The Permanent Missions of Germany and Namibia, with the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, organized an interactive briefing and discussion on delivering the Pact for the Future. Senior officials examined progress since the adoption of the Pact in 2024 and reflected on how to sustain momentum towards the Pact’s review in 2028.

Held on 27 February 2026, the meeting offered an opportunity for Member States to share experiences in translating commitments into national action and to discuss how implementation efforts intersect with the UN80 reform process.

In their opening remarks, the co-convenors emphasized the significance of adopting the Pact and its annexes – the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations – at a moment of geopolitical turmoil. They highlighted the need for implementation to draw the same level of political engagement as did the negotiations towards the Pact. The speakers underscored the importance of: national domestication of the commitments made in the Pact; early preparation for the 2028 review; and civil society keeping momentum going.

Addressing participants, President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Annalena Baerbock described implementation as a “test of credibility” for multilateralism. Highlighting the Pact as the “universal compass to strengthen multilateralism and advance momentum toward the [SDGs],” she said the majority of commitments rest with Member States. She called for “synchronizing” intergovernmental processes, national capitals, and the work of the UN system and for ensuring coherence and mutual reinforcement between Pact follow-up and the UN80 Initiative.

Baerbock announced she will convene a one-day Pact interim assessment event to take stock of implementation efforts by Member States and the UN system, highlight successes and good practices, and galvanize “political momentum towards delivery.”

Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder outlined the UN system’s implementation architecture and offered an update on the UN system’s progress in delivering those Pact commitments that were tasked directly to it. He noted advances at Headquarters level and highlighted growing country-level support through Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams, helping translate global commitments into national action. Ryder also called attention to the recently established tracking system to monitor UN-led actions and provide transparency through a public dashboard.

During discussion, several Member States emphasized five recurring themes:

• National ownership and domestication: integrating Pact commitments into national development plans and strategies;
• Accountability and measurable progress: strengthening tracking, indicators, and transparent reporting;
• Coherence with the UN80 reform initiative: ensuring that mandate review and institutional reform enhance delivery of Pact commitments;
• Advancing the annexes: concrete progress on digital governance and long-term thinking under the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations; and
• Early preparation for 2028: beginning structured reflection well ahead of the mandated review.

Participants agreed on the need to sustain political attention to implementation and to ensure the Pact remains a living framework for guiding reform, delivery, and accountability across the multilateral system. [Pact for the Future]