Summit of the Future: a crucial opportunity to strengthen multilateralism and accelerate the implementation of the SDGs

On 22-23 September, world leaders will gather in New York for the much-anticipated Summit of the Future. At a time when effective global cooperation is increasingly critical for our survival, achieving it remains a challenge fuelled by mistrust and outdated structures that no longer reflect today’s political and economic realities. The Summit aims to reinvigorate not only the structures, but also the trust needed for effective global governance, first and foremost, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promote peace. It will be preceded by Action Days on 20-21 September, offering stakeholders – ranging from civil society and the private sector to academia, parliamentarians, local and regional authorities and youth, an opportunity to make additional commitments. The European Union (EU) is at the heart of this effort, having actively engaged throughout the process.

The Summit’s main outcome will be an inter-governmental agreement – the Pact for the Future – featuring two annexes: a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. All three documents are at the final stage of negotiations among Member States, having benefited from inputs from a wide range of stakeholders over the past months.

This represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate the global governance structures and restore the trust necessary for their effectiveness.

So, what makes this Pact transformative? It calls for:

• Accelerating the SDGs progress to unlock greater development finance and address the crippling debt crisis, which hampers progress for many developing countries.
• An updated collective security system that is better equipped to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts in both traditional and new domains.
• Inclusive policy-making that ensures that science, technology and innovation benefit more people in more countries.
• Enhanced youth participation in global decision-making with increased economic and political opportunities at national levels.
• An inclusive and equitable multilateral system including the international financial system which reflects the economic needs and political realities of today.

The Global Digital Compact aims to bridge digital divides and accelerate progress towards SDGs. It seeks to create an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promotes human rights while fostering responsible, equitable and interoperable data governance. Moreover, the Global Digital Compact aims to enhance international governance of AI for the benefit of humanity.

The Declaration on Future Generations aims to anchor the topic of future generations in the intergovernmental space and provide a framework for the UN to support Member States in incorporating future thinking into their policymaking.

At the core of all these initiatives is a commitment to human rights and gender equality. The Summit provides a pivotal moment to reinforce these principles, ensuring that any reform of global governance structures includes provisions for the full participation and leadership of women and girls and the protection of all cultural diversity and human rights.

While all these aspects are important, three key areasare critical to rebuild trust in multilateralism, where the EU can and does play an important role:

• Scaling up financing for sustainable development: with an estimated $4tn investment gap for achieving the SDGs, there is an urgent need for a more inclusive and effective financial system. Many developing countries face unfair obstacles in accessing the financing they need to invest in SDGs, drowning in debt and often having to choose debt repayments over funding for their education and health systems. This is unsustainable and requires urgent action through the UN Secretary-General’s SDGs Stimulus as well as structural changes and the international financial architecture reform. The EU has been a strong supporter of this agenda and we welcome its sustained global advocacy and continued scaling up of the UN-EU partnership at the country level to unlock resources and investments needed by countries to advance their economic, social, and environmental paths towards meeting the SDGs. Development and climate finance need to be addressed together. The EU has been a leading advocate for ambitious climate action, recognising that the global community cannot meet its climate goals without significant financial support for developing countries. The EU’s Green Deal and commitment to climate finance exemplify its leadership in this area. We count on the EU’s vital role moving forward, not least in view of the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference, a key milestone to set high levels of ambition for the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions.

2. Addressing digital transformation and AI risks: the rapid growth of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) presents both opportunities and risks, particularly without a global framework for digital governance. Through groundbreaking legislation, such as the Digital Services Act and the AI Act, the EU has taken substantial steps towards regulating digital technologies and ensuring they align with human rights and democratic values. The EU can expand this leadership on a human-centric approach by scaling its support to UN’s efforts to address the digital needs and priorities of developing countries.

2. Modernising conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms: reforming approaches and institutions to prevent and end conflicts is vital, including the UN Security Council. The UN Secretary-General’s “New Agenda for Peace” provides important recommendations, such as the need for a renewed focus on the prevention and mediation of conflicts, addressing the root causes and the linkages between climate risks and insecurity, as well as the urgency to prevent the weaponization of emerging domains, such as new technologies. EU’s continued engagement on this Agenda and the implementation of related actions in the final version of the Pact will be essential.

As a key player and advocate for multilateralism, EU’s leadership will be crucial in seizing the momentum generated by the Summit, moving the world towards a more inclusive, sustainable and fair global order.

Realising this Pact’s ambitious goals will require all stakeholders’ collective and committed efforts. In a world facing increasing division and complexity, the partnership between the UN and the EU remains fundamental.

The views expressed in this #CriticalThinking article reflect those of the author(s) and not of Friends of Europe