United Nations Secretary General António Guterres speaks at the Summit of the Future at the UN headquarters in New York City, the U.S., on September 22 (XINHUA)
From September 22 to 23, the United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future took center stage in New York City, the U.S., under the slogan Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow. As the flagship high-level gathering of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, the summit gathered approximately 130 heads of state and government leaders to chart a path toward collective global progress. It aimed to forge consensus on pressing international challenges, accelerate the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (2030 Agenda), a comprehensive plan adopted by all UN member states in 2015 to achieve sustainable development globally by 2030, and drive reforms within the UN system.
This summit was convened against a backdrop of intensifying global turmoil and unprecedented risks facing humanity. Ongoing conflicts, including those between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, and Lebanon and Israel, only highlight the urgency of the moment. At the same time, challenges like climate change, food insecurity, refugee crises and the rapid development of new technologies are emerging, one after another.
These pressing issues underscore the need for global cooperation and visionary leadership.
A pact for the future
In 2020, the UN celebrated its 75th anniversary amid the global upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Member states tasked Secretary General António Guterres with identifying gaps in the existing multilateral system and proposing recommendations to strengthen global governance and shape future solutions. In September 2021, Guterres presented the Our Common Agenda report, outlining a vision for the future of global cooperation. The report called for "inclusive, networked and effective multilateralism" to better address challenges and achieve benefits for people and planet alike. It also proposed solutions to address gaps and risks that had emerged since 2015 and called for a Summit of the Future in 2024.
The permanent representatives of Germany and Namibia to the UN served as co-facilitators for negotiations on a Pact for the Future (the Pact). Zambia and Sweden, along with Jamaica and the Netherlands, led the negotiations on two annexes: the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations. After approximately nine months of deliberations, an agreement was reached on the Pact, which was officially adopted at the September summit.
The Pact outlines 56 actions that span across areas such as sustainable development, peace and security, digital cooperation, global governance, and youth and future generations. Among these, the focus on global governance has garnered the most attention, as it provides a comprehensive roadmap for overhauling the current system.
The existing global governance framework, established in the aftermath of World War II (1939-45), has achieved considerable progress but now faces unprecedented challenges. In recent years, multilateralism has come under increasing scrutiny, international law enforcement has encountered serious obstacles and conflicts worldwide continue to escalate. According to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report 2024 published by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in June, only 17 percent of the 169 targets of the 2030 Agenda are on track. Meanwhile, 48 percent are moderately or severely off track, and 37 percent have stagnated or even regressed.
In response to these issues, and as the UN approaches its 80th anniversary (in 2025), the Pact introduces a detailed set of reform proposals. These reforms mainly focus on restructuring the UN and fine-tuning international financial systems. The goal is to restore trust in global institutions, ensuring they better reflect today's world and are equipped to address modern challenges more effectively.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has expressed strong support for the UN and the Future summit. At the summit, Wang Yi, special representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, presented a four-point proposal centered on building a peaceful and secure, prosperous and developed, fair and just, better future.
Wang, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that all parties should uphold an international system with the UN at its core, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and promote inclusive economic globalization.
If the Pact seeks to answer the questions of what kind of world we want to build and how to build it, then China's initiatives over the years and the country's multiple multilateral efforts resonate with the Pact's original intent and can indeed complement its objectives, state broadcaster China Central Television said in a commentary published on its mobile news platform on September 25.
Examples of such China-proposed initiatives are the Belt and Road Initiative, first put forward in 2013 with the aim of boosting connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes, and the Global Development Initiative, an international framework proposed by Xi at the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021. The latter calls for international commitment to development as a priority, a people-centered approach, benefits for all, innovation-driven development, harmony between humanity and nature, and results-oriented actions.
"The Pact for the Future is not an end, but rather a starting point. Its follow-up implementation requires the joint participation of all parties and the strengthening of unity and cooperation under the banner of the UN," Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of China to the UN, said at the October 7 UN General Assembly plenary meeting on the implementation of the outcomes of the major UN conferences and summits and the strengthening and reform of the UN system.
Young voices
Two days before the September summit, the UN General Assembly Hall buzzed with energy as hundreds of youth from around the world gathered for the kickoff of two related "action days." Felipe Paullier, inaugural UN Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs, emphasized that the summit is a unique opportunity to reform the multilateral system, placing youth at its core.
Chinese youth representatives made substantial contributions during the summit's action days, showcasing their efforts to advance the UN SDGs and the Global Development Initiative, which aim to support the timely achievement of all 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. They highlighted innovative practices and demonstrated a sense of international responsibility on the global stage.
Global youth engagement began even earlier, with the All-China Youth Federation partnering with different UN agencies to host the 2024 World Youth Development Forum in China from August 12 to 16. At the opening ceremony, youth representatives from eight countries launched the International Youth Advocacy for the Summit of the Future, presenting valuable insights and aspirations from a young perspective.
On August 13, Renmin University of China in Beijing hosted the Youth Pre-Meetings for the Summit of the Future, gathering over 300 ministers for youth affairs, youth leaders and youth representatives from nearly 100 countries for in-depth discussions. These dialogues generated actionable policy recommendations for the Future summit's outcome documents.
Participants acknowledged that, amid unprecedented global changes, the world's younger generations face unique opportunities and challenges. Achieving the 2030 Agenda and ensuring global peace will require a united voice and concerted action from young people worldwide.
"It's crucial for all stakeholders to come together and acknowledge these challenges so that we can tackle them effectively," said Ediola Pashollari, Secretary General of the World Assembly of Youth, in an interview with newspaper China Youth Daily on August 12. "Young people should be at the center of attention—not just because they represent the largest generation, but because they are innovators and skilled developers. They embody both the present and the future of our global society."
(Print Edition Title: A Vision for Tomorrow)
