As pointed out by the UN Secretary-General Antònio Guterres, on 4 October 2023, world leaders have been talking to him about “our multilateral institutions are not delivering” and that there was criticism about a “mismatch between the institutions of global governance, and the economic and political realities of our world.”
The Summit of the Future (SOFT), therefore, provides a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reset international cooperation, and as seen by the General Assembly President (PGA) it “constitutes a significant stride towards a reinvigorated multilateral system that prioritizes tangible outcomes.”
“A Pact for the Future”
The outcome document will be A Pact for the Future, as agreed by the General Assembly in resolution 76/307. It is envisioned as “a concise, action-oriented outcome document entitled agreed in advance by consensus, through intergovernmental negotiations." [General Assembly, United Nations. 2023. Draft decision submitted by the President of the General Assembly. Scope of the Summit of the Future. A/77/L.10]
It will, moreover, comprise a chapeau and five chapters:
Chapter I. Sustainable development and financing for development
Chapter II. International peace and security
Chapter III. Science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation
Chapter IV. Youth and future generations
Chapter V. Transforming global governance
According to Guy Ryder, the Under-Secretary General for Policy, at a briefing for CSOs in Geneva, Member States have decided that “human rights and gender will be cross-cutting issues in the Pact”.
Background to the development of “A Pact for the Future” up to August 2023
The then PGA, Csaba Körösi, in October 2022, appointed Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative of Germany and Neville Melvin Gertze, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Namibia as the co-facilitators for the Summit of the Future. In the negotiations that they held up to August 2023, agreement was reached on many areas of the draft. When the draft decision (Annex 1) was circulated to Member States under a ‘silence procedure’, however, silence was broken on a number of paragraphs (v, vii, viii, xii, xiii, xxiii)
There was agreement on paragraphs such as:
(a) structure of the document, with the chapeau and five chapters (a)
Chapeau
(i)-(iv) reaffirmation of the UN Charter, Universal Declaration on Human Rights and 2030 Agenda; the three pillars of the United Nations – development, peace and security, and human rights; the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions; and recalling the Declaration of the 75th anniversary of the UN
Chapter 1: Sustainable Development and Financing for Development
(vi) acceleration of the full achievement of the 2030 Agenda
(ix) fulfilment of all commitments under the Addis Ababa Action Agenda
(x) building on outcomes of recent UN high-level meetings related to sustained development and financing for development
(xi) Addressing all obstacles to achieving sustainable development
Chapter 3: Science, Technology and Innovation and Digital Cooperation
(xiv) Strengthening all aspects of global digital cooperation and bridging digital divides
Chapter 4: Youth and Future Generations
(xv) Promoting meaningful and effective engagement of youth
(xvi) Thinking and Acting in the interests of Future Generations including through the elaboration of a Declaration on Future Generations
Chapter 5: Transforming Global Governance
(xvii) Reforming the Security Council, revitalizing the work of the General Assembly and strengthening of ECOSOC
(xviii) Strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission
(xix) Depending cooperation between UN and regional organizations
(xx) Developing a framework on measures of progress on sustainable development complementing or going beyond GDP
(xxi) Reforming the International Financial Architecture
(xxii) Promoting a fairer multilateral trading system
(xxiv) Fostering peaceful and sustainable uses of Outer Space
Furthermore, there was agreement that:
(a) The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, its pledge to “leave no one behind”, and the commitment to end poverty and hunger everywhere and to combat inequalities within and among countries will be taken into account in the relevant chapters of the Pact for the Future; together with the commitments “to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies; to ensure the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources and creating conditions for sustainable, inclusive and sustained economic growth, shared prosperity and decent work for all, taking into account different levels of national development and capacities; as well as the realization of the human rights of all, the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls...”
(b) The PGA appoint co-facilitators by 31 October 2023; and that the remainder of the “intergovernmental preparatory process… shall consist of (a) consultations to determine the topics and organization of the interactive dialogues and (b) negotiations to conclude the outcome document with adequate time for the negotiating sessions.
The co-facilitators, in consultation with the PGA, moreover, are requested to designate as required, pairs of coordinators, and one each from a developed and a developing country and taking into account gender balance, for specific chapters and elements.
Scope of the Summit of the Future
Given that Member States has broken the silence on the above, the decision, as adopted, A/77/568 (Annex 2) only contains:
(a) The listing of the chapeau and chapters for the Pact for the Future
(b) The listing of the elements of the 2030 Agenda for inclusion
(c) A request to the PGA to appoint co-facilitators by 31 October 2023
(d) A request to the PGA to appoint two pairs of co-facilitators by the same date to facilitate “as part of the preparatory process of the Summit of the Future, open, transparent and inclusive consultations on a global digital pact and a declaration on future generations…” (Note: This waters down what was included in (b) above.)
(e) No meetings of the preparatory process will be held in parallel with another to ensure “a well-coordinated and streamlined process and that the preparatory process of the Summit shall avoid overlaps and duplications with existing intergovernmental processes.”
Co-facilitators, as appointed
The PGA re-appointed and appointed the following Permanent Representatives as the co-facilitators on 10 October 2023:
Summit of the Future: Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative of Germany and Neville Melvin Gertze, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Namibia
Global Digital Compact: Anna Karim Eneström, Permanent Representative of Sweden and Chola Milambo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zambia
Declaration on Future Generations: Brian Christopher Manley Wallace, Permanent Representative of Jamaica and Yoka Brandt, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands