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bulletins: pact for the future
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chapter 1: sustainable development and financing for development
- Closed member state consultations on the Chapeau and Chapter 1: Sustainable Development and Financing for Development was held on the 1st of December 2023 in the ECOSOC Chamber. The co-facilitators, Germany and Namibia, proposed to use revision 3 of the draft decision as the starting point for negotiations, which was welcomed by many with the exception of G77 and China. The need for reform of the International Financial Architecture and debt restructuring featured prominently in these consultations. Get yourself updated on the latest news on Chapter 1 negotiations with the following ICH bulletin.
- The right to education and lifelong learning is important to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development since education, knowledge, and learning are essential to an individual’s dignity, progress, and development. Education has been the great equalizer, a driving force in nation-building, and the engine of social, cultural, economic, and technical growth for ages. Today, however, education as we know it is no longer fit for purpose, afflicted by twin crises of equity and relevance. Building on the Transforming Education Summit and the International Commission on the Futures of Education report, this policy brief examines the current education crisis in greater depth and proposes a vision and set of guiding actions for countries and the international community to transform education.
- The Secretary-General’s policy brief on “Reforms to the International Financial Architecture” states that “The international financial architecture, crafted in 1945 after the Second World War, is undergoing a stress test of historic proportions – and it is failing the test … This failure poses a growing and systemic threat to the multilateral system itself, driving deepening divergence, geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical fractures across the world … The present policy brief sets out action-oriented recommendations for reforming the international financial and tax architecture …”. Update yourself on the highlights and key action items proposed by the Secretary-General in the ICH bulletin below.
- This policy brief outlines the shortcomings of our reliance on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a primary measure of economic development. This is, broadly, due to its failure to account for certain dimensions of economic activity, environmental destruction and human well-being. The brief recognises, moreover, the SDGs, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Human Development Index (among others) as initiatives to go “Beyond GDP”.
- The key recommendations of this brief call for: a renewed political commitment by Member States to accurately “value what counts”, the construction of a robust technical and scientific process to produce key indicators that go “Beyond GDP”, and a major capacity-building and resourcing initiative to enable Member States to effectively utilise the new framework. Overall, these recommendations promote the creation of a universal and comprehensive measurement of sustainable development to complement, rather than replace, GDP; to more strongly capture what matters to the people, the planet and the future.
chapter 2: international peace and security
- Closed member state consultations on Chapter 2: International Peace and Security was held on 5th of December 2023. The key issues raised were respect for the UN Charter and international law, the prevention of conflicts, peaceful settlement of disputes, importance of the Women and Youth Peace and Security agendas, as well as, strengthening of the Peacebuilding Commission, reform of the Security Council, climate security, and emerging security risks. Catch the latest on the Chapter 2 negotiations in the following ICH bulletin.
- In the declaration commemorating the United Nations’ 75th anniversary, heads of state and government committed to promoting peace and averting wars. It will take significant changes on the part of Member States to uphold and strengthen the multilateral system as the only practical way to address a complex array of global threats and carry out the objectives of the UN Charter on a global scale to honor this commitment. Nevertheless, for many people around the world, peace is still a distant dream.
- The Emergency Platform, as proposed by the Secretary-General (SG) in his policy brief, will allow the SG to convene Member States (MS), the UN system, key country groupings, International Financial Institutions, regional bodies, civil society, the private sector, subject-specific industries or research bodies, and other experts, in the event of crises of sufficient scale and magnitude, regardless of the type or nature of the crisis involved. Informal consultations on the proposed Emergency Platform happened on 16 March 2023, where MS requested additional information and differing views on the activation criteria and relationship with the General Assembly, among others, were expressed. Stakeholder consultations were organized on the same day with presentations from the Executive Office of the SG. Catch all that happened related to the Emergency Platform in the ICH bulletin here.
chapter 3: responsible use of science, technology, and innovation
- Closed member state consultations on Chapter 3: Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and Digital Cooperation was held in the morning of 11th of December 2023 in Conference Room 2 in the UN General Assembly. Member states stressed on closely linking STI to the 2030 Agenda and the need to expand digital connectivity, so as to leave no one offline. The areas where member states lacked consensus were technology transfer and intellectual property rights, among others. Get more on the latest negotiations on Chapter 3 in the following ICH bulletin.
chapter 4: youth and future generations
- Between February 6 and February 9, 2024, Member States gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the first reading of the zero draft of the Pact for the Future. During the discussions, it was emphasized that youth play a critical role in shaping a sustainable future by championing gender equality and fostering a more inclusive global workplace. The well-being of future generations is intricately linked to their education and empowerment, with Member States recognizing the significance of investing in inclusive education for their long-term development. Furthermore, Member States highlighted the importance of addressing issues such as discrimination, promoting intercultural dialogue, and enhancing digital literacy to support the growth and well-being of young people. Cultural engagement and active participation in decision-making processes were also underscored as essential components for building a more inclusive society. In addition, some Member States extended an invitation to the Secretary-General to take the lead in developing a global standard for inclusive youth engagement, recognizing the need for a coordinated and comprehensive approach to empower and involve young people in shaping a better future.
- Closed member state consultations on Chapter 4: Youth and future generations was held on 11th of December 2023. The consultations had a focus on the youth dimension, leaving discussions on future generations for the process of elaborating the Declaration on Future Generations. The key issues raised were the need to see youth as “agents of change in decision-making processes, strong support for the mandate of the UN Youth Office, and the importance of poverty eradication, quality education, decent work and employment, and skills training. Catch the latest on the Chapter 4 negotiations in the following ICH bulletin.
- The knowledge and resources needed to fulfill the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are available in the modern world. But without the support and participation of a wide range of players, revolutionary changes will simply not be achievable at the scale necessary. Particularly true for the 1.2 billion young people who are living today. Young people hold the key to developing novel ideas that can bring about the breakthroughs our planet so desperately needs. They also stand to suffer the most if societies grow more unstable and unequal and if the triple planetary catastrophe worsens unchecked, as they will be the planet’s future keepers.
- Closed member state consultations on Chapter 5: Transforming Global Governance was held on 6th of December 2023 in the Trusteeship Council. The key issues raised were reform of the Security Council, strengthening the role of the Peacebuilding Commission and the International Financial Architecture, including reform of Multilateral Development Banks and tax cooperation at the global level. Catch the latest on Chapter 5 negotiations in the following ICH bulletin.
- Following informal consultations in December 2023 and First and Second Readings through February and March 2024, the co-facilitators of the Summit of the Future (SOTF) released a 78-page compilation text for Chapter 2 on International Peace and Security. This chapter deals with a range of issues from peacekeeping, peacebuilding fund and nuclear disarmament to outer space, Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWs), and coordination with Regional Organizations.
- Member States have attempted to tackle some of the contemporary issues related to international peace and security, such as exploring a legally binding instrument for LAWs; reviving disarmament processes such as the Conference on Disarmament; setting roadmaps and targets for illicit trade of small arms, among others. Get yourself updated on the headlines and details of the compilation text for Chapter 2 in the following ICH bulletin.
- The co-facilitators introduced the 20-page Zero Draft of the Pact for the Future at a meeting on January 29, 2024 in the Trusteeship Council. This was followed by initial comments from Member States. To know more about this consultation, refer to the ICH bulletin at the link.
- The Co-facilitators held a hybrid meeting with Major Group and other Stakeholders (MGoS) and Civil Society representatives to allow them to express their expectations on the Summit of the Future and contribute to the zero draft of the Pact for the Future. They called for an inclusive and transparent engagement, and a Pact that sets a high vision for multilateralism, equity and solidarity especially in the wake of global challenges and emerging issues.
