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.

– 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. (BSS/AFP)