UN Assembly President urges nations to sustain momentum from Summit of the Future

Addressing the closing session of the Summit following the adoption of the landmark Pact for the Future on Sunday, Philémon Yang, President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, expressed hope that the ideas exchanged would inspire further initiatives at national, regional and the global levels.

“As we close the Summit of the Future, I urge all Member States to continue to push for decisive action and to create meaningful progress,” he said.

He reminded delegates not to lose sight of ongoing global challenges like poverty, hunger, and the suffering of those caught in conflicts, violence, and deprivation.

“We must never lose sight of those future generations to whom we owe our best efforts to create a world that uplifts and empowers all of humanity, leaving no one behind,” he added.

‘Continuum of efforts’

Mr. Yang applauded the Pact for the Future and its annexes the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations, which were adopted by consensus at the Summit’s opening on Sunday.

“Together, they outline commitments to accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and usher in a future that is more peaceful, just and resilient,” he said.

He emphasised that the Summit marked a significant step in “our continuum of efforts to deliver faster – and smarter” on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

“It must propel our collective ability to deliver well into the future,” he added.

Interactive dialogues

During the two-day Summit, a series of interactive dialogues featuring government leaders, top UN officials and civil society representatives were held alongside plenary sessions. These discussions further explored the commitments outlined in the Pact.

Topics included updating antiquated intergovernmental organizations, such as major multilateral development banks and the UN itself, reforming the Security Council, maximising the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies while mitigating their risks, and, above all, revitalising the global efforts to eradicate poverty and inequality.

The interconnected challenges facing developing nations were poignantly highlighted by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu, who remarked, “the reality is that we will either drown in debt or be drowned by the sea.”

This emphasised the pressing need for global cooperation on ocean preservation, as well as to lower debt burdens.