The high-level event will bring together UN Member States, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), academic institutions, the private sector, and youth under the theme, ‘Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’. The Summit aims to forge a new global consensus on what our future should look like, and what we can do today to secure it. 

The Summit was proposed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his ‘Our Common Agenda’ report to address the issues of peace and security, setting out a “New Agenda for Peace,” with more investment for peacebuilding, support for regional conflict prevention, a reduction of strategic risks such as nuclear weapons and cyberwarfare, and a dialogue on outer space to ensure that it is used peacefully and sustainably.

Guterres has characterized the Summit of the Future as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action, recommit to fundamental principles, and further develop the frameworks of multilateralism so they are fit for the future”.

Following an announcement of 13 February 2023, the UN Secretary-General released 11 policy briefs offering “concrete ideas” on how to advance Our Common Agenda (OCA) as Member States prepare for the Summit of the Future. The briefs focus on: 1) the needs of future generations; 2) improving the international response to complex global shocks through an emergency platform; 3) more systematic participation by young people in decision-making processes; 4) metrics that go beyond gross domestic product (GDP); 5) global digital cooperation on maximizing and sharing the benefits of digital technology through a global digital compact; 6) reform of the global financial architecture; 7) the peaceful, secure, and sustainable use of outer space; 8) a New Agenda for Peace; 9) information integrity; 10) transforming education; and 11) ‘UN 2.0.’

In line with a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution outlining the modalities for the Summit of the Future (A/RES/76/307), the Summit was preceded by a preparatory ministerial meeting on 18 September 2023 where ministers outlined their priorities.

The Summit will adopt ‘A Pact for the Future’ – a concise, action-oriented outcome document, to be agreed in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations.

According to a letter dated 19 October 2023, co-facilitators leading the intergovernmental preparatory process for the Summit of the Future, Permanent Representative of Germany Antje Leendertse and Permanent Representative of Namibia Neville Melvin Gertze, will hold informal consultations on the preparations of the Pact for the Future on 9 November, where they will outline their approach, timeline, and plans for consultations in the coming months. Following this initial meeting, the co-facilitators will convene a series of closed informal consultations in December “to hear directly from Member States on the substantive issues that they would like to see reflected in the zero draft of the Pact for the Future on a chapter-by-chapter basis.” The co-facilitators aim to have a zero draft of the Pact for the Future in early 2024.

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dates: 22-23 September 2024
location: New York City, US
www: https://www.un.org/en/desa/future-un-time-think-big-urges-guterres
https://www.un.org/en/content/common-agenda-report/assets/pdf/Common_Agenda_Report_English.pdf