save us, more than words where we found agreement. It is â in Yalta or San Francisco, it is a feeling of mutual trust which needs to propel us forward in the years to come. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Now I invite His Excellency Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, to address the Assembly.
Narendra Modi: Excellencies, on behalf of India, the world’s largest democracy, and 1.4 billion Indians, greetings to all of you. In the largest election in human history held recently in June, the people of India have given me the opportunity to serve them for the third consecutive term. And today, I bring the voice of this one-sixth of humanity to you. Friends, when we are discussing global future, we must accord the highest priority to a human-centric approach. While prioritizing sustainable development, we must also ensure human welfare, food and health security. By lifting 250 million people out of poverty in India, we have demonstrated that sustainable development can be successful. We are ready to share this experience of our success with the entire Global South. Friends, success of humanity lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield. And for global peace and development, reforms in global institutions are essential. Reform is the key to relevance. Permanent membership of the G20 to the African Union at the New Delhi Summit was an important step in this direction. While on the one hand, terrorism continues to be a serious threat to global peace and security, on the other hand, areas such as cyber, maritime and space are emerging as new theatres of conflict. On all these issues, I will stress that global action must match global ambition. Friends, there is a need for balanced regulation at a global level for the safe and responsible use of technology. We need global digital governance, which ensures that national sovereignty and integrity are upheld. Digital public infrastructure should be a bridge, not a barrier. For global good, India is ready to share its digital public infrastructure with the entire world. Friends, for India, one earth, one family, one future is a commitment. This commitment is also reflected in our initiatives such as One Earth, One Health and One Sun, One World, One Grid. India will continue to work in thought, words and deeds to protect the rights of all humanity and for global prosperity. Thank you very much.
Chair: Thank the Prime Minister of India. Now we invite His Excellency Russell Mmiso Dlamini, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini to address the Assembly.
Russell Mmiso Dlamini: of the Summit of the Future, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, the Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor to address the Summit of the Future on behalf of His Majesty, King Swati III, where the world leaders have gathered to commit to multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow. This summit is an opportunity to take bold actions that will shape the future of our planet and the well-being of generations to come. We commend the co-facilitators of the outcome documents, the Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact and Pact on Future Generations for their stellar work. Humanity faces unprecedented global challenges from poverty and inequality to climate change and technological transformation. No single nation can tackle these challenges alone. The Global Pact for the Future calls for a renewed inclusive, equitable and responsive multilateral system. Eswatini, along with other African nations, has long called for reforms to the United Nations to create a more inclusive and representative global governance system. The Eswatini consensus remains a cornerstone for this call. The current structure of the Security Council does not reflect modern geopolitical realities, particularly the under-representation of Africa. Expanding the Security Council to include permanent representation for Africa and other marginalized regions is essential for maintaining its legitimacy and addressing global security challenges. This reform is critical to building trust in global institutions. Aswatini believes Taiwan must be included in the international system. Taiwan contributes significantly to global public health, economic development, and technological innovation. Excluding Taiwan limits global cooperation when it is most needed. We call for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic, economic shocks, and the climate crisis have exposed vulnerabilities in the international financial system. Many developing nations face unsustainable debt, limiting their investment in critical areas like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Aswatini calls for comprehensive debt restructuring and reforms to international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank, ensuring that they respond to the needs of developing nations. Fairer access to financing for climate resilience and development is also crucial. Although Aswatini, like other developing countries, contributes little to the climate crisis, it is heavily impacted. While we have made significant improvements in disaster risk governance, urgent climate finance from developed nations is crucial to help mitigate and adapt to these effects. As we work to reduce emissions and meet our commitments, developing nations must continue to prioritize industrialization and energy security to achieve their development goals. International advancements create opportunities for development, but have also widened the digital divide. Aswatini recognizes the transformative potential of digital technologies. but edges technologically advanced nations to support affordable technology sharing with developing countries and address risks from emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. We must ensure technology becomes a tool for inclusion, not inequality. This summit presents a unique opportunity to rebuild trust in multilateral system. The crisis we face requires urgent coordination, international cooperation. In conclusion, the Summit of the Future offers an unparalleled opportunity to reshape the global system. We call reforms through the Azulini Consensus, equitable representation in decision-making forums, Taiwan’s…
Chair: Thank you, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini. I now invite His Excellency Gaston Alphonso Browne, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Corporate Governance and Public-Private Partnerships of Antigua and Barbuda to address the Assembly.
Gaston Alphonso Browne: Mr. President, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the multifaceted environmental, economic, health-related and social emergencies we face are perhaps humanity’s greatest existential challenges. The timing of this summit is critical as we confront these unprecedented global threats. Our decisions now impact not just us, but generations to come. Despite decades of UN-led Sustainable Development Conferences… Little has been accomplished to safeguard the rights of future generations. Whereas future generations are poised to inherit the greatest technological advancements, with unabated climate change, perhaps they will have no Earth to call home. Our planet is finite, but humans’ current ambitions for unending economic profits and territorial expansion seemingly know no bounds. This unsustainable trajectory, marked by escalating climate impacts, environmental destruction, economic greed, wars, and threats of wars, poses an existential threat to all life on Earth. Temperature records are broken almost daily. Hurricanes, floods, and droughts ravage our lands, while mangroves and tropical forests, crucial to our planetary biodiversity and balance, are being obliterated. By making infinite demands on a finite planet, we are transforming our once hospitable home into a hostile environment. This is our moment to change course, to future-proof our burning planet from ultimate destruction. Who will compensate future generations for our selfish acts? The principle that the polluters pay is meant to guide us, but in reality, it is the future that bears the greatest cost. The climate crisis neither affects everyone equally nor is everyone equally responsible. We who have contributed least to the climate crisis are suffering its worst impacts. To add insult to injury, the large polluters are paying themselves hundreds of billions of dollars for carbon credits to protect their profligate use of fossil fuels at the expense of SIDS and other developing countries. Developing nations disproportionately responsible for the climate crisis must face the indisputable truth they owe a debt to the world. The time for excuses is over. They must pay for their polluting, ecocidal thoughts against our planet and human civilization and take immediate steps to slash emissions aggressively. These nations must aid in healing our environment, rebuilding homes, and transitioning from fossil fuel to cleaner, green energy alternatives. Wealthy polluters have driven climate change for far too long. It is time to hold them accountable. This is an ethical imperative that is necessary for our survival. Big oil, hear this. Your days of exploiting the global south’s natural resources are numbered. As we move to renewable energy, I reemphasize that rich, industrialized nations must pay for the loss and damage that they have devastated our communities. And to the carbon billionaires, your profits must fuel a sustainable future, not your profligate lifestyles. Wealthy countries and the industrial giants must pay their dues and invest in a sustainable, equitable future for all. Excellencies, without a healthy planet, there can be no viable future for humanity. We are integral to the solution, yet we neglect our obligations as world leaders because of a globalized economy controlled by a self-interested minority. Bold new international agreements to end fossil fuel proliferation, innovative financial instruments, and advanced technology are urgently needed. The weight of history and the responsibility to the future rests upon our shoulders. Small island developing states met recently in Antigua and Barbuda and laid out the future that we want, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS. It is time for the international community to be as bold as SIDS and to shift focus. not just to sustaining our damaged ecosystems, but also ensuring equity and fairness, providing climate and financial justice to all. I call upon leaders and policymakers to commit to an international financial architecture that bridges gaps, alleviates inequalities, and fosters sustainable development. Providing debt relief and access to finance should be based on countries’ vulnerabilities
Chair: Thank the Prime Minister, digital finance, corporate governance, and public-private partnership of Antigua and Barbuda. I now invite His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Perolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, to address the Assembly.
Pietro Parolin: Mr. President, the current summit being convened against a backdrop of apparent crisis in the multilateral system should be a source and a reason for hope, in line with Pope Francis’ assertion that hopeful does not mean to be optimistically naive and ignore the tragedy humanity is facing. Hope is the virtue of a heart that doesn’t lock itself into darkness, that doesn’t dwell on the past, does not simply get by in the present, but is able to see a tomorrow. The future should be constructed on the foundation of principles, including the inherent God-given dignity of every individual, the promotion of integral human development, the equality and sovereign dignity of all nations, and the establishment of trust between them. There is a need to rethink actions in a number of areas. First, eradication of poverty must remain the overarching goal of all future actions, bearing in mind that development is the name for peace. This requires the political will to achieve sustainable development, also through the reform of international financial institutions, debt restructuring, and debt forgiveness. Second, the pursuit of peace requires the implementation of a general disarmament, and in particular the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Narrow geopolitical considerations must be put aside, and strong economic lobbies must be resisted in order to uphold human dignity and promote integral development. Third, artificial intelligence. The OECD advocates for a regulatory framework of AI ethics that encompasses the life cycle of AI and addresses inter alia data protection, accountability, bias, and the impact of AI on employment. Thinking of the future should take into account the needs and interests of future generations, guaranteeing a dignified future for all, ensuring the provision of the requisite conditions, including a nurturing family environment to facilitate flourishing. If dignity is the foundation and integral human development is the goal of our future, dialogue, it is the necessary means. Today, the sense of belonging to a single human family is fading and the dream of working together for justice and peace seems outdated and utopian. This need not to be the case if there is a will to engage in genuine dialogue. As Pope Francis already exhorted this assembly, the present time invites us to give priority to actions which generate new processes in society so as to bear fruit in significant and positive historical events. The future demands of us critical and global decisions in the face of worldwide conflicts which increase the number of the excluded and those in need. Mr. President, while taking note of the adoption of the Pact for the Future and its agnesis, the Holy See, in conformity with its nature and particular mission, wishes to express its reservations on some of the concepts used therein. In the interest of time, the full statement will be uploaded. Thank you, Mr. President.
Chair: I thank the Secretary of State of the Holy See. I now invite His Excellency Chenda Sophea Sok, the Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation of Cambodia, to address the assembly.
Chenda Sophea Sok: Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, It is my great honor to address this gathering on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia. This is a crucial moment to consolidate our commitment to address together many deeply interconnected challenges, climate change, inequality, poverty, gaps in technology, and increasingly complicated violent conflicts. The summit of the future is an opportune occasion to adopt global governance to today’s reality. It is time to rebuild trust in the multilateral system as we strive to build a prosperous, healthy, and harmonious world for our current and future generations. Allow me to elaborate on a few key points. First, international peace and security become more fragile with each passing day as geopolitical tensions continue to intensify. It is incumbent on us all to firmly uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. They are the backbone of international order and global cooperation. The use of diplomacy and mediation must be prioritized to resolve conflicts. Concerted efforts towards peacebuilding should be enhanced. Cambodia sees great merit in the new Agenda for Peace presented by the UN Secretary-General. And we are proud to have contributed nearly 9,000 men and women to support UN peacekeeping operations since 2006. Once a war-torn country, Cambodia understands that peace is the prerequisite for development and progress. Thanks to peace and stability, Cambodia now ranks among the best achievers on sustainable development goals, particularly when it comes to reducing poverty, providing quality education and health care, creating more jobs, and driving growth, addressing climate change. Second, sustainable development requires sufficient and efficient financing. Cambodia is currently investing in building up its human capital, targeting 1.5 million youths, diversifying its economic base, and intensifying its green transition. Cambodia strongly supports efforts to ensure a fair and rule-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization as its core. Cambodia also joins the call to reform the international financial architecture and address financial gaps, particularly those that affect the least developed countries. Third, the advancement of science, digital technologies, and innovation presents both transformative solutions for human development and risk. Cambodia strongly supports efforts to intensify international cooperation to ensure that the proliferation of science, technologies, and innovation enhances human capital. We must work together to overcome growing digital divides and fight against the misuse of digital technologies. To this end, Cambodia endorses the Global Digital Compact as a common framework to build an inclusive, open, safe, and sustainable world. secure digital space that will drive the digital transformation of our economies and societies. Fourth, it is our shared responsibility to safeguard the needs and interests of our youth and future generations. Cambodia, fully recognizing the importance of intergenerational partnerships, commit to the letter and the spirit of the Declaration for Future Generations. Cambodia already has in place a long-term development plan called the Pentagonal Strategy. It is designed to ensure that our youth are engaged in and well-prepared for long-term development that harmonize economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. We also note the progress in mainstreaming youth into the UN-wide system. Finally, transforming global governance for today’s challenges is crucial.
Chair: Thank the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, to address the Assembly.
Murat Nurtleu: Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Kazakhstan is here today to join efforts with all UN member states and its institutions in ensuring a brighter future both for our planet and entire humanity. Fully supporting the Secretary General’s endeavors to build a prosperous community of nations, my country commits itself to all three landmark documents of the Summit of the Future. It is obvious that effective multilateralism enshrined in the Pact for the Future should be central in overcoming today’s unprecedented existential challenges and threats. Therefore, the current summit is a timely call for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations system. As stated by President Tokayev of Kazakhstan, the voices of middle powers and the developing world need to be amplified and heard clearly in the Security Council. In times of geopolitical turmoil and economic uncertainty, the world needs diplomacy and dialogue. Mr. President, climate change is a global issue that cannot be addressed without multilateral engagement. Central Asia stands on the front line of global warming and will face a 2.5-degree increase in temperatures by 2050. To effectively tackle problems like melting glaciers, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and desertification, my country will host the first regional climate summit under the auspices of the United Nations in 2026. In addition, we propose to open the United Nations Regional Center on Sustainable Development for Central Asia and Afghanistan to further enhance coordination on SDG deliverables. I am confident With the right support, this idea will serve as a future role model for UN development mechanisms. Furthermore, Kazakhstan calls on all technological advanced countries to eliminate barriers and commit necessary resources to assist climate-vulnerable communities, excellencies. Digital transformation is a driving power of progress towards the 2030 Agenda. In the next decade, about 70 percent of all global goods and services will be produced using digital platforms. The potential benefits of these changes depend on equitable access and cutting-edge technologies in all countries. To this end, being an original IT powerhouse, Kazakhstan has initiated the establishment of the UNSCAP Digital Solutions Center to bridge the digital divide in the Asia-Pacific region. Emerging digital solutions, including artificial intelligence, should not pose a risk to international security. Mr. President, speaking about the future, we must not forget lessons of the past. Nuclear power, once invented for the good of humankind, is now the deadliest weapon of mass destruction. Kazakhstan, which directly suffered from nuclear tests, calls on the international community to join efforts in preventing any nuclear catastrophe in the future. We also encourage all states to set aside their political differences and focus on new global order based on mutual trust and respect. Ladies and gentlemen, upholding human rights is not merely an aspiration, but one of the key components of sustainable development. It is also the best antidote against inequalities that are often at the root of instability and conflicts. In accordance with our objective to build a just and fair Kazakhstan, my country has abolished the death penalty, instituted a zero-tolerance policy against torture and domestic violence, and strengthened its national preventive mechanisms. President Tukhayev’s large-scale reform agenda is firmly based on the principles of rule of law, good governance, as well as inclusive social and economic development. In essence, respect for fundamental human rights is the highest priority for my country. Excellencies, we have a unique chance to advance our shared vision for an equitable, stable and peaceful future for generations to come. This is no alternative to the world based on the UN Charter and principles of international law. Let us work together in the spirit of open, constructive engagement and through multilateralism. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. I now give the floor to His Excellency Wang Yi, Special Representative of the Chinese President Xi Jinping, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, to address the Assembly.
Wang Yi: Mr. President, colleagues. The future carries the hope of human development, facing transformation unseen in a century. It is highly relevant that we gather here. Humanity has only one planet, Earth, to call home, and we belong to the same world community. It is important that we take care of our common home and make joint efforts to advance global governance. With this goal in mind, Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, advocated high-quality belt-and-road cooperation, and proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. These vision and initiatives have provided new solutions for tackling the common challenges of humanity and drawn a new blueprint for building a better world. China proposes that we need to build a future of peace and tranquility. In this changing and turbulent world, new risks and challenges keep cropping up. No country can stay unaffected. Greater solidarity and cooperation of the international community is not a choice but a must. Countries should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security and settle disputes through dialogue, resolve differences through consultation, and enhance security through cooperation. Major countries in particular should lead by example. We should break geopolitical circles by pursuing the greater good, rise above bloc confrontation, and serve as propellers for world solidarity and anchors for international peace. We should build a future of development and prosperity. In today’s world, countries are not riding separately in some 190 small boats, but rather we’re all in a giant ship on which our shared destiny hinges. Small boats may not survive wind and waves, but a giant ship is strong enough to brave the stormy seas. Countries need to share development opportunities and pursue win-win cooperation. We need to follow a people-centered development philosophy and advocate a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization to deliver the fruits of development to our people and ensure common prosperity for all countries. A winner-takes-all approach is a sure way to lose the whole game, and a small yard with high fences would only imprison the builder and tear the world apart. We should build a future of fairness and justice. All countries, regardless of their size and strength, are equal members of the international community. International affairs should be handled through consultation by all countries. We need to build an equal and orderly multipolar world and defend the UN-centered international system, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We need to strengthen the authority of international rule of law, reject the law of the jungle where the strong bully the weak, oppose acts of hegemonism such as unilateral sanctions, protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. We need to build a better future. As the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation deepens, new opportunities and challenges have emerged for human society and global governance. We need to keep abreast with the times, push back the frontier and explore new practices, and make global governance more just and equitable. China supports the UN in serving as the main channel in AI governance, and we will propose the AI Capacity Building Action Plan for good and for all. In particular, we need to encourage young people to bring out their creativity and contribute their share to the advancement of humankind. Colleagues, China today is going all out to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. This will create new opportunities for world peace and development. China will work hand-in-hand with countries around the world to advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and create a more peaceful and better tomorrow. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Special Representative of the Chinese President Xi Jinping, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Foreign Minister of China. I now give the floor to His Excellency Luc Mercelina, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, the Netherlands.
Luc Mercelina: Secretary-General, Your Excellency, esteemed colleagues, distinguished guests, I am honored to be here today as the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, representing the Kingdom of the Netherlands in all its diversity. I thank the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, for initiating this summit and spearheading efforts to forge a new international consensus on how we can deliver on a better present and safeguard the future. I would also like to thank President Nangolo Mumba of the Republic of Namibia and Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Federal Republic of Germany for the extraordinary leadership that their countries have shown. in bringing to life an ambitious pact for the future. My special thanks goes also to the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Mr. Hollis. Together we are presenting the historic declaration of the future generations. This will help us make better decisions that safeguard the interests and needs of future generations. The summit of the future presents a crucial opportunity to get things right for both present and future generations. At a time of profound global change, we need to recommit to multilateral collaboration in tackling the world’s most pressing issues, such as climate change, gender inequality and poverty, and collectively maintain a laser-sharp focus on the long-term challenges that demand urgent action. This summit is a chance to commit to strengthening the multilateral system based on the international rule of law, while also pursuing necessary reforms to ensure it is fit for purpose, effective, responsive, inclusive and able to withstand future challenges. We should not forget what constitutes the fundamental principles of the United Nations architecture and its pillars of peace, security, development, human rights and the rule of law. The Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are the solid foundations on which our multilateral system of rights and obligations is built. Member States all stand to benefit from a shared commitment to uphold and respect these agreements. The Pact for the Future clearly delivers on essential elements that are important to countries with particular vulnerabilities, in areas like water management and food security. As a kingdom uniquely positioned on two continents and with a proven history of dealing with water, we are pleased to see that this pact effectively addresses elements that are also crucial to small island development states. We are also pleased that the pact emphasizes the need for continuous learning and exchange of knowledge. From defending ourselves against the sea with the Delta Work Projects to creating new lands like the province of Flevoland, the history of our kingdom is a testament to the power of collaboration and learning. Of course, water offers many opportunities and supports thriving economies sectors like tourism in the Caribbean as a part of the kingdom, where we from the Caribbean can offer crystal blue waters to attract our visitors. This pact for the future, supplemented by the Declaration on Future Generations, is another major step forward in making our multilateral system fit for the future. Your Excellencies, we now have the opportunity to prove that we can pass on a better, fairer and more sustainable future.
Chair: I now give the floor to Her Excellency Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia.
Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Mr. President, Excellencies. Today the world faces significant challenges, geopolitical rivalries, gloomy economic recovery as well as climate and energy crisis. We cannot only address this issue through paradigm of collaboration. Sadly, we are seeing the opposite. Trust in multilateralism is fading and its effectiveness continues to be questioned. Fortunately, this summit offers an opportunity to restore trust and global solidarity and to chart a new course for the future. Indeed, the choices that we make in this hall will resonate for generations to come. For Indonesia, there are three strategic objectives that must be achieved. First, creating a lasting peace. Colleagues, peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, stability and development. That peace can only thrive if we consistently uphold international law without double standard. In this context, the ongoing genocide by Israel must be stopped immediately. Enough is enough. Palestine’s right to a statehood must be fulfilled based on the two-state solution. Second, safeguarding right to development. Colleagues, there are no other option to achieve 2030 Agenda than to accelerate our collective efforts. The Global South has a right to be free from trade discrimination and debt traps. Gaps must be bridged so that no country will be left behind. Third, promoting an inclusive world order. We need a more adaptive, responsive and effective global governance, including by reforming the UN Security Council and international financial architecture. We cannot afford to wait any longer. We must push for a true and real reform, a reform that listens to the voices of developing countries and addresses their concerns. Mr. President, let us seize the momentum of this summit to build a future that we can all be proud of. A future that is just, equitable and sustainable for all humankind. To attain that, the pact of the future must not become a set of empty promises without tangible results on the ground. I thank you very much.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and Future of the United Arab Emirates.
Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi: President, ladies and gentlemen, as Minister for Development and the future of the government, I have the honor of representing the United Arab Emirates at this historic summit. I thank the Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his vision for a future of international multilateral cooperation. We applaud the efforts that he has made and that are being made by all of those participating in the negotiations to achieve the path for the future, as well as the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations. My country subscribes to the statement made by Madam Oubidja Badjana, the President of the G77 in China, and it’s my honor to make this statement in our national capacity. President, conflicts and crises are multiplying and are hindering progress and the attainment of peace and international security, and they are also hindering the SDGs. Given these increasing challenges, we must focus on the chances and the opportunities offered by international cooperation for a better future. The United Arab Emirates have been focusing on the future, and this is an example of success in international cooperation, and this is providing new opportunities for youth the world over. The situation across the world at this moment requires us to pull our efforts and for us to commit to respecting our commitments and for us to overcome. all the challenges we face. We must strengthen the United Nations Charter and the principles of multilateral international action. In this regard, my country wishes to extend the three following important messages. First of all, today’s summit is an historic opportunity to confirm our commitment to multilateral international cooperation and to overcome the major joint challenges we face. No country alone can overcome all of these challenges. For this reason, this summit is of the utmost importance because it provides us a common vision for the future based on the UN Charter. For international cooperation to succeed, we must listen to all points of view. The COP28 was hosted by the United Arab Emirates and that showed the strength of multilateralism. The agreement reached during that conference of the parties and it was adopted by 100 countries and 198 states. The second message, my country believes that we should prepare for the future. To do this, we need to use modern technology, in particular artificial intelligence whilst at the same time respecting the principles of tolerance and cooperation. To achieve the SDGs, we need to use this modern technology properly and that way it can help us to overcome major challenges and to achieve the SDGs. This technology is something that can help us to… strengthen cohesion, tolerance and can help us to counter hate speech. Furthermore, we need to strengthen creativity and innovation as well as cooperation in the realm of digital technology, cooperation between governments and different stakeholders to achieve a safe digital future where this technology is available to everyone and where nobody is left behind. We are committed to a vision for the future that is based on the global digital compact. The third message, we must do everything we can to preserve our planet for future generations. We must do absolutely everything to establish peace, security and prosperity. To achieve this, we need to listen to youth, to women and all segments of our societies when we are engaging in decision making and in particular those in regions suffering from difficult situations. We need to adopt a scientific approach and we have taken measures in the sectors of space and technology and in order to be ready for the future, the interpreters apologize, the microphone is cut off.
Chair: I now give the floor to His Highness Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud: In the name of God, most merciful, most benevolent. May the peace and blessings of God be upon you. Ladies and gentlemen, At the outset, I should like to thank all of the facilitators for their cooperation with member states, with a view to achieving a consensus on the outcome document and the annexes thereto. My country has spared no effort participating actively in the negotiations. We did this because we’re convinced that we need to do everything to build a better world, a greener world. We must also promote multilateralism so as to effectively confront today’s challenges and future challenges, achieving peace and security for the benefit of future generations. The Pact for the Future is aligned with fundamental principles. It calls for an end to wars and an easing of geopolitical tensions, which only serve to broaden the divide between states and between peoples. In order to achieve the objectives set forth in the pact, we need to double our efforts so as to confront the various challenges and meet the needs of people all over the world. This pact marks a qualitative step forward in multilateral action. It promises a fair and equitable world order, a world order which promotes the implementation of the SDGs and meets the needs of all states, specifically developing countries. It is a pact which calls for the closing of the digital gap and which also promotes economic development in developing countries. My country has been working to strengthen multilateral cooperation. However, to achieve a brighter future, we must reform the UN system. This is a pressing matter. It is necessary to ensure that the organisation can shoulder its responsibility to uphold international peace and security. International institutions must be reformed. because currently they are not fit for purpose for meeting the challenges and addressing the humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine. This institution cannot hold the occupying power Israel to account following all of the atrocities that Israel has committed. Therefore, we must promote the pact for the future. Ladies and gentlemen, turning to climate change. My country is committed to a diversified approach that’s context-specific and tailored to the capacities of each and every country. We must bolster the following three points, energy security, economic development, and the mitigation of the effects of climate change. We need to ensure that our commitments enshrined in the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC are upheld. We’ll be welcoming the next meeting of the UN Convention to Combat Diversification. This will be the 30th anniversary meeting of parties to the convention. My country is committed to meeting the SDGs and the objectives enshrined in the pact for the future. We’re going to make every effort to bolster cooperation. We hope that our collective efforts will allow us to uphold various values such as sovereignty and to build a better future for current and future generations.
Chair: I now give the floor to Her Excellency LuminiÈa-Teodora Odobescu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania.
LuminiÈa-Teodora Odobescu: Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is always the right time to think about the future. Today, it is the right time to start working for it, and to work on upgrading the United Nations to the same. Romania’s vision is clear. The pillars of our work â peace, human rights, and 2030 Agenda Implementation â they are more than needed and valid. The international rules-based order, which is under attack, should be at the core of our actions. We need global solutions to global challenges â climate change, digital transformation, disinformation. Now, how can we, together, better serve the needs and aspirations of future generations? First and foremost, the imperative for all its members to respect the international law, the principles, and the objectives on which the UN was built. It is a question of credibility, and it is the most basic commitment we were entrusted with by our citizens. The aggression against Ukraine is a painful reminder. Our societies are in need of peace. Wars, violence, human rights crises are taking away human dignity, drawing back economies, and ruining years of development. The solutions to these threats need to be rooted in the principles of international human rights and the rule of law. Accountability comes first. We need to ensure that aggression does not remain unpunished by the global community, especially when we speak about the crime of aggression. Romania supports the international efforts to address this issue. Second, never lose sight of tomorrow. This summit and its outcomes are already a big step to upgrade our work. The young generations need a healthy planet. Urgent action is needed to address critical challenges stemming from climate change. We also need to make better use of the opportunities by focusing more on education and by making the best and the right use of the digital transition. Technology is neutral. It is the purpose of its use which makes it wrong or right. We can use technology to support medical sector innovation or ease our struggle to fight climate change. Or, by contrary, one can misuse technology for haste speech and disinformation. This is why ensuring a human-centric approach is crucial. And we must ensure a free, open, and secure cyberspace. We need to make our work more accessible and always seek to engage more the civil society. This creates more legitimacy and more trust. It is a healthy reflex that can only bring benefits. We need better communication. In these deeply polarized times, people seek positive sources of identity. They seek to feel represented. Communication is key to reach people around the world, especially since UN projects bear a unique value of universality. Never lose sight of prevention. Whatever is linked to peace or protecting our planet, prevention is key. Ladies and gentlemen, all these elements, they factor in the reconnection we are seeking with our societies. And there is no other global organization to deliver them. It is now up to us to act and make the Pact for the Future a blueprint towards peaceful, just and prosperous societies where no one is left behind. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Valdrack Jaentschke, Minister for Foreign Affairs for Nicaragua.
Valdrack Jaentschke: President of the General Assembly, it’s an honour to extend the regards of our President, Commander Daniel Ortega Saavedra, and our Vice-President Comrade Rosario Murillo Zambrana to you and to all of those present. We also extend our most heartfelt congratulations to you upon your election as President of the 79th session of the General Assembly. Your experience and your able leadership will ensure our discussions are a success and it’s a great point of pride for us to have a brother from the African continent heading up the work this year. The Government of Nicaragua is grateful for the organisation of this Summit for the Future to discuss solutions to build a better future and the search to ramp up efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to eradicate poverty. Developing countries are continuing to work on sustainable and innovative solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the midst of multiple economic crises. the negative impacts of climate change, imbalance and inequality, in access to technological progress and many other emerging challenges. It’s concerning that in our developing countries we continue to face the effects of crises that are mainly caused by the selfish and inhumane economic model that is hindering the development of our peoples, further accentuating extreme poverty, hunger and inequalities across the planet. Thus far, we, the countries that make up the Global South, have not seen or received an adequate or fair response from developed countries vis-Ã -vis the commitments made by them, or to respond to their historic responsibilities in the creation of the unfair conditions that have only generated and perpetuated inequalities and have often irreversibly affected the planet. Begin by recognising these responsibilities and establish a clear path towards fair reparations will enable us to address and to eradicate the side effects such as extreme poverty, inequality and political tensions and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. President, while we’re talking about and while we’re on the topic of obstacles we face in achieving a better future for our people, more than 30 countries, that is, more than a third of the world’s population are suffering on a daily basis from the imposition of illegal unilateral coercive measures. The negative consequences of these arbitrary and illegal actions on the development of the third of the world’s population is evident. It’s essential that we adopt a clear, unequivocal commitment without conditions to drive forward the right to development of all people in equal conditions. We must urgently undertake collective actions to strengthen international and multilateral governance that is inclusive in order to increase cooperation for developing countries, increasing the flow of official assistance, transfer of technology and capacity building among others. We are gathered here today not only to talk about the future but rather to build a future collectively. We require a global political pact to forge this common future consolidating the multipolar world that we’re building based on cooperation and not on aggression and based on the respect of international law, of sovereignty and the self-determination of peoples. A multipolar world that creates peace and well-being without exclusions or any type of impositions. A world that recognizes the rights of the state of Palestine as a free, sovereign and independent state. Thank you very much.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua. I now give the floor to His Excellency Vince Henderson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy of Dominica.
Vince Henderson: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Commonwealth of Dominica. We align ourselves with the statement made by the group of 77 and China. The Commonwealth of Dominica welcomes this convening of the summit of the future. We also welcome the pact of the future which is the culmination of the global digital compact and the declaration of future generations. Indeed, the co-facilitators deserve high praise for the dedication that they have shown. to reaching consensus on these very demanding and equally important topics. Let there be no doubt that if there was any time for world leaders to coalesce and close ranks around multilateral fixes, that will deliver a better tomorrow. The time is now. Excellencies, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was set in what, looking back today, seemed like a completely different world. The convulsions that have upset the status quo of yesteryear seem to be prime candidates for explanations why attainment of the SDGs has been so unsatisfactory. However, the midpoint to any goal worth struggling for is a milestone. For example, the commitment to leaving no country behind in the pursuit and indeed attainment of the SDGs was a paradigm shift of great value for many, many other lines that facilitate exclusion. Be that as it may, we are now past the midpoint towards the attainment of those same SDGs. Bold actions to deliver the promises made are what it will take. Bold actions are therefore what must be taken. Inequality that characterizes the social distribution of valuable goods and services in such a manner and to such a degree as to divide humanity into the haves on the one hand and the have-nots on the other must be left on the dust heap of history the sooner the better. That, by the way, is one reason why the Global Digital Compact is so critical. It promises to help bring equity into the social distribution of digital technologies. which are such a critical input into so much economic value being created today. We say help, because we realize that if history has taught us any lesson at all where the fight for equality is concerned, it is that equality is not achieved by automatic means and attained forever. Equality is a distinctively human value, a superbly human pursuit, and its pursuit, and especially its maintenance, have to be the unending obsession of men and women of goodwill. Excellencies, having attained political independence in 1978, making our normative freedom a very short duration indeed, especially when compared to our overly long nightmare of conquest, colonization, slavery and neocolonialism, equality and standards of dignity for all our citizens were a gargantuan task. In fact, it is still unfinished business. However, we used our sovereignty and drew on our history to commit ourselves to healing the grievous injuries that history has inflicted upon us. With the support of our multilateral partners, we have pointed our spearheads at and leaned into the fight to eradicate poverty from among our people. Our fight to eradicate poverty has been multi-pronged and multi-dimensional, because poverty is a mighty foe. We have targeted the elderly, the uninsured, women, the differently abled, for example, with caring services, supportive services, housing services, basic health facilities and inclusion. We have targeted the very young. We have targeted as many as was possible, given our resources. It would, however, be misleading to give the impression that our effort has not been in vain. or suffered any reversal. Worthy of particular note is the onslaught of tropical weather patterns that visit their fury upon us every hurricane season. However, we are resilient people. In the words of the great Bob Marley, we are the survivors. And as long as we are here, we will fight for a more equitable world and a more peaceful world. I thank you.
Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of Dominica. I now give the floor to His Excellency Yvan Gil Pinto, Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Yvan Gil Pinto: Mr. President, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is honored to take the floor on behalf of the group of friends in defense of the United Nations Charter. Mr. President, when we agreed on the modalities of the Summit to the Future, we were aware that the challenges that the international community was facing, which have only deepened, were interconnected. We also recognized that through enhanced solidarity and international cooperation, and through reinvigorated and more inclusive multilateralism with the United Nations at its core, we have the potential to not just meet, but also overcome the challenges of both the present and of the future. Paradoxically, at a time when increasing global interconnectedness demands greater pluralism, the world is witnessing a growing resort to unilateralism. This trend, marked by isolationist and arbitrary actions. including the imposition of unilateral coercive measures and the attempt to replace international law with an alleged rules-based order, are undermining crucial efforts to address our common challenges. We insist on the fact that true multilateralism and the application, without double standards, of the principles of the United Nations Charter are the crux of international relations and are required for peaceful co-existence among nations. Throughout negotiations of the Pact for the Future, we emphasise the importance of respecting both the letter and the spirit of the United Nations Charter, and the understanding that it is crucial that we commit to strengthening multilateralism and to preserving our organisation’s intergovernmental nature by refraining from the growing trends to replace, minimise or equate the central and leading role of states in the United Nations with that of non-state actors, most of which represent the interests of the developed world. Mr President, there will be no future without peace and there will be no peace without sustainable development, which requires, among other things, ensuring the realisation of the inalienable right of people to self-determination living under foreign and colonial occupation. The question of Palestine and the human tragedy unfolding in Gaza are a stark reminder of the vital importance of this timeless principle. Time to advance towards the elimination once and for all of colonialism in all of its forms and manifestations. It is our moral and ethical duty to conclude the pending decolonisation process around the world. In this context, we reiterate our appeal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as for justice and the end to the illegal Israeli occupation and our appeal. for the Security Council to fully shoulder its responsibilities including by favourably reconsidering the application of Palestine for fully-fledged membership of the United Nations. Remaining silent is not an option as this will only embolden the occupying power as it continues to commit grave violations of international law and complete impunity. In addition to peace, our people also deserve to live better and in this regard we are convinced that the right to development must be the ultimate goal of this organisation and our future depends on ensuring that our nations, particularly those of the Global South, get back on track towards the timely achievement of the SDGs. It is urgent, of course, to reform the international financial architecture currently designed to serve the interests of a model of subjugation and also ensure that states refrain from using unilateral coercive measures. It’s necessary to ensure a balanced realisation of the three pillars of the United Nations and to ensure a peaceful, prosperous, just and equitable world order in compliance and in strict adherence to the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter. Only the consolidation of friendly relations and cooperation among states will ensure peace, security, stability and the development of the international community as a whole. We regret that the Summit to the Future and its outcome documents may not have been as ambitious as we hoped in terms of turbocharging the 2030 Agenda, which continues to be on our compass. We reiterate our firm commitment to the Charter of the United Nations. And the microphone has been cut off.
Chair: I thank the Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of Venezuela. I now give the floor to His Excellency Eduardo Enrique REINA GarcÃa, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Honduras.
Eduardo Enrique REINA GarcÃa: Mr. President, distinguished delegates, Since the beginning, the principles and aspirations of the founding charter of our organization have been inspired by the possibility of achieving a future of hope for humanity, that at that dark time had been knocked down by war, desolation and death. Today, Honduras is firmly convinced that a better world with opportunities for all is possible and in line with our aspirations, we remain convinced that reaffirming peace and international security are without a doubt the norms that we need to achieve peaceful coexistence between nations. Peace has come here to the summit of the future, motivated by our aspiration to contribute to the achievement of the goals set out in the path of the future that has already been adopted. And that’s something that we don’t only fully share, but also we are on board with this because it is in line with the goals and the plan of the government, who has also warned about the risk caused by external debt to our countries and has established the need to build a new international financial architecture focused on productive development with social inclusion. We believe that this is the right time for the United Nations Secretary-General to organize a summit whose goal is to reaffirm peace and international security in the framework of the path of the future when we’re seeing huge tragedies like the tragedy faced by the Palestinian people. It’s therefore necessary to reaffirm the need for constructive dialogue and to establish a roadmap that helps to strengthen this dialogue and makes it possible for more stability in the global order. Therefore, we believe that it is urgent to build a society with gender equality to achieve true social justice. In the same vein, it is necessary to promote a reform of the UN system. When it comes to the Security Council, it is necessary to make it more democratic in order to re-establish respect for international law and build a new political and economic order. That is able to deal with the self-determination of the peoples of the global south. It is necessary to do this to achieve global peace. Therefore, when making the commitment that we are making here at this summit, we must address things through dialogue, through the establishment of trust, trust of our peoples in this organisation when it comes to dealing with great challenges such as the environment, the fight against corruption, the fight for institutionality to change the planet. This future of hope is still within our grasp and to consolidate peace and international security. It is doable and today we continue to work as a member of this organisation to defend multilateralism and calling out the fact that unilateralism is still present in this organisation, we need to work for a more human, collective world where we work together, a world that helps to combat poverty across the world. The right of peoples to development is important and it is something that we must respect. We must continue to turn this organization into a strong organization despite the great challenges and threats that we still face in our planet. Thank you very much.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Honduras. I now give the floor to His Excellency Alva Romanus Baptiste, Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs of St. Lucia.
Alva Romanus Baptiste: Mr. President, distinguished members of this August Assembly, Victor Hugo said, and I quote, there is nothing else in the world more powerful as an idea whose time has come, unquote. The idea that underpins the overarching purpose of this summit, multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow is one born not only out of the urgent demands of a cascading crisis of our time, but it is the core principle of this global assembly of nations. The idea that we must forge a new international consensus to deliver a better present and safeguard the future is a categorical imperative. Mr. President, the time has come. St. Lucia continues to diligently chart a sustainable development path at a time when the world faces many global risks and challenges, as well as remarkable opportunities. We remain firm believers in the power of multilateralism and the hope it offers to deliver actions that address the critical priorities of our times. These solutions require both a unified and resolute international community and an efficient multilateral system. Mr. President, the time has come. The power of the covenant of the future lies not in the text we have adopted, but in its application, in the implementation of its commitment, when we turn those words into action. We have the power to fundamentally address the systematic challenges that have plagued the multilateral system for decades. We have the power to transform global governance, to respond to a rapidly changing global environment. Mr. President, the time has come. St. Lucia’s aspirations for the future are focused on ensuring meaningful sustainable development with a deliberate emphasis on people at the center of development and creating opportunities for the youth. A ministry of the youth economy has been created to drive resilient prosperity in keeping with our development strategy, aimed at delivering economic growth, diversification and decent work. We are committed to doing our part and look to the multilateral system for the necessary support. Mr. President, the time has come. Our most valiant national efforts and ambitions continue to be tempered by economic, social, environmental, as well as geopolitical threats. are so immense they can only be ameliorated by a re-energized enabling environment that gives meaningful effect to our sustainable development. Mr. President, the time has come. Despite our vulnerability to external shocks and our fragile land and marine ecosystems that continue to be ravaged by the impacts of the climate crisis, St. Lucia continues to be solutions focus. Small island developing states have provided the international community with a new 10 year action plan in the Antigua and Barbuda agenda for seeds which provides an action-oriented blueprint to meet the global ambition of building more resilient economies and fostering prosperous and sustainable seeds societies. Mr. President, the time has come. In our interdependent world, no country can solve global issues alone. The time has come for all partners to consider ways in which the benefits and burdens of a globalized world can be more fairly shared across countries and populations. The time has come for us to truly reinvent not only the structures but also restore the trust needed for effective global governance. The time has come for us to deepen partnerships and place solidarity at the center of international cooperation. Mr. President, I yield the floor. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs of St. Lucia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Djibouti.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf: Mr. President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, At the outset, allow me to express our profound gratitude to the co-facilitators, Germany and our own Namibia, for masterfully steering the work that led to the adoption of a bold and ambitious Pact of the Future. While recognizing the many challenges and the constraints that our organization faces, we indeed agree that we are at a moment of hope and opportunity. We are all by now acutely aware of the risks that erosion of multilateralism entails and the cost of inaction. We are grateful for the Secretary-General’s contribution and the elaboration of the landmark report, our Common Agenda, as well as the various thematic policy briefs in response to the request by world leaders. The ideas and insights contained in this report offered a useful basis for discussions among Member States. We can’t thank him enough for sharing his vision for a better, more integrated and more impactful and more networked multilateralism. Mr. President, it is imperative, urgent and crucial that we achieve consensus on a set of measures which can advance global governance that is fit for the future. Djibouti and, indeed, African countries shared with UN Member States our vision for our continent’s renaissance and roadmap for realizing it. We have worked off that same map while engaging in negotiations on the summit of the future with Member States. The ambition we have is that of a United Nations that plays a leading and strengthened role. We envision the reform of global governance to be bold. and transformative. The international financial architecture must address existing inequities and be better aligned with today’s world. The burden of debt of African countries is increasing unsustainably so. It is exacerbated by unfair trade regimes as well as political strings attached. This has significantly circumscribed the political and budgetary room for manoeuvre of African states. The response has been inadequate given the scale of the problem and the urgency of the problem. According to the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, a global safety net has not been created for developing states. We need adequate funding in order to be able to achieve the SDGs to fairly protect states against systemic shocks and to make financial systems more stable. President, in order to restore trust we have to rethink and redefine global governance that can serve as a framework for the establishment of a fairer, more equitable and effective multilateral system. Africa remains severely underrepresented in various international financial institutions. The highest number of programs at the IMF are African. However, only 6.5 percent of the vote share is African. We must collectively recommit to the Charter of the United Nations, in particular its purposes and principles and reaffirm the primacy of conflict prevention and peaceful settlement of disputes. We must reject power politics and promote adherence to the Charter Specifically, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of UN member states in our efforts to maintain international peace and security. The concerns that have motivated the Charter remain salient today, over seven decades later. The eruption of new crises in many places in the world, the challenges the world faces in the global arms control and non-proliferation emerging threats, including the use of nuclear weapons, is today a reality. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, the reform of the UN Security Council must be accelerated as part of the new order we are aiming for to make that body more representative and rectify the injustice done to Africa and other regional groups. I thank you for your attention.
Chair: I thank the Minister of Planning, International Cooperation of Djibouti, I now give the floor to Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan
Zeina Toukan: and the Global JGTEL Compact, the opportunity for us to galvanize international commitments and adopt a solid and clear roadmap that will help us work together effectively to accelerate SDGs, tackle critical challenges, while preparing for a more resilient future for generations to come. Allow me here to commend the efforts of the co-facilitators for leading the process that got us here today and in bringing the pact successfully to a conclusion. The clock is ticking with only six more years on the 2030 agenda and trillions of dollars worth of financing and investment still needed. Multiple crises have had a substantial impact on developing countries’ socioeconomic performance and on their ability to meet SDGs. The scarring effects of the pandemic, protracted crises, geopolitical tensions, and the growing climate chaos are hitting the global development agenda really hard. And whilst performance on the SDGs varies by country and region, just like the 17 SDGs themselves, performance across the globe is also integrated, and delayed action within a single country affects the global outcomes. Global development must therefore be balanced for it to become more effective and impactful. In this respect, allow me to reiterate a few points. The importance of taking concrete and tangible steps for countries and people to regain trust in the multilateral system and international cooperation. We have now an opportunity to achieve a more efficient and inclusive multilateral system that reflects the realities of today and delivers for the future. Enhancing financing for development to deliver scale and impact, concessional, innovative, adequate, and unpredictable financing modalities are still urgently needed to fuel the development engines and create growth momentums. The international financing architecture must be a tool to remedy disproportionate burdens, not exacerbate their disparity. Reforming the multilateral financial system to become more responsive and equitable is still needed to enhance the voice of developing countries in global governance, build resilience, respond to economic and climate shocks, and invest in sustainable development while producing timely results. Only by overcoming disparities can we not only harness the benefits of digital technologies and AI, but also manage risk and in a way that leaves no one behind. Today’s adoption of the Global Digital Compact represents a new milestone of the global digital ecosystem and has the potential to create a more inclusive and effective governance system within this sphere. Youth deserve a better future, a future of justice, peace, and opportunities. With the adoption of the Declaration on Future Generations, efforts should continue to be geared towards in creating necessary platforms to expand and strengthen youth participation in the decision-making processes, both at country and global levels, to better utilize them in shaping the future that they aspire to. As we collectively work to catch up on the lost time and accelerate progress, we cannot forget the most vulnerable, especially in conflict-ridden countries and regions. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as a result of the Israel’s barbaric war on the Palestinian people, has become unimaginable. The killing of more than 41,000 civilians, the vast majority of whom are women and children, the mass destruction and forced displacement is a testament to the brutality of this war that is creating a lost generation deprived of peace, hope, and opportunities. A just and lasting peace is the only path to ending this conflict, once for and for all, a peace that will ensure a viable and independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. It is therefore important to renew the commitments to the UN Charter to ensure no double standards in adhering to international law as well as to international humanitarian law. We must strive to revitalize and strengthen the work of the General Assembly and focus on reforming the Security Council in a way that reflects the realities of today’s work and its role in promoting international peace and security in a way that ensure effectiveness and the ability of these bodies to fulfill their mandate. Excellencies, ladies, and gentlemen, the summit is our chance to get back on track. To deliver on it, we need to stay united. Jordan looks forward to being part of these collective efforts to achieve the desired goals. Thank you.
Chair: I thank Her Excellency, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Maris Sangiampongsa: Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Humanity today stands at the inflection point, which is mainly of our own making. Advances in technologies and innovations have brought the world closer together, yet misinformation and disinformation have pushed us further apart. The world economies and global wealth are expanding, yet inequalities and injustice persist. Threats to peace and to the environment are present everywhere, but so too are ideas to address them. This Summit of the Future, Mr. President, offers us the hope to steer our course towards a better future. With this Summit, we are presented with the opportunities to forge not just the future we want, but the future that humanity needs. What kind of future am I talking about? First is a future where all can be protected. And that protection starts with heeding the call in the paths of the future for a fundamental shift in the way we approach growth. Thailand’s sufficiency economy philosophy, our locally driven people-centered and planet-centric development approach, prioritizes the sustainable use of our planet’s resources and teaches us to live harmoniously and in balance with nature because without sustainability there is no future. However, sustainable development can never be realized in the midst of discrimination and division or through the ravages of conflict. Towards this end, Thailand is fully committed to the reform of the United Nations, including Security Council, so that the UN can truly represent the interests of all countries and the Council will be more effective in maintaining international peace and security. We also need to overcome the challenges of illicit drugs and transnational crimes, including cybercrime. We will work with all partners to enhance the United Nations’ role as an actor of peace and sustainability that takes into account the interests of the developing countries. Second is the future where all can prosper. At the heart of prosperity is equitable access to resources. Quality education, health care, and employment opportunities must be readily available to all. This also includes bridging the gender gap and the digital divide to ensure that technologies contribute to inclusive prosperity. Therefore, Thailand supports the Global Digital Compact’s call to bridge the science, technologies, and innovation gap between and within the countries. Further, Thailand recognizes that human rights is the foundation to build a prosperous future for all. It is for these reasons that we have presented our candidature for the United Nations Human Rights Council for the terms 2025 to 2027. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has equal access to fundamental needs to prosper and enhance their livelihoods. As we look towards the future, we must ensure that no one and no country is left behind. Third is the future that is promising for all. This begins with recognizing the role of youth, the true bearers of change. We must prioritize their engagement, empower their voices, and invest in their potential. With this in mind, Thailand is proud to have youth delegates joining our national delegations to UNGA so that they can actively participate in shaping the future they envision.
Chair: I thank Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Sergey Khomenko. Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus.
Sergey Khomenko: Madam President, Distinguished Delegates, The Republic of Belarus welcomes the SG’s initiative. The initiative being to convene a Summit of the Future. We believe this event is an opportunity to revive multilateral cooperation at a time of mounting contradictions in global politics. Indeed, the world is being held hostage by the egotistical approaches adopted by Western countries. They are underpinned by their desire to secure their own interests at the expense of the interests of other countries. It is necessary to stop this trend in its tracks and pull the world back from the brink. This is only possible if there is political will. We call on all states to exhibit such political will and to kick-start a global dialogue on security following the spirit of San Francisco. This is an idea that the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, put forward seven years ago already. The objective of such a dialogue would be to craft a common constructive basis for the building of a new, fair, multipolar world order. As the head of my country said in his message to the Secretary General of the United Nations, and here I quote, we believe that the value of the Summit of the Future lies in the fact that it’s an opportunity, yet another opportunity, to agree on action in all areas where this is possible. End of quote. We’re convinced that even in these testing times, United Nations member states can and should work to effectively address challenges and threats we all face. We hope that the summit of the future will give additional impetus in this direction, especially in those areas which it directly relates to. Furthermore, such impetus is all the more necessary given the paltry Global Sustainable Development Goal implementation results so far. On this note, I’d like to say about the work underway in my country on this front. On the whole, Belarus has achieved notable successes. Our achievements hinge on two factors. First, Belarus is genuinely committed to sustainable development. As a consequence, we’re working in a concerted fashion to uphold our international obligations. Second, we’ve built a strong people-centred state which is implementing effective policies that are human-centric. We have a state that works for the people in the name of humanity. Our successes have been confirmed by international ratings. The Republic of Belarus has been making steady progress on SDG implementation at the level of 80%. And, in fact, we’re ranked 30th in the world on SDG achievement. According to UNDP reports, the Republic of Belarus remains firmly in the High Human Development Index category. In June, we held the second National Forum on Sustainable Development where we took stock of what’s been done so far and agreed on additional steps to accelerate SDG achievement. The outcome of the forum is an official document of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. And I invite all those interested to read that document. Distinguished Summit participants, Belarus is unswervingly moving forward and this despite serious obstacles that are being erected by Western countries. via the imposition of unprecedented sanctions. There can be no doubt about it. Sanctions are one of the most serious barriers to sustainable development on our planet. Sanctions violate the UN Charter. Sanctions thwart food security and environmental security, especially in the least developed countries. Sanctions restrict access to financial markets and goods markets as well as transport infrastructures. Sanctions are a dead-end street. Last but not least, sanctions simply are at odds with common sense. Given our planet’s growing interdependence, sanctions have global negative effects. They impact all of us, including those countries which impose sanctions. One of the most important outcomes of the summit should be the following conclusion. A civilized future is wholly incompatible with illegal sanctions. Another key aspect I wanted to touch upon is that some states are spending billions buying and supplying weapons in order to ignite conflicts. Wouldn’t these funds be better spent to eradicate on eradicating poverty and hunger on achieving the SDGs, especially in those countries which acutely need assistance? After all, the interpreter apologizes, the speaker’s microphone has been cut off. The speaker’s microphone has been cut off.
Chair: I give the floor. I thank the Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic of National Assembly of Republic Belarus. I now give the floor to His Excellency Osman Saleh Mohammed, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea.
Osman Saleh Mohammed: Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. President, at the onset, allow me to express our appreciation to the co-facilitators of the Pact of the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations at this summit. I also extend my gratitude to His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, for convening this crucial summit of the future. In an increasingly interconnected world, no nation can stand alone in the face of the shared challenges. This gathering is a testament of our collective commitment to addressing the profound challenges facing our world today, and to shaping a future that is just, sustainable and inclusive for all. We must work together, guided by the principles of mutual respect, equity and international cooperation. The United Nations remains the primary forum for such collaboration, where every nation, regardless of size or power, has an equal voice. The respect for national sovereignty and the right to self-determination are fundamental principles that must underpin our international order. It is the prerogative of all nations. to pursue their own development paths free from external interference and unilateral coercive economic measures. True partnership should be rooted in equality and respect, not in dominance and imposition. Eritrea reaffirms its unwavering support for genuine multilateralism and intergovernmental processes as the cornerstone of our global governance system. Mr. President, it cannot be emphasised enough that the importance of peace and security as prerequisites for sustainable development. At the global, regional and sub-regional levels, we are witnessing first-hand the devastating impacts of conflicts and instabilities. The International Committee should resort to peaceful resolution prioritising diplomacy over force. To collectively address the global challenge, the international governance institutions must be referred to be more inclusive, representative and accountable. This includes reforming the Security Council, democratising international financial institutions and ensuring that the voices of developing countries are heard and respected. We are utterly dismayed that the efforts of the Member States, especially countries from the Global South, were not able to have a strong language on the much-needed reform of the current international financial architecture. In the age of digital transformation, the potential of technology to drive progress and innovation is immense. However, we must also be vigilant against its misuse and abuse for malicious purposes. An international legal framework must be put in place to ensure technology serves humanity and is shared equitably, and to protect against threats of cybercrime. Eritrea is, Mr. President, Eritrea is strongly committed to the principles of sustainable development and to combating the existential threats posed by climate change. As a country on the front line of climate impact, we understand the urgent need for action and we call for enhanced global solidarity, particularly in supporting vulnerable nations through capacity building.
Chair: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As soon as the microphone is cut off, I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Penny Wong, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia.
Penny Wong: Seventy-nine years ago, we established the United Nations, agreeing on a vision to protect all of the world’s peoples and the sovereignty of all nations, a vision for a world where no country dominates and no country is dominated. Yet these ideals endure more in promise than in practice. Our shared challenges are only getting bigger, but trust that this UN system can deliver for everyone continues to decline. As our challenges evolve, the UN has not evolved with them. The Pact for the Future is a sign of what we can still achieve together, but our inability to agree on so many issues prevents us from addressing today’s challenges. We need to reform the UN system. But reform cannot become a means for disruptors to undermine elements of the United Nations that protect us all. It must be about meeting the needs of all countries, including small and medium countries, rather than increasing the power of a few. We need a reformed UN Security Council that includes representation from Africa, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific, and where small states see their interests reflected and voices heard. We need stronger peacebuilding and conflict prevention architecture, and we need to strengthen resolve to achieve peace in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. Friends, last month we marked the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, a reminder of a time when the international community agreed rules to limit human suffering in conflict. We are falling short of that commitment. With 2024 shaping up to be the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel, Australia has listened to humanitarian leaders’ calls for greater protection of aid workers, and we are taking action. This week we are convening ministers and humanitarian leaders to begin work on a new declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel, just as we are listening to our friends in the developing world and we are taking action. With just over five years to 2030, we are falling behind collectively on the SDGs. over a third of them stalled or regressing, climate change upending development gains and finance targets not being met. Australia has listened to calls from Pacific Island nations for breakthroughs on climate change and together we have taken action. Australia and Tuvalu’s Falapili Union is the first time two nations have recognised in a legally binding treaty continuing statehood and sovereignty notwithstanding the impacts of climate change related sea level rise. Australia has listened to calls to advance the multi-dimensional vulnerability index and the Bridgetown initiative and we have taken action. We will offer climate resilient debt clauses in our sovereign loans by the end of 2025 to help developing countries build economic resilience in the face of climate change and other shocks, resist coercion and focus on delivering for their citizens. Australia has listened to calls for smarter and greater financing and we have taken action. This year we have committed 492 million dollars to the Asian Development Fund replenishment round working with Japan to unlock a record five billion dollars in new assistance over the next decade to the region’s most vulnerable countries. Australia has listened to calls to lessen the digital divide and we have taken action. We are building sustainable South-South connectivity via submarine cables across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. So in this and in many other ways we are working, Australia is working to deliver on the pact for the future and we will continue to act because the United Nations cannot reform itself. This is a job for all of us collectively as member states. It is up to us, our summit, our United Nations, our future. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Ahmed Attaf, Minister for Foreign Affairs and the national community abroad of Algeria.
Ahmed Attaf: Thank you. I would like to extend my gratitude for the holding of this summit. We would like to applaud the very positive momentum that has been built up around this valuable initiative put forward by the United Nations Secretary-General. This momentum is synonymous with hope, hope that the United Nations organization will take charge and shoulder its responsibility as an inclusive forum for achieving consensus, bringing together member states to confront various challenges. Indeed, the international community today more than ever needs to wake up in order to take stock of the challenges we face. The international community, our community, needs to rise up more than ever and right now to confront the various dangers lurking all over the world. I’m referring to, for instance, crises and wars which are getting worse and growing in number day by day. I’m also referring to development gaps, which are only getting deeper. Moreover, there’s climate change and environmental dangers which have reached unprecedented levels. On this note, Algeria would like to welcome the qualitative outcomes of the summit. We are committed to contributing to the implementation of the conclusions we’ve reached. Furthermore, my country believes that a serious process must be begun so as to strike the necessary balance in international relations across all of its dimensions, political, economic and social. The current imbalance is a source of very serious tension, upheaval, all of which are thwarting international relations, especially as regards the marginalization of developing countries, notably African countries and in the Security Council in particular, but also in various international financial and monetary institutions and international institutions generally speaking. We stand convinced that the United Nations organization is absolutely vital. It cannot be replaced. Nonetheless, at the same time, we believe that the organization requires reform. Reform that would ensure continuity, but also that the organization adapts to rise up to the challenges. Such a reform would restore the organisation to its vital role as the beating heart of international diplomacy and multilateral action. We need a reform that would allow the UN to respond to the aspirations of current and future generations, and to do so equitably and wholly. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the national community abroad of Algeria. I now give the floor to His Excellency Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Bakhtiyor Saidov: Dear Madam President, Honourable Heads of Delegations, Colleagues. First of all, allow me to extend our deepest gratitude to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for organising this pivotal summit. This forum is both timely and extremely important. Our world stands at a critical juncture marked by global instability and uncertainty. In such a defining moment, we must reflect on the legacy that we will leave for future generations. To effectively address the challenges before us, we must reform global governance systems and enhance multilateral institutions. We firmly believe that the United Nations which has no alternative in the world, must remain the central organization in addressing the global challenges. Uzbekistan fully supports the Pact for the Future. We are committed to implementing its principles in collaboration with our partners. Under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan, His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev, we are consistently implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Uzbekistan has made substantial progress in reducing poverty, promoting gender equality, and advancing climate resilience. We are determined to double our GDP by 2030 and achieve upper-middle income status. Stability and openness are the hallmarks of modern Central Asia. Today, our region faces significant challenges affecting our stability and development. Digital technologies are shaping our future. We must not allow the digital transition to become a new source of global inequality. Uzbekistan fully supports the UN Secretary General’s initiative for an annual digital cooperation forum and the establishment of a high-level advisory body on artificial intelligence. Climate change demands urgent and collective action. Central Asia has long faced the impacts of global warming caused by water scarcity, environmental degradation, and loss of biodiversity. The Aral Sea disaster continues to have a significant impact on the ecosystems of all states in the region. Uzbekistan is undertaking substantial measures to enhance environmental sustainability. In 2025, we plan to organize a climate forum in Samarkand. and invite everyone to actively participate in this event. We have made tangible progress in advancing gender equality, protecting the rights and interests of women. Uzbekistan is among the top five countries that have achieved the greatest success in implementing reforms in this field. Youth is the foundation of our shared future. Human development is a key focus of our strategy for building a new Uzbekistan, our country among the top ten states in implementing the UN Youth Strategy 2030. We will continue to prioritize youth development in alignment with the UN strategy. The development of transport corridors is a crucial step toward accessing the global markets. Central Asia is once again becoming a key transportation hub between East and West. Together with our partners, we are creating modern transportation routes and implementing projects to access global markets. One of the key projects is the construction of the Trans-Afghan Railway, which will provide access to international ports and is significant in the region’s economic development. Lastly, Afghanistan remains a critical concern. This country is an integral part of Central Asia. Uzbekistan is engaged in pragmatic efforts to support Afghanistan’s recovery and development. We emphasize the UN’s crucial role in coordinating international approaches to this issue.
Chair: The Summit of the Future is taking place at a time of profound changes. Uzbekistan is committed to active multilateral engagement and supporting the central role of the UN in achieving our common goals.
Bakhtiyor Saidov: I thank you for your attention.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan. I now give the floor to His Excellency Péter Szijjártó, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.
Péter Szijjártó: Madam Ambassador, dear colleagues, Your Excellencies, I regret to start with the fact that since the conclusion of the Second World War, the security situation of the world is now the most deteriorating. Threat of terror has been increasing. Illegal migratory flows are putting a huge challenge to many countries. And there are wars or armed conflicts going on in more than 30 places of the world. In order to be able to tackle these extremely serious challenges, we need to change international politics fundamentally. What would be the fundamental change? International politics should come back to the basis of mutual respect, and dialogue should be the major tool. Nowadays, unfortunately, if you represent a position out of the mainstream, you are immediately stigmatized. If you stand up for your national interest, if you express a sovereign opportunity, you are immediately accused and attacked, either politically, legally, or sometimes even physically, as it has been experienced in this very country, or in our neighbor, Slovakia. The saddest thing is… that international liberal mainstream made the word peace as a cuss word, at least in Europe. European politicians usually argue in favor of diplomacy and peaceful solutions of certain wars if they are far away of Europe. But nowadays, unfortunately, a war is going on in Europe, and those who argue in favor of peace are immediately stigmatized, attacked and criticized. If it continues as it has been going on, future will be really sad, as there are two sad scenarios ahead of us. The risk of the outbreak of the third world war is becoming more and more serious, or the world is heading towards an age where the world is going to be divided into blocks again. And myself, coming from Hungary, from Central Europe, a region which has suffered a lot under the age when the world was divided into blocks. We lost four decades of our lives at that time. And I do believe it’s not a wonder after this that we don’t want this age, the age of the world being divided into blocks, to come back. We want that the next decades would be characterized by connectivity and fair international cooperation. Because unlike the world divided into blocks, when the age was about connectivity, we had really great experience. When it was even realistic to speak about the chance of a Eurasian cooperation from Lisbon to Vladivostok, if these times could come back, I think the whole world would take a lot of profit out of it. And I do believe, Madam Ambassador, dear colleagues, that the United Nations should play a huge role to this direction. Because I’d like to remind all of you, United Nations was not established to be a group of like-minded countries. United Nations was established as a platform where everyone can talk to everyone about everything. And I do believe that United Nations should gain back this function of it. Because my question is, where should we speak about peace if not here? Where should countries talk to each other who are in a hostile situation with each other if not here? What would be the other platform? What would be the other venue? Therefore, we don’t accept any kind of restrictions with whom to meet, and which topic to be discussed, or which topic not to be discussed. Madam Ambassador, we Hungarians are a Central European peace-loving nation. And what I can promise to you is the following, that we Hungarians will do our best to make the next period, to make the future as a period, as an age of peace, where international cooperation is fair and peaceful, where the word peace is not a cuss word, and where no one should be stigmatized who stands up for peace. Thank you so much.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary. I now give the floor to His Excellency Rafaravavitafika Rasata, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Madagascar.
Rafaravavitafika Rasata: Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Heads of Delegation, Madam Ambassador, ladies and gentlemen, for me it’s a great honor to take the floor before you on behalf of His Excellency Mr. Andrew Rajlina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, and to extend you his most heartfelt regards. It’s also a real point of pride for the whole of the Madagascan nation, in particular for all of the young people of Madagascar, to contribute to building our common future. While we are blazing the trail of our future actions, I wish to welcome the effective and able leadership of the co-facilitators, Namibia and Germany, in the negotiations that led to the adoption of the Pact for the Future and its two annexes, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations. Madagascar aligns its voice with the statement made by the representative of the G77 and by the representative of the African Group. Madam Ambassador, Madagascar is a young country. Two-thirds of our population, that is 70.6% of our population, is under the age of 30. In Madagascar, our youth is aware of the responsibilities that weigh upon them and of the challenges that they face. We also firmly believe in our ability to bring solutions. This year, to mark the participation of youth in this historic summit, we have launched a vast campaign called Let Us Give the Voice to the Future, in all regions of our country, to make sure that we hear. Our young people have shared their vision to find their priorities, and through the Youth Declaration, they are calling for the inclusion of youth in public policy so that their aspirations for the future are taken into account, the valuing of their skills by promoting entrepreneurship and job creation, and participation in decision-making processes and involvement in high-level bodies. Excellencies, Madam Ambassador, we are all here for a reason, that is to find solutions for today and for tomorrow. Climate change, inequalities, armed conflicts, pandemics, all of these crises require collective action, courageous action for all of us, leaving nobody behind. It is distressing to see that six years from 2030, only 10% of these Sustainable Development Goals have been reached. If we do have an ambition to leave a better world to our descendants, let us dare to take the right measures, let us respect our commitments, and let us act to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. President Madagascar knows what vulnerability is. Every day we experience the impact of climate change. Nevertheless, we are not losing hope. We believe, and we have faith, in the strength of international cooperation. This Summit of the Future is the opportunity to reinvent our collective approach. We have the responsibility and the duty to rethink multilateralism. It needs to be more inclusive, more equitable and more dynamic, so that the nation’s future is a better place. needs of vulnerable countries, developing island countries, are born in mind. Today, more than ever, we must respect the commitments that we’ve made, in particular, the Paris Agreement for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions or the Declaration on Climate, Children and Youth to invest in peace, in sustainable development, and in justice. Excellencies, Madagascar is advocating for international cooperation focused on inclusive actions, a multilateral system that is more fair and more representatives that take account of the interests of future generations. His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Andry Rajoelina, likes to say that Africa is not a problem. Africa is the solution. And the solutions that we want to bring in to deal with current challenges must be engaged in with Africa and with Africa’s youth. Thank you.
Chair: I thank Your Excellency, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Madagascar. I now give the floor to His Excellency Justin Tkatchenko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea.
Justin Tkatchenko: Madam President, Excellencies, all protocols observed. Madam President, we welcome and strongly support the Landmark Pact for the Future. And it’s accompanying global digital pact and declaration on future generations adopted yesterday in the General Assembly. This pact is complementary to the Pact This pact is complementary to Papua New Guinea’s own vision 2050. where we want to see a middle-income country that is peaceful, prosperous and caring. It also underscores the multilateralism under the United Nations and is crucially important for all humanity. This deserves our strongest support going forward. As leaders of our peoples in countries, we now need real and genuine action to translate the Pact for the Future and its accompanying outcome documents to benefit in an inclusive, fair and just way for all of us. We do not need reticent statements that undermine privileges and lacklustre progress for the Sustainable Development Goals at just 17% seen globally, including in my own country, which demands that we all must do better. Despite notable strides in recent years in areas such as health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, governance, justice, peace and security, Papua New Guinea recognises that we can do better in delivery on these SDGs and we are working hard on it. Improving national leadership, board-based and inclusive people-centred development approach with better national coordination and coherence, strong governance supported by effective implementation of our national development priorities and roadmaps knowing as a middle-term development plan is a step in the right direction in improving our people’s livelihoods going forward. We need a global financial architecture that puts people’s lives and livelihoods first over profit or self-interest. We remain serious and we’re concerned that the climate finance we need is not happening at the speed and scale in some cases. Like in our own country, there is hardly a trickle. We need better support on this front from multilateral systems established for it. My government is now embarking on industrialization through downstream processing of our natural resources to value-add, benefit fairly from our national assets. We therefore welcome bonafide development partnership that is not detrimental but rather aligned with our national development priorities. This includes efforts to bridge the digital divide between and within countries where sharing of technical technology and knowledge and technical capacity in building and supporting and fostering nation development whilst preventing its misuse and abuse is also desired. This is why we are investing heavily in our ITC sector, therefore supporting of our global digital compact. Ms. Madam President, the pact for the future emphasizes on the importance of peace and security at all levels to do better, safeguard humanity in the right decision, especially in a world that is under serious threat from other conflicts and tensions that abound. We must rally together for peace and security to enable us to deliver on the promise of our SDGs and the pact for the future. On our part, Papua New Guinea has as the highest priority peace and security for our development. agenda. We recognize that without peace and security, there is no sustainable development. That is why we are committed to the pact for the future. And I thank you, Madam President, Bama Huta, Emel, and thank you, TRU.
Chair: I now give the floor to His Excellency Frederick Makamure Shava, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe.
Frederick Makamure Shava: Madam President, Excellencies, and all protocols observed, I commend the Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his visionary leadership in initiating the summit of the future. I also commend the presidents of the General Assembly of the Republic of Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany for providing leadership in the drafting of the pact of the future. The theme of the summit is both relevant and timely. The summit of the future is an opportunity for us to discuss the old, the new, and emerging challenges facing the world, and to renew our commitment to multilateralism. As we navigate these challenging times, effective global cooperation is imperative if we are to attain sustainable peace and inclusive socio-economic development. Madam President, the 23rd Agenda the Paris Agreement, including the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, clearly focus on the what in terms of the goal setting our commitments. Now it is time for us to focus on the how. We can all effectively work together to meet those commitments and tackle the most pressing issues while preparing for a more resilient future that leaves no one and no place behind. Running behind the reform of the global governance systems, including global financial institutions, and the United Nations Security Council is a fundamental starting point. It is reformed institutions that are fit for contemporary challenging times that will assist developing countries to meet our common goals. It is equally imperative that developed countries provide a comprehensive package of support for developing countries to enable them to transition to greater economies. This must include financial resources, technology transfer, capacity building initiatives, excellencies. Given the current geopolitical contestations and increasing conflicts, it is imperative that the role and capacity of the United Nations in preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution be strengthened. The need to include women and youths in the peace and security agenda cannot be overemphasized. Zimbabwe therefore supports the new agenda for peace as proposed by the United Nations Secretary General. and a sense ready to play its part in this regard. Madam President, the need for political will is paramount if the implementation of the outcomes of this summit are to be actualized. It will be critically important to focus on vulnerable countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries like Zimbabwe, and small island developing states in line with the cardinal principle of leaving no one and no country behind. Success should be measured in terms of the extent to which any interventions reach those in hard to reach areas and who are furthest behind. Madam President, Zimbabwe is relatively youthful as a nation with more than 65% of our population below the age of 35. This presents opportunities for economic growth through harnessing the innovations and innovativeness and zeal of our youths. Our policies and programs have been designed and redesigned and strengthened to ensure that young people are key drivers of our social and economic transformation agenda. This includes the establishment of innovation centers at all institutions of higher education underpinned by a number of new heritage-based approach to education 5.0. This approach is enjoying growing success in calculating a sense of self-
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe. I now give the floor. to His Excellency Touhid Hossain, Advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Interim Government of Bangladesh.
Touhid Hossain: Madam President, Excellencies, I applaud Secretary-General Guterres for convening this historic summit. Gathering the most diverse actors and stakeholders to reflect on collective actions is indeed a triumph of multilateralism. Excellencies, envisioning future is exciting, yet challenging. In an intensely connected and instantaneous world we live in, future is fraught with too many unknowns, unknowables, and uncertainties. As we speak of securing our common future, we have to be ready to make inconvenient choices, difficult tradeoffs, and critically question the decisions we take. The world acknowledged all such in adopting the Agenda 2030 as we pledged to create a secure and sustainable future for our descendants based on shared responsibility. Nearly a decade since the Agenda 2030 being in place, we note social and economic inequalities across communities are rising. Poverty and hunger persist, yet we focus more on output than outcome. Humanity is endowed with so much resources and knowledge. technology. Yet vast majority of population still lack capacity to cope and progress. While wealth abounds to finance almost all the global needs, even though developing countries are ready to pay for the solutions, we see very little money moves to critical developmental issues such as climate adaptation, securing future of water for farmers, etc. Excellencies, two months back a remarkable people’s movement in Bangladesh starkly reminded how a 170 million people value their aspiration for freedom, dignity, justice and equality over sheer growth numbers. Drawing on the past five decades global discourse and development, we may need to truly value the values to secure our future. Understanding empathy for people and nature alike, placing harmony and stability beyond peace and conflict only, balancing ecology and economy, weighing well-being over profits, rediscovering responsibility. What is key to me is to rediscover learning beyond skewed remit of education only. We need to blend content with values that spark creativity. We also need to democratize digital technology tools, applications and innovations beyond profit, else many risks to be left out in a vast evolving world of work. I see how people in deserts, islands or coasts without literacy or numeracy can turn their circumstances around. They ask for modern support, modest support. Let us indicate how we can shape and reach solutions to those billions on the fridge. At the same time, the wealth of traditional practices and heritage across communities merit to be blended with contemporary knowledge. In all, let us liberate the potential latent in entrepreneurship of individuals and enterprises across the developing world where so much still revolves in informal economy. Excellencies, diversity of nations presented different perspectives that enriched the Declaration on Future Generations and the Digital Compact. The guiding principles, elements, and suggestive actions surely sow the seed for a shared global undertaking beyond 2030. Bangladesh stands ready to contribute her bit beyond this summit. I thank you all.
Chair: I thank the Advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. I now give the floor to His Excellency Frederick Mitchell, Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Public Service of Bahamas.
Frederick Mitchell: As we look around today, there are wars and rumors of war. Some countries have marched into other countries and claimed the space as their own simply because their troops are standing all over the land. We all ascribe to the UN Charter on Territorial Integrity, but the goal, though laudable, has fallen short. Ask the people from Ukraine to Gaza to Cyprus to Sudan if they believe the international system as it is values the Charter and the beliefs described therein, ask Haiti. At one time, and to some extent today, people invaded or discovered other peoples and nations and claimed them in the name of the Lord. They then decimated the people that they met on the land and divided up the spoils. That was the founding principle that allowed the millions of African slaves to be transported across the seas as cargo and chattel to the small islands, displacing local populations. And that’s how my fellow Bahamians and I got to be in the place called the Bahamas. We’ve made it thus far by faith. So Carl Sagan, the American astronomer, has a widespread video that shows the Earth in far relief from outer space. It is the blue dot. And he describes that we are, as far as we know, all alone on that blue dot in the loneliness of space. And from that standpoint, where there are no boundaries that can be seen, he argues compellingly that that is why we have to work together to resolve the issues of our survival. It is still all we have. Neil deGrasse Tyson argues that the one thing about science is that whether you believe it or not, it’s true. I refer again to the immutable truth. Earth is all we have. And we are all in this together, for good or ill. The age of discovery that wrought the systems that we have today is still at work. Countries are now reaching out into the void of space and seeking to carve up in national names the resources of that void. This is what appears as we land on Mars and on the moon. We argue and we give lip service to the creed that it belongs to all mankind. But the doctrine of, I got there first, so it’s mine, still applies, as far as we, the smaller countries who have not gotten there, can see. If we scale back, then, to the immutable logic of what that means, it means that we who do not have the resources are expendable and power is the only fact. I said yesterday to one of the world’s leaders that every time the Caribbean region tries to use the provisions of the market to save ourselves, the response from the powerful. is to use their laws and other forms of coercion to ensure that our innovations in the market do not succeed. They often use the moral principle that they are preventing money laundering or tax evasion or some other invented evil. But morality works both ways. When actions result in penury, poverty, and displacement, and you’re unable, after all the blandishments and niceties and force such as these, to get any world leader on the phone, and you realize we’re in trouble. Shakespeare wrote the words, help me Cassius, ere I sink. The nations of the Pacific are facing the existential threat of climate change. Those who are responsible have not stepped up to the plate as they should have with money and material. And the same can be said for the Caribbean. The commitments have been observed more in the breach than in fulfillment. Fifty-one years ago, on the 18th of September, 1973, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas raised its flag here at this body. Our then Prime Minister, Lyndon Pindley, committed our country to the Charter and its provisions. We accepted and believe today, under the present Prime Minister, Philip Davis, that we have no choice but to believe and subscribe and support the Charter and to commit ourselves today to global governance. We believe and recommit ourselves to the shared nature of the resources of the earth. We superintend 100,000 square miles of water. We superintend 4,000 square miles of land. We’re about 400,000 people. This is not even the size of a small village in India. We fight, though, for the right to exist in the land that we now occupy and govern. We’re tenacious about it. We pay tribute to the people who were there before us. And we fight to establish a viable economy that can survive on the moral principles that have founded that many nations talk and talk but don’t walk the walk. So, I end here with a recommitment to this body, to the pact for the future. I have no choice. I ask delegates to forgive the circumlocution, but it is what it is. We are confident that humans have a soul, a right to exist, a God-given right to all the resources of the Earth, sea, and sky, all humanity, not some. There must be a guiding moral and ethical principle to underline all that we do and say going forward to 2030 and beyond. That is why we say today, now more than ever, we need the United Nations. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Public Service of Bahamas. I now give the floor to His Excellency Hakan Fidan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey.
Hakan Fidan: Distinguished Heads of State and Government, esteemed representatives, Madam President, both the international community and the United Nations are going through a historical test. Our ability to produce solutions to crises and conflicts is declining, while the injustices in the income distribution are deepening. Global inequality and injustice prepare the ground for extremism and failing states. Hatred against Islam and xenophobia, in their turn, gain strength on this fertile ground. The imbalances are constantly growing, be it in nature, economy, income distribution, as well as social and political spheres. Unfortunately, the United Nations cannot display the leadership that it should in the face of ever-growing threats against humanity. Today, we need an effective structure that will produce common solutions to our global problems, that will uphold hope against despair, prosperity against poverty, justice against injustice, and peace against violence. We need a more just, inclusive, and effective multilateral model. A comprehensive reform is needed in the United Nations, especially in the Security Council. In fact, the world is bigger than five. We need to democratize the decision-making procedure at the UN. The resolutions that are adopted with an overwhelming majority at the General Assembly cannot be implemented because of the Security Council. International peace and security cannot be left to the will of a privileged clique consisting of a limited number of countries. We also need efficient tools and mechanisms to promote dialogue in the face of increasing polarization. In addition, the reform of the international financial architecture is also a must. This is the only way to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To pursue these objectives, we will continue to work and voice our views on every platform. Dear colleagues, at the same time, we are looking for ways to adapt new technologies, especially digitalization and artificial intelligence. In this context, we welcome the adoption of the Global Digital Compact, which is one of the fundamental components of the Pact for the Future. We expect the international community to encourage its support to the United Nations Technology Bank, hosted by Turkey, in its critical task of closing the digital gap between developed countries and the least developed countries. The success of today’s summit is a test that will reaffirm our determination to rebuild trust in the multilateral system. The pact for the future will shape our joint commitments towards a commonwealth vision. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the stakeholders who have contributed to the process. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey. I now give the floor to His Excellency Nicolás Albertoni, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.
Nicolás Albertoni: Thank you very much, Madam President. This summit is taking place in the midst of very uncertain times that often prevent us from seeing the magnitude and the urgency of the global problems that we need to address. We must often put urgent things above important things. And that’s why my country highly values the agreement that we’ve struck. It’s a symbol of the collective desire to be the masters of the changes that our society needs today. Therefore, in this pact, we are seeing a north, but also a south, putting once again on the horizon what’s truly important. This type of joint progress enables us to imagine a bolstered multilateralism, renewed international cooperation, that despite facing huge challenges. This gives us the possibility of telling the world we have been able to strike a pact for the future together. Uruguay comes to this summit having been committed to the agenda that we’ve agreed on today for many years. And in 2021, since 2021, we’ve had a bicameral commission for the future, and the UN system in Uruguay, alongside the Uruguayan government, between 2022 and 2024, organized dialogues for the future, seeking to empower this agenda with a futurist perspective. This pact has also been motivated by focusing on climate change, because we need to improve the perspectives of future generations. It’s essential to ramp up cooperation and commitments on climate change, and in this regard, I must refer to the fact that, although our greenhouse gas emissions are minimal on a global level, we have completed an energy transition with 90% of our energy from renewable forces. Now we are focusing on a second transition, enabling us to achieve electric mobility. However, like so many developing countries, my country needs us to comply with the commitments made in terms of climate financing, with the framework of common but differentiated responsibilities. Furthermore, we are calling for innovation and finance mechanisms that incentivize compliance with social indicators, environmental and governance ones. We are only six years from 2030. This is the deadline that we established for the SDGs. And something that they constantly recall us, remind us of, is that sustainable development is essentially multidimensional. That’s why we applaud the fact that this pact establishes a process to measure development beyond GDP. That’s something that we’ve been calling for for a long time. in order to prevent us from punishing those who are making a lot of effort to do things well. Mr. President, as the Secretary General has said, we cannot build a future for our grandchildren with a system that was designed by our grandparents. That is why in Uruguay we are working to guarantee access to better education, health and employment opportunities for future generations. In this regard, I wish to underscore that Uruguay recently delivered an education transformation that will empower our education for the future. We also enacted a law for social security based on intergenerational solidarity that will not only enable the system to be sustainable in the long term, but it will also provide employment and formal entrepreneurship opportunities and will ensure a future for today’s and future generations. Talking about future generations, please allow me to applaud the creation of a UN Youth Office. At the head of the mission we have our compatriot Felipe Pauller, searching for better participation of youth in decision-making. We must be clear that the current situation is alarming. We have so many people displaced by humanitarian emergencies, conflicts, armed violence. There should be no doubt that on this pact we have made a great step forward in terms of multilateralism. However, now our energy should be focused on ensuring that the commitments made do not just become good intentions. Be aware that Uruguay has always been an ally when it comes to looking to the future, because our country does not understand the future as something that we should wait for, but rather something that we should actively… build together. Thank you very much.
Chair: I thank the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay. I now give the floor to His Excellency Sergey Vershinin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Sergey Vershinin: Distinguished colleagues, today’s world is confronted with unprecedented challenges which require collective decisions. That’s why when the UN Secretary General proposed convening a summit of the future, his proposal was elicited with a strong response from the organization and garnered Russia’s support as well. We shouldn’t forget that the state’s unity in combating fascism and the desire to cooperate in good faith to address global problems resulted in the establishment of the UN. Without political will, it’s impossible to achieve consensus, and it’s certainly not possible to restore peace, ensure indivisible security, and achieve the development goals. In a word, the foundation of the effectiveness and credibility of the UN is genuine multilateralism. As a founding member of the UN and a responsible member of the international community, the Russian Federation attaches particular importance to strengthening the system of international cooperation. We believe that the UN should play a central coordinating role in our multipolar world, aligning member states’ positions in the search of collective answers to global challenges. Guided by this stance, Russia has taken a most active part since the very beginning in crafting the pact for the future. We were not governed solely by our national interests. We also pursued the priorities of the global majority. Our delegation was unswervingly constructive in its approach and opened a dialogue in the interest of compromise. Despite this, the final version of the pact and the annexes there, too, still contains non-consensus and unacceptable elements. This does not foster the achievement of the stated goals of the summit and spells negative consequences for the very foundations of the UN. For this reason, Russia did not block the adoption of the pact and joined the statement of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter voiced earlier. However, we’d like to dissociate ourselves from the consensus on the pact and the Global Digital Compact, especially regarding the above. Specifically, we cannot support wording that aims to undermine the intergovernmental nature of the UN. What’s also unacceptable is selective quoting of several principles of international law, such that in the document there’s no mention made of the principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of sovereign states, nor is there any mention of the principle of cooperation. We and a host of other countries which also pursue a sovereign foreign policy cannot support the strengthening of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who is known for his bias and for condoning Western interests. We believe that expediting nuclear disarmament, given that the principle of equal and indivisible security is being ignored, is not realistic, if not destructive, in fact. The Global Digital Compact contains serious shortcomings. It covers attempts to put non-government entities and governments on an equal footing when taking decisions on the international technological agenda, as well as for the establishment of additional review bodies with unclear mandates. It goes without a doubt that the documents adopted at this summit contain some ideas reflecting the expectations of the global majority. These include the reform of the international financial architecture, expanding access to technologies and bridging the digital divide, in the interests of the SDG’s achievement. We welcome the Declaration on Future Generations, which is a shining example of the kind of future we want to see in the world. We welcome the Declaration on Future Generations, which is a shining example of the kind of of the fact that it is possible to achieve consensus within the UN if the political will is there. Given this position, we’d like to underscore that the summit’s outcome documents do not impose any obligations on the Russian Federation, obligations under provisions which did not achieve consensus. They cannot be reproduced in other UN documents automatically, since they require additional painstaking consideration, as well as agreement thereon, on the part of all UN member states, with rigorous respect for these states’ approaches and concerns. Thank you for your kind attention.
Chair: As of the Russian Federation, I now give the floor to Her Excellency, Bahia El Hariri,
Bahia El Hariri: I have the honor of making this statement on behalf of His Excellency Mr. Najib Mikati, head of the Lebanese government, during this plenary meeting of the Summit of the Future. He tasked me with giving you his excuses, his apologies, for not attending here in person given the urgent circumstances and the destruction facing the Lebanese people, including in their homes. Mr. Mikati is working with the government and government teams to deal with the aggression that we are victim to at all levels, diplomatic, humanitarian, health, security, and also in terms of people’s livelihoods. We’re seeing a wave of exodus and seeing residential areas being targeted following the massacre. that kills more than 3,000 people in the ports of Beirut. And we are seeing the destruction of large areas of agricultural land and residential buildings in the majority of the regions of Lebanon. This has damaged the economy of our country and threatened our social order, especially since several countries have asked their nationals to leave our country. The summit of the future is taking place at a time that is ever so sensitive. The whole of humanity urgently needs dialogue to call ourselves into question and to become aware of the dangers that are threatening international peace and security after the erosion of the international system, violence, lack of respect of values and conventions. In response to this, we require efforts to reinstate trust in this system. We, on behalf of the Lebanese government, welcome the efforts of the Secretary General and the United Nations to prepare this summit through the dialogues being addressed and the strategy and the approach to it in place since 2015. The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Addis Ababa Action Plan for Sustainable Development, the declaration made on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations in 2020, our common agenda in 2021, the statement by the Secretary General in 2022, the summit on the transformation of education, the fight against the spread of pandemics in 2023, the SDG summit, all of these measures should reinstate trust. The establishment of modern Lebanon in 2020, since then, we have been participating in the League of Arab States since 1945, and we participated in the drafting of the United Nations Charter in 1945 and we participated in the founding conference for UNESCO in 1945 and the drafting of the International Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. In 1948, Lebanon hosted the third conference of UNESCO in Beirut. The preamble of the founding document of UNESCO states that since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed. This was a forum for freedom for peace, for cultural diversity, for dialogue in the diversity of global culture against violence, destruction, exile, exodus, hunger and disease. All of these things have a huge effect on the minds of future generations and the causes of future wars are brewing currently in the spirits of the minds of different generations with artificial intelligence and future generations face all of these disasters and in their minds all of these things are so clear. So re-examining these documents with each new generation directly requires re-evaluating the maturity of these delegations. Indeed, the current generation is evolving so quickly due to technological progress. While in the past we talked about a new generation every ten years, the Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr. Mikati is looking at levels of trust in Lebanese civil society and in scientific institutions and the youth and we wish to underscore the importance of the Secretary General’s position on debating the results of this exceptional summit with civil society and with youth organisations. We hope that the young people of the city of Beirut will be the first. to discuss the results of this summit of the future and it’s packed and compact. They’re also bitter from violence, war and conflict. The speaker’s microphone has been cut off, so the interpreters.
Chair: I thank the member of parliament of Lebanon. I now give the floor to His Excellency Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkina Faso.
Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré: Madam President, Burkina Faso would like to applaud the considerable efforts undertaken by the co-facilitators in crafting the pact for the future which we adopted unanimously. We will work towards its effective implementation as it opens a new era of hope. The pressing crisis of multilateralism resulting from the failures of the international system in confronting current challenges calls for us to take action. It also falls legitimacy to the summit. Unfortunately, the United Nations, which sits at the heart of multilateralism, is itself seeing dissent among its members. ranks, and serious disagreements within the Security Council. The future is bright, and to build that bright future, we need rigorous, consistent international cooperation with us, shouldering our responsibilities and our obligations with the future generations front of mind. The following proposals are contributions which my delegation would like to make to this summit. First, for us, it’s of utmost importance to monitor that there is strict compliance with the UN Charter to ensure that the use of force, or the threat of the use of force, becomes a thing of the past, as well as economic and political pressures, as well as the interference in the domestic affairs of states. We must promote transparency, justice, equity. And we can do this by moving forward with the reform of the Security Council. Second, security. It’s vital for us to bolster the effectiveness and efficiency of peacekeeping operations, as well as the credibility of the United Nations organization when it comes to managing crises and conflicts. Third, it is important for development and health issues to remain front and center of our efforts, especially when it comes to implementation, bolstering capacity, technology transfer, as well as sufficient, predictable, and additional, as well as sustained funding for development. To this end, we need to strengthen multilateral efforts geared towards helping states manage debt distress. We need orderly, predictable, coordinated, transparent, and timely efforts on this front. The same interest should be placed in international financial architecture reform. This brings me to my fourth point. We must continue promoting our commitment to the empowerment of all girls and women across all areas. We must break down barriers to their access and their full, equal, and effective participation in the sciences, technology, and innovation. We shouldn’t forget people who’ve fallen victim to war, including IDPs and refugees. In a similar vein, the youth of our planet should participate in decision making at the global level. A standing assembly within the United Nations system would be an excellent idea. Next, given progress, digital progress, what we need is cooperation on digital matters, which would pinpoint the principles, decisions that would uphold human rights. And to that end, we need an annual global dialogue on the governance of artificial intelligence under the auspices of the United Nations. This needs to be inclusive and agreeing, as does international data governance. Next, our collective conscience is stirred by the threat of terrorism, which threatens to undermine the very foundations of our societies. We must stand in solidarity to combat this scourge, as well as take measures against states which support and fund terrorists, as is the case in the Sahel. It’s incumbent upon us to translate into actions the pact for the future, so as to both to multilateralism, and meet the expectations of our people, and also to revive, at last, the hopes that they’ve pinned on our common organization. Thank you for your attention.
Chair: I thank Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation in Burkina Faso, I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka: Madam President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, today, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are in peril. We know where we need to be, and how we need to progress, but the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is our blueprint, is in peril. It, however, appears that we are plagued with a lack of political will, and the commitment to multilateralism. Madam President, we are gathered here today to commit to 56 multilateral solutions that address the needs of our people, both now and in generations to come. The pact of the future is our opportunity to demonstrate our shared resolve to chart this new course. During our deliberations, we have visited several key aspects that require urgent attention, including reforms to the international financial architecture, the debt restructuring, financing for development, international peace and security, science, technology, and innovation, global governance, youth, and future generations. Madam President, Sri Lanka thanks Namibia and Germany, Zambia and Sweden, and the Netherlands and Jamaica for navigating the deliberations over the last 18 months towards the adoption of this pact. We are sensitive to the fact that all our aspirations may not be accommodated in this pact. Negotiations on the pact for the future highlighted the challenges of our multilateral system, which must fit for the present and the future, prioritizing people at the center of our actions over political and economic divisions. Madam President, as a developing country, Sri Lanka sees the considerable opportunities that we can seize through the pact of the future and its accompanying declarations, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration for Future Generations. We will structure our national digital development strategies upon the commitment under the five objectives of the Global Digital Compact to augment the delivery of the SDGs. With this positive hope, let us highlight the issue that could have made this pact more inclusive and meaningful. Madam President, if we are to seek multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow, we recognize that all three pillars of the United Nations should be equally strengthened. Sri Lanka is concerned about the growing SDGs financing gap. We welcome the Secretary General’s proposal for an SDG stimulus to mobilize resources and encourage developing nations to meet their official development assistance commitments. And having experienced a financial crisis ourselves, Sri Lanka calls for accelerated reform of the international financial architecture to be more efficient and more equitable to better respond to the challenges faced by developing countries. We call for the United Nations Secretary-General, the IATF, on financing for development and member states to review the sovereign debt architecture and present reforms as we head to the fourth international conference on FFTs next year. The evolving global security landscape calls for a sincere commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and to the foundational objectives of this organization. The various threats to peace and security, whether on land, at sea, in the air, outer space or cyberspace, should be addressed through efforts to restore trust, strengthen solidarity, and enhance cooperation in alignment with the recommendations of the new Agenda for Peace. As we aspire, therefore, to the implementation of the Pact of Enhancing Human Rights, we should honor the fact that all human rights are universal, indivisible, and independent. We cannot turn a blind eye to serious and gross violations of human rights in one part of the world while we call for human rights accountability in another. Multilateralism cannot be sustained on double standards. Madam President, the fiscal impacts of various crises have triggered debt distress in many developing countries, including ourselves, limiting the ability to invest in recovery, the SDGs, and in climate.
Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: Madam President, it is the aspiration of humankind to achieve independent and stable development and peaceful world free from aggression and war. Nine years ago, we embarked on implementation of SDG. However, climate change, food crisis, and arms conflict are still grave threats to existence and development on humanity. I am convinced that the current meeting, held under the themes of the multilateral solution for a better tomorrow, will serve as an important occasion to accelerate implementation of SDG. With the view to actively contribute to this meeting, I will briefly mention about what TPRK has been doing to promote its socio-economic development. TPRK is faced with unfavorable situation due to external factors. Even so, it is constantly advancing toward the goal it has set, continuously strengthening its capacity and potential for independent development. Conspicuous trend of growth is seen in all fields of economic culture. springboard is in place for radical improvement of the living environment and material cultural life of the people. The experience of the TPRK proves in reality that the future of the mankind lies in the people-first policy that hold people in both the sacred esteem. Mr. Madam President, the peaceful environment for development is indispensable requirement for sustainable development international community. Comrade Kim Jong-un, president of state of TPRK said, I quote, we should not tolerate imperialist moves for aggression and war against sovereign nation. Instead, we should struggle to prevent the danger of war and safeguard world peace and security, unquote. Today, aggressive joint military drills of the United States, its allies and their expand the military bloc are main factors that seriously threaten the regional peace and undermined global security landscape. In particular, unilateral sanctions and economic coercive measures imposed by few countries cause tremendous damages to the economic development and people’s life in developing countries. International community should never allow anti-peace and confrontational act that incite conflict and instability and instigate distrust and hostility among UN member states. The right to development of developing country should be fully issued in the international economic system, which serves as a firm guarantee for successful implementation of agenda for sustainable development. To overcome shortcomings in current global governance system and realize genuine international justice is becoming more important than ever before and restoring trust in United Nations and establishing fair international order. Today, we witness wrong practice in the international arena, where fundamental principles governing international relations are openly disregarded due to the high handedness and diverse standards of a few countries. The UN Security Council did not take any action to stop war crimes against humanity in Kazakhstan almost for one year. Indeed, the abnormal situation persists in the Security Council, denouncing as a threat the legitimate exercise of the right to self-defence of sovereign states, which does not cause even the slightest damage to the security of neighbouring countries. Prevailing reality shows the Security Council must be reformed immediately to correct the current composition of unfair Western leadership membership and expand the strength and representation of developing countries. In conclusion, the PRP government is committed to fulfil its responsibility and role as a member of the international community in the work to build a new just world that guarantees a better future for humankind. I thank you.
New Zealand: President, as a member of the UN75 Leaders Network in 2020 and the co-facilitator of the Summit Modalities Resolution, along with Oman, New Zealand is pleased to see the Summit of the Future come to fruition. These two days have been long in the making. The Summit of the Future has its genesis in our Common Agenda, the UN Secretary-General’s call for solidarity between people, countries and nations. and generations, as well as a renewal of the multilateral system to accelerate the implementation of existing commitments and the filling of gaps in global governance. We thank the Secretary-General for laying down the challenge. In preparing for the summit, member states were beneficiaries of a significant investment by the UN system and beyond. This includes the exemplary policy briefs and the report of the High-Level Advisory Board on effective multilateralism, and a myriad of initiatives to build trust and facilitate compromise. New Zealand embraced the possibility of the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and Declaration on Future Generations as an opportunity to drive action on pressing and emerging global challenges. As a small state, New Zealand has long been a benefactor and beneficiary of the international rules-based system. We remain committed to engaging constructively in all efforts which seek to contemporise global governance for today and the future. Size does not define influence at the United Nations. Small states have long been at the forefront of defending and strengthening the international rules-based system. Our multilateral system is imperfect. And while we have made significant strides through the convening of the summit, we must not assume our job is done. We must use the tools at our disposal to create a more representative and better-networked United Nations which is properly equipped to respond to the challenges of our times and those which lie ahead. Member states must do better to overcome division and competition. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, the triple planetary crisis, and unprecedented levels of conflict and suffering, this is no small task. Never has it been more important to work across the kaleidoscope of fractures that punctuate progress in improving the well-being of people and the planet. Consensus does not happen on its own. It needs to be forged. Consensus demands leadership. It rests upon foresight. It requires hard work. We thank Germany and Namibia, Sweden and Zambia, and the Netherlands and Jamaica for their respective leadership in guiding the negotiations on the pact, compact and the declaration. With regard to the pact, we are pleased to see the relative balance between the three pillars of the United Nations, peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. We are satisfied that issues of importance to New Zealand, including gender, human rights and sea level rise are reflected in the pact. We all have our disappointments. For New Zealand, language on nuclear disarmament falls well short of our collective goal of a nuclear weapon-free world and how we take concrete steps to achieve this. We had also wished for stronger language on reform of the United Nations Security Council, although we do see some glimmers of hope. New Zealand welcomes the compact as an opportunity to foster an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital future for everyone. This future rests on three essential pillars, human rights, multi-stakeholder governance and inclusion. And on the declaration, New Zealand welcomes the concept that present generations act with responsibility towards safeguarding the needs and the interests of future generations. President, colleagues, as the geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, member states must act with agency in protecting the UN Charter and international law and in the implementation of the pact. And we must engage. stakeholders to ensure that what we do here in the United Nations has real-world benefit for the communities that we serve. We must work together, listen to each other, and rebuild trust to ensure the future we want for people and the planet. Thank you, President.
Chair: I thank the representative of New Zealand. I invite His Excellency Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, head of government of the Kingdom of Spain.
Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón: Madam President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. In times of change such as those that we are experiencing now, fear is our worst enemy. A future of peace, justice, and prosperity that we want can only be built with hope. To guarantee this future, we must firstly promote the governance of the multilateral system and make sure that it’s more effective, inclusive, and fair. This summit of the future is a key step forward to achieving this aim. Spain is working towards the necessary reform of the United Nations and its institutions to make them more representative, effective, and transparent, to make it more democratic in its operations, and to ensure that citizens feel its impact all the more. Further, we need to reaffirm the relevance of the extraordinary archy of this organization with respect to international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter itself. Spain defends and promotes these principles decisively and consistently in all contexts, be that in Palestine, Ukraine, or in any other part of the world. Secondly, we want a future of more and better international cooperation which will allow us to forge ahead in achieving the 2030 Agenda. We support this aspiration with our act. Spain has committed to stepping up its ODA to 0.7% of our GNI in 2030. Furthermore, we are the main contributor to the Joint Sustainable Development Goal Fund. And I’m very honoured to be a part of the leaders group for the Secretary General’s SDG Stimulus Plan. As the host to the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, which will be held in June next year in the Spanish city of Seville, Spain would like to agree on specific measures which will allow us to mobilise all of the necessary resources and policies to promote sustainable development. To do that, we need to strengthen multilateral development banks, completing the review of the capital adequacy frameworks and furthering their reform processes. Secondly, we have to boost and optimise the use of special drawing rights and their potential reallocation mechanisms. Here we are meeting our promise of allocating 50% of the rights that we’ve received in 2021. Spain actually reached a pioneering agreement here between the IMF and the World Bank so that both institutions can use the Resilience and Sustainability Fund in fighting climate change. Furthermore, we must include contingency clauses in debt contracts to go beyond just simply covering natural disasters to cover other crises as Spain has recently done. This would allow us to better respond to food crises and health emergencies and in middle and low income countries. All of this has to go hand in hand with fairer taxation, more effective and transparent tax policies that promote the mobilisation of domestic resources. These include measures such as a global minimum wealth tax. and the full implementation of the two pillars of the OECD and the G20 on multinational, tax on multinationals, this would be a basis for the future tax cooperation framework convention. Thirdly, we have to work towards responsible development of artificial intelligence and all other new technologies. Technology, when it’s guided by shared values and principles, catalyzes social transformation and generates wealth and jobs, but it also needs international rules that promote its ethical use, transparency in how it’s developed, and a guarantee for its fair access to that technology. For this reason, Spain has established the first AI monitoring agency in the world. And through this, we believe that the United Nations should play a key role in defining the global governance system around artificial intelligence. We welcome the first report of the Secretary General’s advisory board, co-chaired by the Spanish expert, Carmen Antigas, and we share in its seven recommendations. President, this summit and the pact of the future are an antidote to fear and an invitation to hope. They don’t set out the end of the road, but rather a starting point, changing a path towards reforms that all UN member states need to move towards to update our institutions in global governance and to meet the challenges that we have and the opportunities as we look ahead to the future. The challenge is to keep up the pace that we’re setting here today in New York and to speed up. And you can count on Spain for that. And I look forward to seeing you in Seville, in Spain next June. Thank you.
Chair: I thank the distinguished representative. I thank the head of government of the Kingdom of Spain. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kiribati.
Kiribati: Madam President. Excellencies, Secretary General, Distinguished Delegates, I bring you all warm greetings from the government and the people of Guinea-Bissau. Guinea-Bissau strongly supports the Summit’s aim to reinvigorate multilateralism. In an increasingly interconnected world, the challenges we face â climate change, pandemics, volatile global commodity prices, inequalities and conflicts â cannot be addressed by any single nation alone. We need a robust, inclusive and effective multilateral system that is fit for the future. A system where every nation, no matter its size or wealth, has a voice and where decisions are made with the welfare of the global community in mind. This requires reforming our international institutions to ensure they are more responsive, accountable and transparent. It also requires a renewed commitment to the principles of solidarity, cooperation and equity that lie at the heart of the United Nations, with the integration of cultural values into development strategies, recognizing their importance in shaping sustainable and inclusive growth. Madam Chair, Guinea-Bissau stands as a testament to both the vulnerability and resilience of our planet. As a natural nation, we are on the front line of the climate crisis, facing threats from rising sea levels, extreme weather events and ocean sanctification. acidification. For us, the future is not an abstract concept. It is about navigating and adapting to climate extremes and variability. It certainly requires a collective responsibility to ensure that all nations can thrive in the face of these challenges. Madam President, As we look towards the future, we must also embrace innovation and adaptability. The rapid pace of technological change offers both challenges and opportunities. It is imperative we harness these technologies for the common good, ensuring they contribute to human dignity, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. It is essential that all nations, including small island states like Kiribati, have the tools and resources to participate fully in the global digital economy and to harness technology for the betterment of their people and planet. Madam President, Kiribati is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through its localized version called Kiribati’s 20-Year Roadmap, or KV20, vowing to transform Kiribati into a healthy, wealthy, and peaceful nation by 2036 with a focus on sustainable economic growth based on fisheries and tourism, quality education, health care, and environmental preservation. For Kiribati, the pursuit of sustainable development is not just a policy choice, it is a necessity. Sustainable practices in key sectors such as fisheries, agriculture, and renewable energy are critical for our nation’s future. We call on our UN family to collaborate with us in promoting these practices, ensuring that economic development today does not compromise the well-being of future generations. Madam President, as we adopt the pact of the future, the integration of the principles of respect and responsibility into our global actions and commitments could not be underestimated. We believe that the principles of respect and responsibility forms the backbone of social order, peace, harmony, which are crucial for fostering a just and sustainable future. Respect for all peoples, cultures, and the environment underpins the ethical foundation of global cooperation, ensuring that no community or ecosystem is left behind.
Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of Kiribati. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Syrian Arab Republic: Thank you, President. Mr. President, this summit is an important opportunity to take stock of our common work and of what has been achieved towards the future we seek, which meets the aspirations of our peoples, which allow us to fulfill the pledges of the UN Charter in maintaining international peace and security and saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war and strengthening ties of cooperation and friendly relations. among states and upholding basic human rights. The ongoing Israeli occupation of Arab territories in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, and the persistence of the occupation powers to commit crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and the ongoing acts of aggression against Palestine and Lebanon, and against my country, Syria, represent an unacceptable grave violation of international law, of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, and of all the human and civilizational norms and values. They also represent a major obstacle hindering our access to the common future we seek. Hence, the need to unite our efforts as a United Nations, and to intensify them to confront the aggression, end it immediately, and end the Israeli occupation of Arab territories. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, the future for the sake of which we convene this summit should witness a radical change, a change that serves our member states and all our peoples. This future requires some Western countries to abandon the mentality of the past and their ambitions of hegemony and colonization. They should cease attempting to impose their will on other peoples, and respect their independent national choices and their civilizational and cultural specificities. For years now, some Western countries have implemented policies aiming at depriving the Syrians from their future, at undermining their national choices, at depriving them from their national wealth and development achievements, besieging them through unilateral coercive measures. which are illegal measures. However, the Syrian people, with their rich human and civilizational heritage, is determined to move forward and build their future with their free will, without allowing any external parties to dictate their agendas and their visions for the future of Syria. Mr. President, my country, Syria, looks forward to a future based on dialogue and diplomacy, on promoting multilateral action, on upholding the principles of the Charter and the rule of law on the international level, a future free from occupation, hegemony ambitions, terrorism and UCMs, and free from the collective punishment of peoples. Hence the need to take immediate serious measures to develop multilateral mechanisms and structures and to reinforce them, to strengthen real participation away from the policies of exclusion and from the narrow interests of some Western states. My country, Syria, joins the other states calling for the reform of global financial institutions to guarantee the participation of developing countries in the international economic decision-making process, to address the global debt crisis, and to provide the financial support and resources as well as the ODAs necessary to implement the 2030 Agenda. The current status of the SDG indicators at the international level calls for strengthening our joint efforts and for promoting international development cooperation away from politicization to guarantee that developing countries can access modern technologies to achieve tangible results to improve these indicators. within the remaining timeline, and to fulfill the slogan of leaving no one behind. Thank you, President.
Chair: I thank the distinguished representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the World Bank.
World Bank: Excellencies, we have gathered today at a pivotal moment. The challenges of climate change, conflict, and economic instability are intensifying. Yet we also stand on the cusp of unprecedented opportunities. Advances in finance, technology, and governance empower us to shape a sustainable and equitable future. The pressing question is, how do we harness these tools effectively to address and rise above the challenges? At the World Bank Group, sustainable development means addressing today’s immediate needs while fulfilling the aspirations of future generations. It’s about building resilient systems and forging enduring partnerships. The International Development Association, or IDA, is central to this vision. It multiplies donor contributions nearly fourfold, channeling resources towards health systems, infrastructure, and job creation. In fiscal year 2024, IDA delivered $31 billion to countries that needed it most. directly contributing to poverty reduction and tackling global challenges like climate change. Consider our Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. Electricity is foundational. Without it, progress in health care, education, and employment remains unattainable. This initiative isn’t just about powering homes and businesses, it’s about illuminating the future. But we cannot achieve these ambitious goals alone. Multilateral cooperation is essential to tackle global challenges which know no borders. Together, we can pool resources, share knowledge, and amplify our impact to create lasting solutions. We can think creatively, act boldly, and support one another. Our focus must be on the next generation. Over the next decade, an estimated 1.2 billion young people will reach working age in developing countries, yet only 420 million new jobs are projected to be created. We must change this trajectory. By improving infrastructure, health care, and access to clean electricity, we can create future jobs and opportunities for our youth. Let’s ensure our children have the tools they need for a healthy, successful future. The jobs of tomorrow will require innovation, adaptability, and a commitment to sustainability. The World Bank Group is committed to partnering with you to tackle today’s challenges.
Chair: last speaker for this meeting. The next meeting of the Summit of the Future will continue in
