UN Nations Endorse 'Pact for the Future' Amid Global Challenges

The UN's 'Pact for the Future' has been green-lit, here's what's next

The U.N. General Assembly adopted a "Pact for the Future" to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Now comes the hard part: uniting the world's divided nations to move quickly to implement its 56 actions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked the 193-member world body for approving the pact and unlocking the door for nations to join forces to tackle challenges ranging from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty -- and improve the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The 42-page pact was adopted at Sunday's opening of a two-day "Summit of the Future," which continues Monday. Among leaders slated to address the summit are Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin. Whether the pact would be adopted was still a question when the assembly meeting began on Sunday. In fact, there was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Russia's Vershinin launched the opening salvo. He proposed an amendment that would have significantly watered down the pact. "No one is happy with this pact," he said. It turned out he was wrong. Africa's 54 nations opposed Russia's amendments and speaking on their behalf, the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. Mexico supported the Africans, and in a vote on their motion, the Africans got support from 143 countries, with only six countries supporting Russia -- Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. 15 countries abstained. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all U.N. member nations that was required for approval -- to vigorous applause. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Guterres, clearly relieved at the outcome, then issued a challenge to the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The U.N.'s main bloc of developing countries -- the Group of 77, which now has 134 members, including China -- echoed Guterres in a speech by Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. "This pact should not become another futile exercise, but must garner political will and commitment across all levels of global leadership to pragmatically address current issues and lay a foundation for solutions for our future global progress and challenges," he said. Nabbanja stressed that the future should be "free from any oppression" and close widening gaps between developed and developing countries The G77 regrets that the pact doesn't recognize actions that developed countries should take to close the gap, he said. In a rare move at a high-level U.N. meeting where leaders often exceed the announced time limit, Yang announced at the start of their speeches that they would be muted after five minutes. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah and Irish President Michael Higgins. The Pact for the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the pact and its two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere."

UN nations endorse a 'Pact of the Future,' and the body's leader says it must be more than talk

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world's increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page "Pact of the Future" challenges leaders of the 193 U.N member nations to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day "Summit of the Future" called by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking "the door" to a better future. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The U.N. chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The pact's fate was in question until the last moment. There was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "No one is happy with this pact," said Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergey Vershinin., The summit opened with him proposing amendments that would have significantly watered down the pact. Speaking on behalf of Africa's 54 nations -- which opposed Russia's amendments -- the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. That motion was approved to applause. Russia only got support from Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all 193 U.N. member nations that was required for approval. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Yang announced ahead of speeches by world leaders that they would be muted after five minutes -- a rare occurrence at the United Nations, where words are the backbone. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait emir Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber and Irish President Michael Higgins. The Pact of the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the U.N. at a time of hope and opportunity "to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future." The pact includes 56 actions on issues including eradicating poverty, mitigating climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and protecting civilians, and reinvigorating the multilateral system to "seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow." Secretary-General Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the Pact of the Future and two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. The compact commits leaders to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel in the United Nations to promote scientific understanding of AI, and its risks and opportunities. It also commits the U.N. to initiate a global dialogue on AI governance with all key players. The pact's actions also include measures "to mount an immediate and coordinated response to complex shocks" including pandemics, Guterres said. And it includes "a groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making." As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere."

UN nations endorse a 'Pact of the Future,' and the body's leader says it must be more than talk

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world's increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page "Pact of the Future" challenges leaders of the 193 U.N member nations to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day "Summit of the Future" called by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking "the door" to a better future. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The top UN official demands action The U.N. chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The pact's fate was in question until the last moment. There was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "No one is happy with this pact," said Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergey Vershinin., The summit opened with him proposing amendments that would have significantly watered down the pact. Speaking on behalf of Africa's 54 nations -- which opposed Russia's amendments -- the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. That motion was approved to applause. Russia only got support from Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all 193 U.N. member nations that was required for approval. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Yang announced ahead of speeches by world leaders that they would be muted after five minutes -- a rare occurrence at the United Nations, where words are the backbone. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait emir Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber and Irish President Michael Higgins. Talk of the future is dark The Pact of the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the U.N. at a time of hope and opportunity "to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future." The pact includes 56 actions on issues including eradicating poverty, mitigating climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and protecting civilians, and reinvigorating the multilateral system to "seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow." Secretary-General Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the Pact of the Future and two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. The compact commits leaders to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel in the United Nations to promote scientific understanding of AI, and its risks and opportunities. It also commits the U.N. to initiate a global dialogue on AI governance with all key players. The pact's actions also include measures "to mount an immediate and coordinated response to complex shocks" including pandemics, Guterres said. And it includes "a groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making." As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere."

UN nations endorse a 'Pact of the Future,' and the body's leader says it must be more than talk

UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world's increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page "Pact of the Future" challenges leaders of the 193 U.N member nations to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day "Summit of the Future" called by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking "the door" to a better future. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The U.N. chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The pact's fate was in question until the last moment. There was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "No one is happy with this pact," said Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergey Vershinin., The summit opened with him proposing amendments that would have significantly watered down the pact. Speaking on behalf of Africa's 54 nations -- which opposed Russia's amendments -- the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. That motion was approved to applause. Russia only got support from Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all 193 U.N. member nations that was required for approval. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Yang announced ahead of speeches by world leaders that they would be muted after five minutes -- a rare occurrence at the United Nations, where words are the backbone. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait emir Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber and Irish President Michael Higgins. The Pact of the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the U.N. at a time of hope and opportunity "to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future." The pact includes 56 actions on issues including eradicating poverty, mitigating climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and protecting civilians, and reinvigorating the multilateral system to "seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow." Secretary-General Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the Pact of the Future and two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. The compact commits leaders to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel in the United Nations to promote scientific understanding of AI, and its risks and opportunities. It also commits the U.N. to initiate a global dialogue on AI governance with all key players. The pact's actions also include measures "to mount an immediate and coordinated response to complex shocks" including pandemics, Guterres said. And it includes "a groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making." As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere."

UN Nations Endorse a 'Pact of the Future,' and the Body's Leader Says It Must Be More Than Talk

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world's increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page "Pact of the Future" challenges leaders of the 193 U.N member nations to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day "Summit of the Future" called by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking "the door" to a better future. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The top UN official demands action The U.N. chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The pact's fate was in question until the last moment. There was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "No one is happy with this pact," said Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergey Vershinin., The summit opened with him proposing amendments that would have significantly watered down the pact. Speaking on behalf of Africa's 54 nations -- which opposed Russia's amendments -- the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. That motion was approved to applause. Russia only got support from Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all 193 U.N. member nations that was required for approval. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Yang announced ahead of speeches by world leaders that they would be muted after five minutes -- a rare occurrence at the United Nations, where words are the backbone. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait emir Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber and Irish President Michael Higgins. Talk of the future is dark The Pact of the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the U.N. at a time of hope and opportunity "to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future." The pact includes 56 actions on issues including eradicating poverty, mitigating climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and protecting civilians, and reinvigorating the multilateral system to "seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow." Secretary-General Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the Pact of the Future and two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. The compact commits leaders to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel in the United Nations to promote scientific understanding of AI, and its risks and opportunities. It also commits the U.N. to initiate a global dialogue on AI governance with all key players. The pact's actions also include measures "to mount an immediate and coordinated response to complex shocks" including pandemics, Guterres said. And it includes "a groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making." As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere." Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

At the UN, world leaders try to lay out a vision for the future -- and actually make it happen

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. General Assembly adopted a "Pact for the Future" to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Now comes the hard part: uniting the world's divided nations to move quickly to implement its 56 actions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked the 193-member world body for approving the pact and unlocking the door for nations to join forces to tackle challenges ranging from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty -- and improve the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The 42-page pact was adopted at Sunday's opening of a two-day "Summit of the Future," which continues Monday. Among leaders slated to address the summit are Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin. Whether the pact would be adopted was still a question when the assembly meeting began on Sunday. In fact, there was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Russia's Vershinin launched the opening salvo. He proposed an amendment that would have significantly watered down the pact. "No one is happy with this pact," he said. It turned out he was wrong. Africa's 54 nations opposed Russia's amendments and speaking on their behalf, the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. Mexico supported the Africans, and in a vote on their motion, the Africans got support from 143 countries,, with only six countries supporting Russia -- Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. 15 countries abstained. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all U.N. member nations that was required for approval -- to vigorous applause. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Guterres, clearly relieved at the outcome, then issued a challenge to the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The U.N.'s main bloc of developing countries -- the Group of 77, which now has 134 members, including China -- echoed Guterres in a speech by Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. "This pact should not become another futile exercise, but must garner political will and commitment across all levels of global leadership to pragmatically address current issues and lay a foundation for solutions for our future global progress and challenges," he said. Nabbanja stressed that the future should be "free from any oppression" and close widening gaps between developed and developing countries The G77 regrets that the pact doesn't recognize actions that developed countries should take to close the gap, he said. In a rare move at a high-level U.N. meeting where leaders often exceed the announced time limit, Yang announced at the start of their speeches that they would be muted after five minutes. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah and Irish President Michael Higgins. The Pact for the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the pact and its two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere." Edith M. Lederer, chief U.N. correspondent for The Associated Press, has covered foreign affairs for more than a half-century.

UN Nations Sidestep Russian Objections and Endorse a 'Pact of the Future'

'We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink,' the UN Secretary General says. The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world's increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page "Pact of the Future" challenges leaders of the 193 U.N. member nations to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day "Summit of the Future" called by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking "the door" to a better future. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The U.N. chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The pact's fate was in question until the last moment. There was so much suspense that Mr. Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "No one is happy with this pact," said Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergey Vershinin. The summit opened with him proposing amendments that would have significantly watered down the pact. Speaking on behalf of Africa's 54 nations -- which opposed Russia's amendments -- the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. That motion was approved to applause. Russia only got support from Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all 193 U.N. member nations that was required for approval. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Mr. Yang announced ahead of speeches by world leaders that they would be muted after five minutes -- a rare occurrence at the United Nations, where words are the backbone. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah and Irish President Michael Higgins. The Pact of the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the U.N. at a time of hope and opportunity "to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future." The pact includes 56 actions on issues including eradicating poverty, mitigating climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and protecting civilians, and reinvigorating the multilateral system to "seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow." Mr. Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the Pact of the Future and two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Mr. Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. The compact commits leaders to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel in the United Nations to promote scientific understanding of AI, and its risks and opportunities. It also commits the U.N. to initiate a global dialogue on AI governance with all key players. The pact's actions also include measures "to mount an immediate and coordinated response to complex shocks" including pandemics, Mr. Guterres said. And it includes "a groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making." As for human rights, Mr. Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere." Eighteen months of negotiations on the pact were led by Germany and Namibia. Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba said leaders must leave the summit committed to a path toward peace -- not one that leads to "an environmental catastrophe, widening inequality, global conflict and destruction and the rise of dangerous technologies that threaten our security." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that If countries don't unite and implement the pact's more than 50 actions, "not only would history judge us ... but also young people around the world." "The road is rocky," he said. "But was that ever any different?"

UN Adopts Pact To Tackle Volatile Future For Mankind

UN members adopted a blueprint for the future Sunday to tackle the myriad wars, environmental threats and technological challenges facing humanity that was hailed by the organization as "groundbreaking" but panned by critics as unambitious. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who championed the "Pact for The Future" and its components, billed them as "landmark agreements -- a step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism." As an opener for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government gathered for the adoption, which faced last-minute opposition from Russia and its allies. Leaders pledged to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. The pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. The adoption of the text faced a brief delay when Russia's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sergey Vershinin, introduced an amendment emphasizing the "principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states" and urging the UN to avoid duplicating efforts. Russia's objections were backed by allies Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Syria, but its amendment was overwhelmingly dismissed in a motion to take no action. "It was somewhat irritating that, in the end, Russia once again tried to stop the whole process and did not want to go down the path that the whole world had taken," said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, co-sponsor of the text, after the adoption. Passage of the text was never a guarantee, and sources said Guterres had prepared three separate versions of his speech for the potential outcomes of the vote. During the negotiations phase, the UN Secretary-General had urged nations to show "vision" and "courage," calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. But while there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas," said one diplomat. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. "The real test will be the delivery of these" goals, said environmental campaign group 350.org. Despite criticism of the pact, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one diplomat said, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. "This pact gives us hope and inspiration for a better future," said Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, who has been a keen advocate for the Global South at the UN through his country's membership of the Security Council. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially considering the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes -- a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations -- are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles such as the protection of civilians in conflict are violated daily. "Now it is our common responsibility to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action. I challenge you to take that action," Guterres said following the adoption.

UN adopts pact to tackle volatile future for mankind

UN members adopted a blueprint for the future Sunday to tackle the myriad wars, environmental threats and technological challenges facing humanity that was hailed by the organization as "groundbreaking" but panned by critics as unambitious. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who championed the "Pact for The Future" and its components, billed them as "landmark agreements a step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism." As an opener for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government gathered for the adoption, which faced last-minute opposition from Russia and its allies. Leaders pledged to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. The pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. The adoption of the text faced a brief delay when Russia's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sergey Vershinin, introduced an amendment emphasizing the "principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states" and urging the UN to avoid duplicating efforts. Russia's objections were backed by allies Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Syria, but its amendment was overwhelmingly dismissed in a motion to take no action. "It was somewhat irritating that, in the end, Russia once again tried to stop the whole process and did not want to go down the path that the whole world had taken," said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, co-sponsor of the text, after the adoption. Passage of the text was never a guarantee, and sources said Guterres had prepared three separate versions of his speech for the potential outcomes of the vote. During the negotiations phase, the UN Secretary-General had urged nations to show "vision" and "courage," calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. But while there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas," said one diplomat. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. "The real test will be the delivery of these" goals, said environmental campaign group 350.org. Despite criticism of the pact, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one diplomat said, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. "This pact gives us hope and inspiration for a better future," said Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, who has been a keen advocate for the Global South at the UN through his country's membership of the Security Council. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially considering the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles such as the protection of civilians in conflict are violated daily. "Now it is our common responsibility to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action. I challenge you to take that action," Guterres said following the adoption. abd-ia-gw/aha

What Is The UN's 'Pact For The Future'?

The "Pact for the Future" is the United Nations' master plan for tackling challenges that lie ahead for humanity, with 56 "actions" covering everything from peacekeeping to the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence. These are the key aspects of the pact that was adopted Sunday by the UN's 193 members at a gathering ahead of the body's centerpiece high-level week. The pact underlines the "increasingly complex challenges" to world peace, notably the threat of nuclear war, with the document reiterating the UN's core tenets. They are: respect for the organization's charter, respect for human rights, protection for civilians, and promotion of diplomacy to resolve conflict -- all of which are routinely trampled in the numerous conflicts raging worldwide. The pact also calls for the elimination of nuclear weapons. At a time when thousands of blue helmet peacekeepers are deployed internationally, it acknowledges the continued need for such missions -- even though they are sometimes decried by host countries. It also demands Secretary-General Antonio Guterres undertake a review of the future of the UN's peacekeeping operations and how the body's "toolbox" can be adapted to respond to situations in a more "agile" and "tailored" way. "Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time" and "we are deeply concerned at the current slow pace of progress" in arresting the march of environmental destruction, states the pact. In spite of efforts, it is not markedly different from the commitments of COP28 at the end of 2023 -- namely to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewables usage by 2030, attain carbon neutrality by 2050, and redouble efforts to cap warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Achieving those lofty ambitions will be a challenge. Any reference to fossil fuels was scrubbed from the text during negotiations, only to be subsequently reintroduced. "There was ferocious pushback from some fossil-fuel-producing countries," said Alden Meyer, of the E3G think-tank who hailed the inclusion of a sole, hard-won reference to fossil fuels in the adopted pact. The pact promises to accelerate efforts to attain the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals which aim for the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030, an intensified battle against hunger, promotion of gender equality and education. Most of the objectives, set in 2005 and reiterated last year, are far from being realized. Against that backdrop, and with poor countries particularly mobilized for change, the pact calls for "reform of the international financial architecture." The goal of such reform would be to allow certain countries previously excluded from preferential access to development loans to be given such financing, in order to help them prepare for the impact of climate change. But any progress in that direction will have to be accompanied by changes elsewhere -- notably at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Faced with paralysis in the Security Council, which has been hamstrung by Russian and US vetoes, the pact foresees reform of the UN's most important body. Constituted in the Second World War's aftermath, the pact seeks to make it more representative and to right "historical injustice" against Africa which does not yet have a permanent seat. Guterres hailed it as "the strongest language on Security Council reform in a generation." But the text does nothing to paper over the deep disagreements that dog the issue -- namely the possibility of having new permanent members and reform of the powerful veto. Countries also adopted an annex to the main text -- a Global Digital Compact -- seeking to reduce the digital divide, and develop safe and representative technology for the benefit of all. It focuses particularly on the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence. As transformative technologies continue to evolve at light speed, threatening democracy and human rights, the compact commits to the creation of an Independent International Scientific Panel to promote dialogue between states and those active in the sector.

UN adopts pact to tackle volatile future for mankind

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN members adopted a blueprint for the future on Sunday to tackle the myriad wars, environmental threats and technological challenges facing humanity that the global organisation hailed as "groundbreaking," but critics panned as unambitious. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who championed the "Pact for the Future," hailed its "landmark agreements - a step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism." As an opener for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government gathered for the adoption, which faced last-minute opposition from Russia. Leaders pledged to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis". "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. The pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. The adoption of the text faced a brief delay when Russia's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sergey Vershinin, introduced an amendment emphasizing the "principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states." Russia's objections were backed by allies Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Syria, but its amendment was overwhelmingly dismissed in a motion to take no action. I challenge you Passage of the text was never a guarantee, and sources said Guterres had prepared three separate versions of his speech for the potential outcomes of the vote. During the negotiations phase, the UN Secretary-General had urged nations to show "vision" and "courage," calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. But while there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas," said one diplomat. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. "The real test will be the delivery of these" goals, said environmental campaign group 350.org. Despite criticism of the pact, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one diplomat said, emphasising the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. "This pact gives us hope and inspiration for a better future," said Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, who has been a keen advocate for the Global South at the UN through his country's membership of the Security Council. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially considering the impacts of climate change. "This (existing) approach to governance reinforces the notion that it is acceptable to have first-class and second-class citizens," said Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley. Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes - a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations - are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles such as the protection of civilians in conflict are violated daily.

UN adopts pact to tackle volatile future for mankind

United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN members adopted a blueprint for the future Sunday to tackle the myriad wars, environmental threats and technological challenges facing humanity that was hailed by the organization as "groundbreaking" but panned by critics as unambitious. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who championed the "Pact for The Future" and its components, billed them as "landmark agreements -- a step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism." As an opener for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government gathered for the adoption, which faced last-minute opposition from Russia and its allies. Leaders pledged to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. The pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. Russian objections It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. The adoption of the text faced a brief delay when Russia's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sergey Vershinin, introduced an amendment emphasizing the "principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states" and urging the UN to avoid duplicating efforts. Russia's objections were backed by allies Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Syria, but its amendment was overwhelmingly dismissed in a motion to take no action. "It was somewhat irritating that, in the end, Russia once again tried to stop the whole process and did not want to go down the path that the whole world had taken," said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, co-sponsor of the text, after the adoption. 'I challenge you' Passage of the text was never a guarantee, and sources said Guterres had prepared three separate versions of his speech for the potential outcomes of the vote. During the negotiations phase, the UN Secretary-General had urged nations to show "vision" and "courage," calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. But while there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas," said one diplomat. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. "The real test will be the delivery of these" goals, said environmental campaign group 350.org. Despite criticism of the pact, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one diplomat said, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. "This pact gives us hope and inspiration for a better future," said Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, who has been a keen advocate for the Global South at the UN through his country's membership of the Security Council. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially considering the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes -- a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations -- are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles such as the protection of civilians in conflict are violated daily. "Now it is our common responsibility to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action. I challenge you to take that action," Guterres said following the adoption.

UN General Assembly approves Pact for the Future | BreakingNews.ie

The UN General Assembly has approved a blueprint to bring the world's increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page Pact for the Future challenges leaders of the 193 UN member nations to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the lives of the world's more than eight billion people. The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day Summit of the Future called by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking "the door" to a better future. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The UN chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritise dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful UN Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The pact's fate was in question until the last moment. There was so much suspense that Mr Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things were not clear, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "No-one is happy with this pact," said Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergey Vershinin. The summit opened with him proposing amendments that would have significantly watered down the pact. Speaking on behalf of Africa's 54 nations - which opposed Russia's amendments - the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. Russia only got support from Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. Assembly president Philemon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all 193 UN member nations that was required for approval. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa - in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic - and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Mr Yang announced ahead of speeches by world leaders that they would be muted after five minutes - a rare occurrence at the United Nations, where words are the backbone. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced were Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait emir Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber and Irish President Michael Higgins. The Pact for the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation", and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown". Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the UN at a time of hope and opportunity "to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future". The pact includes 56 actions on issues including eradicating poverty, mitigating climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and protecting civilians, and reinvigorating the multilateral system to "seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow". Mr Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the Pact for the Future and two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa", which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade", Mr Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons". The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence", the UN chief said. The compact commits leaders to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel in the United Nations to promote scientific understanding of AI, and its risks and opportunities. It also commits the UN to initiate a global dialogue on AI governance with all key players. The pact's actions also include measures "to mount an immediate and co-ordinated response to complex shocks" including pandemics, Mr Guterres said. And it includes "a groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making". As for human rights, Mr Guterres said: "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere."

'Pact for the Future' Ushers in Global Governance Overhaul for a Just and Sustainable World

World leaders have adopted the "Pact for the Future," a transformative agreement featuring the "Global Digital Compact" and "Declaration on Future Generations," to reshape global governance for 21st-century challenges. In a groundbreaking development, world leaders have adopted the 'Pact for the Future', an ambitious and far-reaching agreement designed to reshape global governance for the challenges of the 21st century. The pact includes two transformative frameworks -- the 'Global Digital Compact' and the 'Declaration on Future Generations' -- which aim to ensure international cooperation remains fit for purpose in an increasingly complex world. Described as the most significant international agreement in decades, the pact addresses both new global issues and long-standing ones that have eluded consensus. "We cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents," said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres during the Summit of the Future, underscoring the need for transformative reforms. Reaffirming Global Cooperation The pact stands as a collective vision for an international system that can not only deliver on its promises but also adapt to the current global realities. This vision relies heavily on the collaboration of governments, civil society, and key international partners. Key Deliverables in Peace and Security A major component of the pact focuses on enhancing global peace and security, with an unprecedented commitment to reforming the United Nations Security Council. The pact outlines plans to make the council more effective and representative, with particular attention given to correcting the historical under-representation of Africa. This marks the most significant step toward reform since the 1960s. In addition, the pact recommits to nuclear disarmament, a goal that has been largely stagnant for over a decade. Leaders pledged to work toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Another key achievement is the agreement to strengthen international regulations governing outer space, aiming to prevent an arms race and ensure that space exploration remains safe and accessible for all nations. A forward-looking provision addresses the emerging threats posed by new technologies, particularly lethal autonomous weapons. The pact stresses that international law, including the laws of war, should apply to such technologies, ensuring they are not misused or weaponized. Sustainable Development, Climate, and Financial Reforms The 'Pact for the Future' aims to supercharge the implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A major component of the pact focuses on reforming the global financial architecture, particularly to better serve developing nations. These reforms include giving developing countries a greater voice in international financial institutions and mobilizing financing from multilateral development banks to meet their development needs. One key agreement is to review the sovereign debt framework to ensure sustainable borrowing by developing nations, with cooperation from institutions like the IMF, UN, and G20. The pact also outlines steps to strengthen the global financial safety net to protect the poorest countries in the event of financial shocks. There is a strong emphasis on mobilizing more resources to combat climate change, including increased funding for renewable energy projects and adaptation measures to protect vulnerable nations. Crucially, the pact calls for innovative approaches to measuring progress beyond GDP, emphasizing human and planetary well-being and sustainability. It also signals the possibility of introducing a global minimum tax for high-net-worth individuals as part of broader financial reforms. On climate change, the pact reinforces the global commitment to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and to transition away from fossil fuels, with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The Global Digital Compact: A New Era of Digital Cooperation A key annex to the 'Pact for the Future' is the 'Global Digital Compact', which represents the first comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation and the governance of artificial intelligence. The compact is built on the principle of designing, using, and governing digital technologies for the common good. Among its commitments, the compact aims to connect all people, schools, and hospitals to the internet, ensuring that digital infrastructure reaches the most underserved populations. Another focus is on making the online space safer, particularly for children, through collaborative efforts by governments, tech companies, and social media platforms. Furthermore, the compact addresses AI governance, laying out a roadmap that includes the creation of an International Scientific Panel and a Global Policy Dialogue on AI. A significant milestone is the first-ever global commitment to data governance, ensuring that by 2030, countries will take concrete steps to manage and share data more openly and transparently. Ensuring the Voice of Youth and Future Generations The Declaration on Future Generations, has been introduced which takes concrete steps to include the interests of future generations in current decision-making. The declaration proposes appointing an envoy for future generations and committing to increased youth participation in global governance. This is intended to provide young people with more meaningful opportunities to shape the policies that will affect their future. Strengthening Human Rights and Gender Equality Human rights and gender equality are central pillars of the pact. It reinforces the importance of protecting human rights defenders and advancing gender equality globally. The agreement also calls for the engagement of a wide range of stakeholders, including local governments, civil society, and the private sector, in shaping global governance. Looking Ahead: Implementing the Pact The adoption of the pact follows an inclusive summit process, which brought together over 4,000 representatives from governments, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, and the private sector. Additionally, Action Days, which took place just prior to the summit, saw commitments to action from over 7,000 stakeholders and the pledge of over $1 billion toward advancing digital inclusion.

UN nations endorse a 'Pact of the Future'

"Our world is going through a time and turbulence and the period of transition, but we cannot wait for perfect conditions. We must take the first decisive steps towards updating and reforming international cooperation," said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The United Nations' General Assembly approved a blueprint to bring the world's increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges on Sunday. Those issues range from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page "Pact for the Future" challenges the leaders of the 193 member nations of the UN to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the world. "Our Summit for the Future has given us a pact," said UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang. "The commitments embodied in the Pact, and its annexes, reflect the collective will of Member States and must guide our actions and encourage us to promote international peace and security, invigorate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, foster just and inclusive societies, and ensure that technology is always for the common good of mankind." The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day "Summit for the Future" called by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. In his words, the group was gathered to "bring multilateralism back from the brink." International delegations in attendance at the summit included German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.

At the UN, world leaders try to lay out a vision for the future -- and actually make it happen

UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. General Assembly adopted a "Pact for the Future" to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Now comes the hard part: uniting the world's divided nations to move quickly to implement its 56 actions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked the 193-member world body for approving the pact and unlocking the door for nations to join forces to tackle challenges ranging from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty -- and improve the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The 42-page pact was adopted at Sunday's opening of a two-day "Summit of the Future," which continues Monday. Among leaders slated to address the summit are Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin. Whether the pact would be adopted was still a question when the assembly meeting began on Sunday. In fact, there was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Russia's Vershinin launched the opening salvo. He proposed an amendment that would have significantly watered down the pact. "No one is happy with this pact," he said. It turned out he was wrong. Africa's 54 nations opposed Russia's amendments and speaking on their behalf, the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. Mexico supported the Africans, and in a vote on their motion, the Africans got support from 143 countries,, with only six countries supporting Russia -- Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. 15 countries abstained. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all U.N. member nations that was required for approval -- to vigorous applause. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. Guterres, clearly relieved at the outcome, then issued a challenge to the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The U.N.'s main bloc of developing countries -- the Group of 77, which now has 134 members, including China -- echoed Guterres in a speech by Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. "This pact should not become another futile exercise, but must garner political will and commitment across all levels of global leadership to pragmatically address current issues and lay a foundation for solutions for our future global progress and challenges," he said. Nabbanja stressed that the future should be "free from any oppression" and close widening gaps between developed and developing countries The G77 regrets that the pact doesn't recognize actions that developed countries should take to close the gap, he said. In a rare move at a high-level U.N. meeting where leaders often exceed the announced time limit, Yang announced at the start of their speeches that they would be muted after five minutes. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah and Irish President Michael Higgins. The Pact for the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the pact and its two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere." ___ Edith M. Lederer, chief U.N. correspondent for The Associated Press, has covered foreign affairs for more than a half-century. ___ See more of AP's coverage of the U.N. General Assembly at https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations

At the UN, world leaders try to lay out a vision for the future -- and actually make it happen

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. General Assembly adopted a "Pact for the Future" to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Now comes the hard part: uniting the world's divided nations to move quickly to implement its 56 actions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked the 193-member world body for approving the pact and unlocking the door for nations to join forces to tackle challenges ranging from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty -- and improve the lives of the world's more than 8 billion people. "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," he said. "Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action." The 42-page pact was adopted at Sunday's opening of a two-day "Summit of the Future," which continues Monday. Among leaders slated to address the summit are Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin. Russia tried to change the pact Whether the pact would be adopted was still a question when the assembly meeting began on Sunday. In fact, there was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren't clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Russia's Vershinin launched the opening salvo. He proposed an amendment that would have significantly watered down the pact. "No one is happy with this pact," he said. It turned out he was wrong. Africa's 54 nations opposed Russia's amendments and speaking on their behalf, the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. Mexico supported the Africans, and in a vote on their motion, the Africans got support from 143 countries,, with only six countries supporting Russia -- Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria. 15 countries abstained. Assembly President Philémon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all U.N. member nations that was required for approval -- to vigorous applause. Russia has made significant inroads in Africa -- in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic -- and the continent's rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers. The secretary-general issues a challenge Guterres, clearly relieved at the outcome, then issued a challenge to the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End "wars tearing our world apart" from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making. The U.N.'s main bloc of developing countries -- the Group of 77, which now has 134 members, including China -- echoed Guterres in a speech by Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. "This pact should not become another futile exercise, but must garner political will and commitment across all levels of global leadership to pragmatically address current issues and lay a foundation for solutions for our future global progress and challenges," he said. Nabbanja stressed that the future should be "free from any oppression" and close widening gaps between developed and developing countries The G77 regrets that the pact doesn't recognize actions that developed countries should take to close the gap, he said. In a rare move at a high-level U.N. meeting where leaders often exceed the announced time limit, Yang announced at the start of their speeches that they would be muted after five minutes. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah and Irish President Michael Higgins. There's a long list of things to tackle The Pact for the Future says world leaders are gathering "at a time of profound global transformation," and it warns of "rising catastrophic and existential risks" that could tip people everywhere "into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown." Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the pact and its two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today's world and "redress the historical injustice against Africa," which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. It also "represents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade," Guterres said, and it commits "to steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons." The Global Digital Compact "includes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence," the U.N. chief said. As for human rights, Guterres said, "In the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women's reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere." ___ Edith M. Lederer, chief U.N. correspondent for The Associated Press, has covered foreign affairs for more than a half-century. ___ See more of AP's coverage of the U.N. General Assembly at https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations

What is the UN's 'Pact for the Future'?

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The "Pact for the Future" is the United Nations' master plan for tackling challenges that lie ahead for humanity, with 56 "actions" covering everything from peacekeeping to the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence. These are the key aspects of the pact that was adopted Sunday by the UN's 193 members at a gathering ahead of the body's centerpiece high-level week. Peace and international law The pact underlines the "increasingly complex challenges" to world peace, notably the threat of nuclear war, with the document reiterating the UN's core tenets. They are: respect for the organization's charter, respect for human rights, protection for civilians, and promotion of diplomacy to resolve conflict - all of which are routinely trampled in the numerous conflicts raging worldwide. The pact also calls for the elimination of nuclear weapons. At a time when thousands of blue helmet peacekeepers are deployed internationally, it acknowledges the continued need for such missions - even though they are sometimes decried by host countries. It also demands Secretary-General Antonio Guterres undertake a review of the future of the UN's peacekeeping operations and how the body's "toolbox" can be adapted to respond to situations in a more "agile" and "tailored" way. Environment "Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time" and "we are deeply concerned at the current slow pace of progress" in arresting the march of environmental destruction, states the pact. In spite of efforts, it is not markedly different from the commitments of COP28 at the end of 2023 - namely to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewables usage by 2030, attain carbon neutrality by 2050, and redouble efforts to cap warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Achieving those lofty ambitions will be a challenge. Any reference to fossil fuels was scrubbed from the text during negotiations, only to be subsequently reintroduced. "There was ferocious pushback from some fossil-fuel-producing countries," said Alden Meyer, of the E3G think-tank who hailed the inclusion of a sole, hard-won reference to fossil fuels in the adopted pact. Finance and development The pact promises to accelerate efforts to attain the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals which aim for the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030, an intensified battle against hunger, promotion of gender equality and education. Most of the objectives, set in 2005 and reiterated last year, are far from being realized. Against that backdrop, and with poor countries particularly mobilized for change, the pact calls for "reform of the international financial architecture." The goal of such reform would be to allow certain countries previously excluded from preferential access to development loans to be given such financing, in order to help them prepare for the impact of climate change. But any progress in that direction will have to be accompanied by changes elsewhere -- notably at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Security Council Faced with paralysis in the Security Council, which has been hamstrung by Russian and US vetoes, the pact foresees reform of the UN's most important body. Constituted in the Second World War's aftermath, the pact seeks to make it more representative and to right "historical injustice" against Africa which does not yet have a permanent seat. Guterres hailed it as "the strongest language on Security Council reform in a generation." But the text does nothing to paper over the deep disagreements that dog the issue -- namely the possibility of having new permanent members and reform of the powerful veto. Artificial intelligence Countries also adopted an annex to the main text - a Global Digital Compact - seeking to reduce the digital divide, and develop safe and representative technology for the benefit of all. It focuses particularly on the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence. As transformative technologies continue to evolve at light speed, threatening democracy and human rights, the compact commits to the creation of an Independent International Scientific Panel to promote dialogue between states and those active in the sector.

What is the UN's 'Pact for the Future'?

United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The "Pact for the Future" is the United Nations' master plan for tackling challenges that lie ahead for humanity, with 56 "actions" covering everything from peacekeeping to the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence. These are the key aspects of the pact that was adopted Sunday by the UN's 193 members at a gathering ahead of the body's centerpiece high-level week. Peace and international law The pact underlines the "increasingly complex challenges" to world peace, notably the threat of nuclear war, with the document reiterating the UN's core tenets. They are: respect for the organization's charter, respect for human rights, protection for civilians, and promotion of diplomacy to resolve conflict -- all of which are routinely trampled in the numerous conflicts raging worldwide. The pact also calls for the elimination of nuclear weapons. At a time when thousands of blue helmet peacekeepers are deployed internationally, it acknowledges the continued need for such missions -- even though they are sometimes decried by host countries. It also demands Secretary-General Antonio Guterres undertake a review of the future of the UN's peacekeeping operations and how the body's "toolbox" can be adapted to respond to situations in a more "agile" and "tailored" way. Environment "Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time" and "we are deeply concerned at the current slow pace of progress" in arresting the march of environmental destruction, states the pact. In spite of efforts, it is not markedly different from the commitments of COP28 at the end of 2023 -- namely to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewables usage by 2030, attain carbon neutrality by 2050, and redouble efforts to cap warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Achieving those lofty ambitions will be a challenge. Any reference to fossil fuels was scrubbed from the text during negotiations, only to be subsequently reintroduced. "There was ferocious pushback from some fossil-fuel-producing countries," said Alden Meyer, of the E3G think-tank who hailed the inclusion of a sole, hard-won reference to fossil fuels in the adopted pact. Finance and development The pact promises to accelerate efforts to attain the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals which aim for the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030, an intensified battle against hunger, promotion of gender equality and education. Most of the objectives, set in 2005 and reiterated last year, are far from being realized. Against that backdrop, and with poor countries particularly mobilized for change, the pact calls for "reform of the international financial architecture." The goal of such reform would be to allow certain countries previously excluded from preferential access to development loans to be given such financing, in order to help them prepare for the impact of climate change. But any progress in that direction will have to be accompanied by changes elsewhere -- notably at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Security Council Faced with paralysis in the Security Council, which has been hamstrung by Russian and US vetoes, the pact foresees reform of the UN's most important body. Constituted in the Second World War's aftermath, the pact seeks to make it more representative and to right "historical injustice" against Africa which does not yet have a permanent seat. Guterres hailed it as "the strongest language on Security Council reform in a generation." But the text does nothing to paper over the deep disagreements that dog the issue -- namely the possibility of having new permanent members and reform of the powerful veto. Artificial intelligence Countries also adopted an annex to the main text -- a Global Digital Compact -- seeking to reduce the digital divide, and develop safe and representative technology for the benefit of all. It focuses particularly on the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence. As transformative technologies continue to evolve at light speed, threatening democracy and human rights, the compact commits to the creation of an Independent International Scientific Panel to promote dialogue between states and those active in the sector.

UN adopts pact promising to build 'brighter future' for humanity

The United Nations on Sunday adopted a "Pact for the Future" aimed at addressing sprawling 21st-century challenges ranging from conflict to climate change and human rights, despite last-minute objections from a group of countries led by Russia. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who organized the "Summit of the Future," had billed it as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape human history by rekindling international cooperation. As an opening act for the annual high-level week of the U.N. General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government gathered for the signing of the text. In the adopted version, leaders pledged to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. The pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the U.N. Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the U.N. Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. The adoption of the text faced a brief delay when Russia's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sergey Vershinin, introduced an amendment emphasizing the "principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states" and urging the U.N. to avoid duplicating efforts. Russia's objections were backed by allies Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Syria, but its amendment was overwhelmingly dismissed in a motion to take no action. During the negotiations phase, Guterres had urged nations to show "vision" and "courage," calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. But while there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. That sentiment was widely shared among diplomats, many of whom expressed frustration when discussing the ambition and impact of the text, describing it as "lukewarm," "the lowest common denominator," and "disappointing." "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas, fresh ideas," said one diplomat. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. Despite the criticism, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one Western diplomat said, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially considering the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." However, world leaders "still need to demonstrate that they are willing to act to uphold human rights," said Louis Charbonneau, HRW's U.N. director. Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes -- a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations -- are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles -- such as the protection of civilians in conflict -- are violated daily. "Our next task is to breathe life into them, to turn words into action," Guterres urged on Saturday.

UN Holds 'Summit Of The Future' To Tackle Global Crises

Global leaders are gathering in New York on Sunday for a "Summit of the Future" aimed at addressing 21st-century challenges ranging from conflict to climate, amid skepticism over whether the final pact will meet its lofty goals. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres first proposed the meeting in 2021, billing it as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape human history by rekindling international cooperation. As an opening act for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government are expected to adopt a "Pact for the Future" on Sunday. But after intense last-minute negotiations, Guterres expressed some frustration, urging nations to show "vision" and "courage," and calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. In the latest version of the text that will be submitted for adoption, leaders pledge to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. Spanning nearly 30 pages, the pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. Even though there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. The sentiment is widely shared among diplomats, many of whom express frustration when discussing the ambition and impact of the text, describing it as "lukewarm," "the lowest common denominator," and "disappointing." "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas, fresh ideas. You know, 2.0 and then some. But when you have 200 countries that all have to agree, you end up with a Christmas tree of everything," said one diplomat. After intense negotiations in recent days, Russia still has objections to the final version of the text published on Saturday, a diplomatic source told AFP. While the pact is expected to be adopted, its approval isn't guaranteed. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. Despite the criticism, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one Western diplomat said, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially in light of the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." However, world leaders "still need to demonstrate that they are willing to act to uphold human rights," said Louis Charbonneau, HRW's UN director. Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes -- a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations -- are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles -- such as the protection of civilians in conflict -- are violated daily. "Our next task is to breathe life into them, to turn words into action," Guterres urged on Saturday.

Despite Russian opposition, UN adopts 'Pact of Future' that aims to transform global governance

World leaders at the UN headquarters in New York adopted the Pact for the Future by consensus - with a small group of seven countries led by Russia holding out, having failed to pass a last-minute amendment. "The Pact for the Future has been adopted by member countries by consensus at UN Headquarters in New York. The adoption will help pave the way for greater international cooperation for our common future," the UN official account posted on social media platform X. The Pact covers a broad range of themes including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance. Two annexes of the pact, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations were also adopted by the UN members. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who organised the 'Summit of the Future' described the pact as a landmark agreement that is a "step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism." "We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," Guterres said. In his address, Guterres said he called for the Summit of Future "because 21st-century challenges require 21st-century solutions" and "we need tough decisions to get back on track." Stating that the world is going through a time of turbulence and transition, Guterres said: "We cannot wait for perfect conditions." "We must take the first decisive steps towards updating and reforming international cooperation to make it more networked, fair and inclusive now, and today, thanks to your efforts, we have," said the UN Secretary General. In the adopted version of the pact, the leaders pledged to strengthen the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." The pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism and upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. The Pact of the Future contains an annexe on the Global Digital Compact a worldwide agreement on the international regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). The Global Digital Compact outlines principles for an open and human-centered digital future, while the Declaration on Future Generations calls for recognizing the rights of future generations in decision-making processes. "The Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations open the door to new opportunities and untapped possibilities," said the Secretary-General during his remarks at the opening of the Summit of the Future. The President of the General Assembly Philemon Yang noted that the Pact would "lay the foundations for a sustainable, just, and peaceful global order - for all peoples and nations." Russia has criticised the pact stating that the countries that were not satisfied with the agreement had not been given the opportunity for further negotiations. "Regrettably, there is nothing good that today the United Nations adopted a Pact for the Future. The United Nations had infringed upon its own principles to pander to a group of delegations from the 'beautiful garden,' who have usurped the talks from the very beginning. And the majority from the 'jungle,' like a herd, could not find courage enough to protest and defend their rights. This is they who will bear responsibility for the consequences," Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky said on his X account as cited by TASS. Russia introduced an amendment emphasizing the "principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states" and urging the UN to avoid duplicating efforts. Russia's objections were backed by Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Syria as per a report in the Voice of America. Immediately after the Russian announcement, the Democratic Republic of the Congo submitted a motion to reject Russia's move, which was accepted by a majority of 143 votes in the UN General Assembly. In his remarks at the Opening of the 'Summit of the Future' Gutteress said, "Conflicts are raging and multiplying, from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan, with no end in sight. Our collective security system is threatened by geopolitical divides, nuclear posturing, and the development of new weapons and theatres of war. Resources that could bring opportunities and hope are invested in death and destruction." He further said that the "United Nations Security Council is outdated, and its authority is eroding. Unless its composition and working methods are reformed, it will eventually lose all credibility." (ANI)

UN holds 'Summit of the Future' to tackle global crises

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Global leaders are gathering in New York on Sunday for a "Summit of the Future" aimed at addressing 21st-Century challenges ranging from conflict to climate, amid skepticism over whether the final pact will meet its lofty goals. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres first proposed the meeting in 2021, billing it as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape human history by rekindling international cooperation. As an opening act for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government are expected to adopt a "Pact for the Future" on Sunday. But after intense last-minute negotiations, Guterres expressed some frustration, urging nations to show "vision" and "courage," and calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. In the latest version of the text that will be submitted for adoption, leaders pledge to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis". "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. Spanning nearly 30 pages, the pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. Words to action Even though there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. The sentiment is widely shared among diplomats, many of whom express frustration when discussing the ambition and impact of the text, describing it as "lukewarm," "the lowest common denominator," and "disappointing". After intense negotiations in recent days, Russia still has objections to the final version of the text published on Saturday, a diplomatic source told AFP. While the pact is expected to be adopted, its approval isn't guaranteed. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. Despite the criticism, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one Western diplomat said, emphasising the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially in light of the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights". However, world leaders "still need to demonstrate that they are willing to act to uphold human rights," said Louis Charbonneau, HRW's UN director. Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes - a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations - are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles - such as the protection of civilians in conflict - are violated daily. "Our next task is to breathe life into them, to turn words into action," Guterres urged on Saturday.

UN holds 'Summit of the Future' to tackle global crises

United Nations: Global leaders are gathering in New York on Sunday for a "Summit of the Future" aimed at addressing 21st-century challenges ranging from conflict to climate, amid skepticism over whether the final pact will meet its lofty goals. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres first proposed the meeting in 2021, billing it as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape human history by rekindling international cooperation. As an opening act for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government are expected to adopt a "Pact for the Future" on Sunday. But after intense last-minute negotiations, Guterres expressed some frustration, urging nations to show "vision" and "courage," and calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. In the latest version of the text that will be submitted for adoption, leaders pledge to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. Spanning nearly 30 pages, the pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. Even though there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. The sentiment is widely shared among diplomats, many of whom express frustration when discussing the ambition and impact of the text, describing it as "lukewarm," "the lowest common denominator," and "disappointing." "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas, fresh ideas. You know, 2.0 and then some. But when you have 200 countries that all have to agree, you end up with a Christmas tree of everything," said one diplomat. After intense negotiations in recent days, Russia still has objections to the final version of the text published on Saturday, a diplomatic source told AFP. While the pact is expected to be adopted, its approval isn't guaranteed. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. Despite the criticism, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one Western diplomat said, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially in light of the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." However, world leaders "still need to demonstrate that they are willing to act to uphold human rights," said Louis Charbonneau, HRW's UN director. Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes -- a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations -- are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles -- such as the protection of civilians in conflict -- are violated daily. "Our next task is to breathe life into them, to turn words into action," Guterres urged on Saturday.

UN holds 'Summit of the Future' to tackle global crises

United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Global leaders are gathering in New York on Sunday for a "Summit of the Future" aimed at addressing 21st-century challenges ranging from conflict to climate, amid skepticism over whether the final pact will meet its lofty goals. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres first proposed the meeting in 2021, billing it as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape human history by rekindling international cooperation. As an opening act for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government are expected to adopt a "Pact for the Future" on Sunday. But after intense last-minute negotiations, Guterres expressed some frustration, urging nations to show "vision" and "courage," and calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. In the latest version of the text that will be submitted for adoption, leaders pledge to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. Spanning nearly 30 pages, the pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. Words to action Even though there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. The sentiment is widely shared among diplomats, many of whom express frustration when discussing the ambition and impact of the text, describing it as "lukewarm," "the lowest common denominator," and "disappointing." "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas, fresh ideas. You know, 2.0 and then some. But when you have 200 countries that all have to agree, you end up with a Christmas tree of everything," said one diplomat. After intense negotiations in recent days, Russia still has objections to the final version of the text published on Saturday, a diplomatic source told AFP. While the pact is expected to be adopted, its approval isn't guaranteed. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. Despite the criticism, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one Western diplomat said, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially in light of the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." However, world leaders "still need to demonstrate that they are willing to act to uphold human rights," said Louis Charbonneau, HRW's UN director. Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes -- a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations -- are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles -- such as the protection of civilians in conflict -- are violated daily. "Our next task is to breathe life into them, to turn words into action," Guterres urged on Saturday.

UN holds 'Summit of the Future' to tackle global crises

UN chief first proposed meeting in 2021, billing it as "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape human history Global leaders are gathering in New York on Sunday for a "Summit of the Future" aimed at addressing 21st-century challenges ranging from conflict to climate, amid scepticism over whether the final pact will meet its lofty goals. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres first proposed the meeting in 2021, billing it as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape human history by rekindling international cooperation. As an opening act for the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly, which begins Tuesday, dozens of heads of state and government are expected to adopt a "Pact for the Future" on Sunday. But after intense last-minute negotiations, Guterres expressed some frustration, urging nations to show "vision" and "courage," and calling for "maximum ambition" to strengthen international institutions that struggle to respond effectively to today's threats. In the latest version of the text that will be submitted for adoption, leaders pledge to bolster the multilateral system to "keep pace with a changing world" and to "protect the needs and interests of current and future generations" facing "persistent crisis." "We believe there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity," the document says. Spanning nearly 30 pages, the pact outlines 56 "actions," including commitments to multilateralism, upholding the UN Charter and peacekeeping. It also calls for reforms to international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, along with renewed efforts to combat climate change, promote disarmament, and guide the development of artificial intelligence. Even though there are some "good ideas," the text "is not the sort of revolutionary document reforming the whole of multilateralism that Antonio Guterres had originally called for," Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group said. The sentiment is widely shared among diplomats, many of whom express frustration when discussing the ambition and impact of the text, describing it as "lukewarm", "the lowest common denominator", and "disappointing". "Ideally, you would hope for new ideas, fresh ideas. You know, 2.0 and then some. But when you have 200 countries that all have to agree, you end up with a Christmas tree of everything," one diplomat said. After intense negotiations in recent days, Russia still has objections to the final version of the text published on Saturday, a diplomatic source said. While the pact is expected to be adopted, its approval isn't guaranteed. The fight against global warming was one of the sticking points in the negotiations, with references to the "transition" away from fossil fuels having disappeared from the draft text weeks ago, before being re-inserted. Despite the criticism, it is still "an opportunity to affirm our collective commitment to multilateralism, even in the difficult current geopolitical context," one Western diplomat said, emphasising the need to rebuild trust between the Global North and South. Developing countries have been particularly vocal in demanding concrete commitments on the reform of international financial institutions, aiming to secure easier access to preferential financing, especially in light of the impacts of climate change. The text does indeed include "important commitments on economic justice and reforming the international financial architecture," the Human Rights Watch (HRW) commented, while also praising "the centrality of human rights." However, world leaders "still need to demonstrate that they are willing to act to uphold human rights," said Louis Charbonneau, HRW's UN director. Regardless of its content, the pact and its annexes -- a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations -- are non-binding, raising concerns about implementation, especially as some principles -- such as the protection of civilians in conflict -- are violated daily. "Our next task is to breathe life into them, to turn words into action," Guterres urged on Saturday.

UN chief António Guterres to seek world leaders' backing for vision of the future

Pact covering wars, AI, climate crisis and inequality has been watered down, say critics The UN's secretary general, António Guterres, will try to persuade world leaders to extend their horizons beyond current wars by adopting a pact that he hopes will set a path for a new system of global governance that can prevent similar crises in the future. Global leaders will gather in New York next week for the UN Summit of the Future, the centrepiece of this year's launch of the annual United Nations general assembly. Guterres had outlined an ambitious agenda covering artificial intelligence, groundbreaking UN security council reform, outer space, peace operations, climate change and financing development, but critics say that outline has not so much shrunk as become ever-less specific. The toll of grinding negotiations and the need for consensus have underlined the divisions that have immobilised the UN for a decade, leading to a watered-down document called "pact for the future" due to be announced at a summit. Talks about the final draft, its five chapters and 58 actions must end on Saturday. For more than a year Guterres had hoped that by confronting world leaders with the scale of the future challenges they collectively face, they could be persuaded to set aside some of those divisions about the present. Guy Ryder, the UN undersecretary for policy who is at the helm of the process, insists the pact "can render the UN and the multilateral system more effective, participatory and networked", but at briefings he struggled to convince reporters this was not another UN mission statement that will gather dust similar to the 2015 sustainable development goals summit or the Nelson Mandela peace summit in 2018. At a press conference Guterres called for the current generation of peacebuilders to address challenges not visible when the UN was invented as a much smaller body 80 years ago. "International challenges are moving faster than our ability to solve them. We see out-of-control geopolitical divisions and runaway conflicts - not least in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and beyond. Runaway climate change. Runaway inequalities and debt. Runaway development of new technologies like artificial intelligence - without guidance or guardrails. And our institutions simply can't keep up," he said. "Crises are interacting and feeding off each other - for example, as digital technologies spread climate disinformation that deepens distrust and fuels polarisation. Global institutions and frameworks are today totally inadequate to deal with these complex and even existential challenges. "It is no great surprise. Those institutions were born in a bygone era for a bygone world." Few disagree with his analysis, but many question whether the pact provides new solutions, as opposed to aspirations. Guterres insisted it represented progress, saying it offers "the strongest language on security council reform in a generation - and the most concrete step towards council enlargement since 1963. The first set of governance measures for new technologies, including artificial intelligence, in all their applications - with the UN at its centre. A major advance in reform of the international financial architecture with the most significant language yet strengthening the role of developing countries. A step change in financing the sustainable development goals and a commitment to advance our [sustainable development goals] stimulus, multiplying the resources available to developing countries." David Miliband, the chief executive of International Rescue Committee, said the pact did include practical proposals, such as an emergency platform allowing the UN to use its convening power to address global shocks such as pandemics. He said his test for the pact was "not novelty but strength, commitment and follow-through in a world where the nature of global risk has changed". But the negotiators have confronted familiar problems including cold war standoffs, shortage of cash and entrenched western reluctance to cede power to emerging powers - at the security council and in financial institutions. Seeking consensus among 193 countries has been no easy task for the two facilitators, Germany and Namibia. Nor has the backdrop of wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan helped the atmosphere. Various critics have said the UN pact is not the right place to settle specific differences. Russia has opposed overspecific references to nuclear disarmament. Others have said the Cop conferences are the only place to address the climate crisis. Richard Gowan, the UN specialist at the International Crisis Group, said there was a western reluctance to address the imbalances in the multilateral financial bodies. In a paper for Chatham House thinktank he observed: "The US and its allies argue that the UN is not the right space to negotiate complex financial issues. They say the World Bank and [International Monetary Fund] - where western powers still hold decisive shares of the votes - have a mandate to address these topics. A lot of diplomats from poorer states will be happy if world leaders make political commitments to sort out debt and development issues at the summit. But some hardliners, such as Pakistan, have argued that is not enough, and have even suggested cancelling the summit." There are some signs of movement on security council reform where three of the five permanent members on the 15-strong council are France, the UK and the US. The US has suggested creating two new permanent seats for African countries without veto power. But India and Brazil's claims are also pressing. On the theme of expansion of the security council, an answer may eventually be found. Ingenious solutions to reduce the veto of the permanent members abound, only to be crushed on the rock of objections from Russia, US and China, and a slow migration is visible to greater use of the larger general assembly where the veto does not apply. But the speed of reform does not match the speed with which the world - its technology and power dynamics - is changing. At best Gowan argues the pact can provide a hook or staging post for UN reform, and for new issues such as AI to proceed at future summits. Miliband said the UN system could only be as good as its members. He said: "Fragmentation of political power around the world is producing gridlock at the apex of the international system: the UN security council."

Summit Of The Future Aims To Make The UN More Effective

Among the issues under discussion are accelerating sustainable development and reforming decades-old institutions, including the UN Security Council and the international financial system. On Wednesday the Under Secretary-General for Policy and UN lead for the Summit, Guy Ryder, briefed journalists on the "very ambitious agenda" for the conference. A more 'networked' multilateralism "The idea of the Summit is to render the United Nations, the multilateral system, more effective in the fulfillment of its mandate; to make it more participatory, more networked. This, in the face of the very clear global challenges that we face," he said. "The fact that the world has changed and is changing rapidly, and the reality that many of our governance structures date back to the creation of the United Nations when it had 51 Member States instead of the 193 Member States who will be gathering at the Summit itself." Interest mounting Over 130 Heads of State and Government are expected to attend the landmark event, which will be held from 22 to 23 September, just ahead of the annual high-level debate in the UN General Assembly. It will be preceded by two "action days", where non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academics and private sector representatives will engage on the main themes. So far, over 7,000 people have registered to participate. The Summit is expected to adopt a Pact for the Future, with a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations annexed to it. Future vision Mr. Ryder gave an overview of the Pact, which he called "the mother document". It will contain five chapters covering sustainable development and related financing; peace and security; science, technology and innovation; youth and future generations, and transformation of global governance. The chapter on science, technology and innovation "is where the annex on the Global Digital Compact comes into play," he said. "The objective of the Global Digital Compact is to make technology work for humanity equitably," he explained, highlighting the need for action to close digital divides and create systems to govern artificial intelligence (AI), among other goals. Meanwhile, the Declaration on Future Generations aims to ensure that decisions made today take into full account the needs and interests of tomorrow. Confidence and consensus "The ambitions for this Summit have always been high," said Mr. Ryder, adding that with 10 days to go, UN Member States are working hard to reach the necessary consensus on the three outcome documents. "We need consensus for adoption, but I think there is good reason to be confident that the successful conclusion of these negotiations will produce the Pact with two annexes that will truly make a difference," he said. "This is something which is not only worth having. It is something that we need to secure for the future."