Pact for the Future

UN adopts 'Pact for the Future', milestone in multilateralism, facing opposition but paving the way for global reform

The UN's adoption of the 'Pact for the Future' marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of effective and inclusive multilateralism. The landmark agreement signifies a crucial step towards addressing global challenges and shaping a responsible and sustainable digital future. The pact was adopted without a vote at the Summit of the Future, though it did take nine months of negotiations to reach a consensus. Even then, there was some opposition from countries including Russia, North Korea, Syria, Nicaragua, Belarus and Iran over some of the pact's 56 clauses. Specifically, a failed Russian amendment wanted to ensure that the UN "and its system shall not intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state". The broader pact encompasses critical themes such as peace and security, global governance, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations.

Amid myriad global crises and the imperative for UN reform, the Pact for the Future is also significant as a tacit admission of the need for change. Notably, Russia and all of the countries backing its resolution regarding "domestic jurisdiction" have been labeled as police states by the UN, and huge question marks hover over their democratic credentials. However, all of the countries are also in the bad books of the Western powers, which they insist reflects UN bias against them. Even the African Union countries, which often face criticism from the West, were critical of the Russian resolution. However, one reform suggested for the international financial system faced stern opposition from Western countries, which successfully forced the UN to step back from a goal to make international financial institutions more representative, and also dump a proposal for a $500 million stimulus to put the sustainable development goals back on track.

Still, the adoption of the pact, and any potential success, will likely be seen as the legacy of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.