The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所淧act of the Future害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 more than 8 billion people.
The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day 害羞草研究所淪ummit of the Future害羞草研究所� called by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking 害羞草研究所渢he door害羞草研究所� to a better future.
害羞草研究所淲e are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淣ow it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action.害羞草研究所�
The U.N. chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End 害羞草研究所渨ars tearing our world apart害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
害羞草研究所淣o one is happy with this pact,害羞草研究所� said Russia害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 54 nations 害羞草研究所� which opposed Russia害羞草研究所檚 amendments 害羞草研究所� 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 Philemon 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 害羞草研究所� in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic 害羞草研究所� and the continent害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah and Irish President Michael Higgins.
The Pact of the Future says world leaders are gathering 害羞草研究所渁t a time of profound global transformation,害羞草研究所� and it warns of 害羞草研究所渞ising catastrophic and existential risks害羞草研究所� that could tip people everywhere 害羞草研究所渋nto a future of persistent crisis and breakdown.害羞草研究所�
Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the U.N. at a time of hope and opportunity 害羞草研究所渢o protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所渟eize the opportunities of today and tomorrow.害羞草研究所�
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害羞草研究所檚 world and 害羞草研究所渞edress the historical injustice against Africa,害羞草研究所� which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America.
It also 害羞草研究所渞epresents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade,害羞草研究所� Guterres said, and it commits 害羞草研究所渢o steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons.害羞草研究所�
The Global Digital Compact 害羞草研究所渋ncludes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 actions also include measures 害羞草研究所渢o mount an immediate and coordinated response to complex shocks害羞草研究所� including pandemics, Guterres said. And it includes 害羞草研究所渁 groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making.害羞草研究所�
As for human rights, Guterres said, 害羞草研究所淚n the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所� not one that leads to 害羞草研究所渁n environmental catastrophe, widening inequality, global conflict and destruction and the rise of dangerous technologies that threaten our security.害羞草研究所�
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that If countries don害羞草研究所檛 unite and implement the pact害羞草研究所檚 more than 50 actions, 害羞草研究所渘ot only would history judge us 害羞草研究所� but also young people around the world.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he road is rocky,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut was that ever any different?害羞草研究所�
