About 200 leaders, representatives of member states and international organizations are gathering in New York (USA) to attend the High-level Week of the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the first Future Summit.
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| President of the 79th UN General Assembly Philémon Yang speaks at the Future Summit, September 22. (Source: UN) |
The idea of a Future Summit to discuss the future of the world was put forward on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN) in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic “awakened” the world to the need to comprehensively change the global governance model in the 21st century.
Building a foundation for future generations
Ahead of the 79th UN General Assembly High-Level Week, the first Future Summit took place in New York from September 22-23 with the participation of world leaders, aiming to seek consensus and common commitment in addressing long-term challenges facing humanity and reforming the global governance system.
At the conference, most participating countries unanimously approved the Compact for the Future, with five chapters and 56 specific action lines in the following areas: Sustainable development and development financing; international peace and security; science, technology, innovation and digital cooperation; youth and future generations; and global governance reform. The Compact calls for reform of the Security Council towards greater representation, transparency and efficiency, and strengthening the role of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. A group of seven countries proposed an amendment due to concerns about issues related to sovereignty and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, but this proposal was not adopted.
Notably, the Compact for the Future includes two important annexes on the Global Digital Agreement and the Declaration on Future Generations. The Global Digital Agreement sets out five key objectives for global digital cooperation, including closing the digital divide between countries, expanding participation in the digital economy, promoting a safe and secure digital space, responsible data governance, and strengthening international governance of AI. The Declaration on Future Generations sets out specific guiding principles and commitments to protect the interests of future generations.
Many efforts, many challenges
The 79th session of the UN General Assembly took place in the context of the world facing many complex challenges. With the theme “Leaving No One Behind: Working Together for Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations”, the event brought together about 194 representatives from countries, territories and international organizations to participate and discuss urgent issues facing the world.
The week began with the fourth Sustainable Development Goals Moment, during which countries reviewed progress on the 17 ambitious Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2030, including eradicating poverty, hunger and inequality and promoting sustainable development. Despite encouraging progress, many goals have fallen short of their targets.
The General Debate will take place from September 24 to 28. This is the main forum for leaders to speak. US President Joe Biden will speak, calling for increased international cooperation to address global challenges, stressing the importance of democracy and pledging continued support for Ukraine. Mr. Biden announced plans to donate 1 million doses of mpox vaccine (to prevent monkeypox) to African countries, demonstrating the US commitment to addressing global health issues.
On September 25, at a plenary meeting to find ways to address the dangers of climate change and rising sea levels, the UN described coastal encroachment as an “existential threat” that directly impacts the lives of nearly a billion people living in low-lying coastal areas.
On September 26, discussions focused on reducing the risk of war and promoting nuclear disarmament. Delegates also discussed cutting military budgets and promoting a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, although Russia and China were not at the negotiating table. On the same day, representatives of countries participated in a discussion on the threat of increasing antimicrobial resistance, which was directly responsible for nearly 1.3 million deaths worldwide in 2019.
Conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan… show that conflict prevention and resolution at the world’s largest forum have not been truly effective. This year’s General Assembly meetings discussed the content of UN reform, especially the Security Council. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that this is an urgent need that cannot be delayed any longer. The US proposed adding permanent seats for African countries to increase the representation of the Security Council. However, reaching consensus on the reform content is still very challenging.
This year’s UN General Assembly High-Level Week reflects the complex challenges facing the world, from armed conflicts to climate change and global inequality. Despite many collaborative efforts, the outcomes of the Future Summit and the developments during the 79th UN General Assembly High-Level Week demonstrate the difficulties in reaching international consensus. This further underscores the need to maintain dialogue and strengthen diplomatic channels to resolve differences, towards building a comprehensive and inclusive international order for a better future for humanity.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dai-hoi-dong-lien-hop-quoc-no-luc-cho-tuong-lai-tot-dep-hon-287748.html
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