(NB&CL) One of the world's great expectations when entering 2025 is the dozens of commitments in the "Pact for the Future" - a document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024. It is expected to be transformed into strong action, creating a breakthrough for multilateralism and common peace in the world.
The Call of Multilateralism
Within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in September 2024, the United Nations General Assembly (UN) adopted the “Compact for the Future”, a document described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as a landmark agreement for the world to move towards “more effective, more inclusive, more networked multilateralism”.
With more than 50 pages and 56 objectives, the treaty sets out a vision for multilateral cooperation across the top issues facing the world today, including peace and security, sustainable development goals, global governance reform, climate change, gender equality, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital cooperation.
Symbol of peace and sustainable development for the future at the United Nations headquarters in New York, USA. Photo: Eduardo Kobra
“This compact is the brainchild of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who aims to provide a new and comprehensive blueprint for multilateral reform and cooperation,” said Karen Mathiasen, Director of Projects at the Center for Global Development (CGD). |
In the preamble to the treaty, the UN General Assembly committed to take bold, ambitious, rapid, equitable and transformative action to implement the “2030 Agenda” for sustainable development and put poverty eradication at the heart of efforts to achieve that goal.
In other terms, world leaders committed to closing the funding gap for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries, to ensuring that the multilateral trading system continues to be a driver for sustainable development, and to accelerate reforms of the international financial architecture to strengthen the voice and representation of developing countries.
The General Assembly also committed to reforming the Security Council, recognizing the urgent need to make the body more representative, inclusive, transparent, effective, efficient, democratic and accountable.
The “Pact for the Future” also has two annexes. The first annex, called the “Global Digital Compact,” aims to close the digital divide; promote an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promotes human rights; and strengthen international governance of artificial intelligence (AI). The second annex, called the “Declaration on Future Generations,” sets out a set of guiding principles, commitments and actions to promote international stability, peace and security; ensure peaceful, inclusive and just societies while addressing inequalities within and between countries and the special needs of developing countries.
With these contents, the “Pact for the Future” is considered a victory, although not too big but a turning point for multilateralism. Or as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, this treaty will “bring multilateralism back from the brink”.
Waiting for concrete and strong actions
Against the backdrop of widespread war in the Middle East, ongoing devastating conflicts in Africa and Europe, and growing mistrust among member states of the troubled “Global South” over the failure of the “Global North” to deliver on its previous commitments to combat climate change, hunger and extreme poverty, the UN’s adoption of the “Pact for the Future” is a significant effort to address the top challenges facing humanity.
“Our future is in our hands,” former Cameroonian Prime Minister Philemon Yang, who serves as rotating president of the UN General Assembly, stressed at the 79th session, after the Treaty was adopted. According to him, this document represents a commitment to resolve the immediate crises and lay the foundation for a sustainable, just and peaceful global order for all peoples and nations.
Some notable commitments in the "Pact for the Future" - End hunger, eradicate food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition. - Ensure that the multilateral trading system continues to be a driver for sustainable development. - Investing in people to reduce poverty and strengthen trust and social cohesion. - Strengthen efforts to build a peaceful, equitable and inclusive society. - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. - Strengthen action to address climate change. |
But for the treaty to truly make a difference, countries must act. “It is important that UN member states put in place a proper implementation plan for the deliverable parts of the treaty, because we often see world leaders signing up to commitments that sound good at the UN and then not implementing them,” said Richard Gowan, director of the UN International Crisis Group.
According to Mr. Gowan, significant efforts will be needed to advance the 56 actions agreed in the treaty. This will require not only setting specific timelines and progress targets, but also ensuring a comprehensive review of the treaty through a meeting at the Heads of State level.
However, member states and others interested in ensuring the treaty’s full implementation will have several opportunities to act in the coming months and years. With Germany, one of the two sponsors of the “Pact for the Future,” leading the presidency of the 80th General Assembly (2025-2026), and a new UN Secretary-General taking office in January 2027, the UN will also be committed to action across the board to advance the implementation of the treaty’s commitments.
A path of change that offers current and future generations the opportunity to build a more effective, more networked and more inclusive global governance system will therefore open up as early as 2025. Because as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said , “if nations do not unite to implement the more than 50 actions of the treaty, not only history… but also young people around the world will judge us.”
Quang Anh
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hiep-uoc-cho-tuong-lai--cot-moc-mo-duong-cho-su-thay-doi-post331229.html
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