- UNGA adopts the “Pact for the Future”
- Russia and six others opposed the pact
- The pact sets ambitious but vague goals
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted an ambitious pact aiming to make the organization more relevant and effective on the global stage in the 21st century, amid growing criticism over its failures to prevent wars and hold accountable those who violate its charter.
Russia and Iran were among seven nations that opposed the “Pact for the Future,” but they were unsuccessful in stopping the document from moving forward during the summit held on Sunday and Monday.
What is the Pact for the Future?
The UN describes the pact as a “landmark declaration” that pledges action toward creating a better world for future generations.
The extensive text adopted by the 193-member UNGA includes a commitment to accelerate progress toward achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and meeting the Paris Agreement’s climate change objectives. It also highlights the importance of addressing the root causes of conflicts and reinforcing commitments to human rights, including women’s rights.
Two annexes accompany the document: the Global Digital Compact, which deals with the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), and the Declaration on Future Generations, which emphasizes the need for both national and international decision-making to focus on ensuring the well-being of future generations.
We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told world leaders gathered at UN headquarters on Sunday. “Now it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement but action.”
What does the Pact aim to achieve?
The pact addresses a range of topics with varying levels of ambition, and different UN forums and agencies will be responsible for following up on specific areas, according to Richard Gowan, UN director at the Crisis Group.
Some proposals are quite specific, such as a request for the Secretary-General to review the state of UN peacekeeping operations. Others, like the commitment to work toward nuclear disarmament, are sadly more rhetorical flourishes than concrete proposals,” Gowan told Al Jazeera.
Nevertheless, Gowan emphasized the importance of creating an actionable implementation plan for the pact, as world leaders often sign off on idealistic pledges without following through.
Does the Pact spell out how it will achieve its goals?
Not really. Like many UN resolutions, the “Pact for the Future” contains lofty goals and commitments but lacks realistic, concrete steps to implement its vision.
The document states that nations “will end hunger and eliminate food insecurity,” address global financing and investment gaps, commit to a fair multilateral trading system, achieve gender equality, protect the environment and climate, and support people affected by humanitarian crises. However, it remains vague on how the UN and its members will accomplish these objectives.
As the wars in Israel, Ukraine, and Sudan continue to claim lives, the pact reaffirms the UN’s support for the International Court of Justice (ICJ). However, with Israel rejecting any influence the court may have over its ongoing conflict in Gaza, where more than 41,000 people have been killed, the pact does not provide a clear strategy for ensuring member states adhere to its rules.
The pact also promises to revitalize commitments on disarmament, “renew trust in global institutions” by making them more representative, and protect human rights, including through combatting racism and xenophobia. However, these remain mere promises in the text.
Reflecting dissatisfaction with deadlocks and a lack of representation in the UN Security Council (UNSC), the document pledges to “redress historical injustices against Africa as a priority” and “improve representation” for Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Yet, it does not specify how the UN will accelerate the reforms demanded by the Global South for years.
Additionally, the pact seeks to reform international financial systems, strengthen responses to global shocks, and enhance cooperation on outer space exploration, including preventing an arms race there. However, many of the countries leading the space race are permanent UNSC members with veto powers, shielding them from criticism.
While many UN resolutions go unheeded, the pact pledges to “strengthen the response” of the UNSC, “revitalize” the work of the UNGA, and bolster the overall UN system, including the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. How this will be achieved, however, is not specified.
Gowan notes that many UN members believe reform of the UNSC is essential in light of the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine. However, negotiating such reforms, as well as changes to international financial institutions, will prove difficult.
I think that, overall, developing countries had a bigger role in shaping this pact than they did in some previous UN reform processes, but the US still effectively defended its red lines on issues like the international financial system,” Gowan added.
“The pact is far from perfect, and many may feel it lacks the depth and urgency needed to address the global polycrisis. But we should appreciate that diplomats were able to reach an agreement at all in the current bleak environment.”
Why did some countries oppose the Pact?
Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Syria, and Nicaragua introduced a last-minute amendment to the draft resolution, voicing concerns about national sovereignty and external intervention in domestic affairs.
The amendment added a paragraph emphasizing that the UN “shall be driven by intergovernmental decision-making processes” and that its system “shall not intervene in matters that fall under the domestic jurisdiction of any state” in line with the UN charter.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin told the summit that the text, coordinated primarily by Germany and Namibia, reflected “what was dictated to them mainly by Western countries,” while Russia’s requests for intergovernmental negotiations were ignored. He described the approach as “despotism.”
Moscow declared that it would “distance itself from the consensus on this document.”
Vershinin also stressed that the pact could not be interpreted as creating “new mandates and obligations” for states, as it is “simply a declaration, and a very vague one.”
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However, the Republic of Congo, representing Africa’s 54 nations, and Mexico, a major Latin American power, rejected the amendment, allowing the pact to proceed.
The countries opposing the pact are among those heavily sanctioned by the United States and European Union, rather than by UN bodies.
Gowan noted that Russia “misjudged the situation” by introducing last-minute changes when most nations had already agreed to move forward. Russia felt sidelined after Germany and Namibia appeared to dismiss some of its concerns.
“I must admit I am still quite confused as to why Russia didn’t quietly withdraw its amendment, rather than face a vote it was certain to lose,” Gowan remarked. “Diplomats say the Russians had several opportunities to avoid this public defeat.”
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