Preparation of the United Nations 2024 Summit of the Future

The United Nations multilateral summits bring together leaders from 193 countries to discuss and address global challenges and opportunities. These diplomatic gatherings provide a platform for dialogue, negotiation, and cooperation among nations. Summits allow leaders to collectively deal with pressing global issues such as climate change, terrorism, poverty, sustainable development and pandemics. By sharing perspectives, experiences, and expertise, countries can develop consensual comprehensive solutions that may have a far-reaching impact on the future.

A cardinal decision

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided by consensus on 8 September 2022 to convene the Summit of the Future which will be held on 22 and 23 September 2024, in New York. It will be preceded by a preparatory ministerial meeting to be organized on 18 September 2023.The theme of the Summit will be "Summit of the Future: multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow".

It is already agreed that the Summit of the Future will have an important role to play in reaffirming the Charter of the United Nations, reinvigorating multilateralism, boosting implementation of existing commitments, deciding on concrete solutions to challenges and restoring trust among Member States.

As requested by Member States, the UN Secretary-General will provide Member States with "concise, action-oriented recommendations" through the issuance of a series of Policy Briefs over the first half of 2023. The Policy Briefs will provide more details on specific proposals that may be considered by Member States as they discuss the scope of the Summit of the Future.

Informal consultations

The UNGA President appointed Namibia and Germany as co-facilitators in order to facilitate open, transparent and inclusive intergovernmental consultations on the preparatory process of the Summit. This process of the Summit will consist of: (a) Consultations to determine the scope of the Summit, topics and organization of the interactive dialogues and the process of negotiations to conclude the outcome document; (b) Negotiations to conclude the outcome document with adequate time for the negotiating sessions.

Acting in this spirit, Namibia and Germany have already circulated a Concept Note for Informal Consultations on the Scope and Elements of the Summit of the Future. This document is expected to help all countries elaborate an action-oriented outcome document entitled "A Pact for the Future", to be agreed in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations.

The two facilitators document will help guide relevant discussions and consultations , as it contains some basic criteria to support actual consideration of the kind of elements that would help define the eventual scope for the Summit of the Future.

These criteria are:

·Reinvigorate the multilateral system and strengthen global governance to respond to current and future challenges, in line with the UN Charter and international law;

·Identify and address gaps in global governance, especially those that have emerged as obstacles to the achievement of Agenda 2030;

·Boost the implementation of the UN75 commitments that are not sufficiently addressed through existing inter-governmental processes (including those related to the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda).

Position of the Group of 77 and China

In June 2023 the Group of 77 and China (a total of 134 countries) had meetings dedicated to the preparation of the Summit of the Future.

The Group declared that it is ready to work collectively toward a balanced and comprehensive approach to address the challenges and opportunities of the future, with a common vision and aspirations of the international community when looking at the future.

In the Group's view it is also very important to agree on the reaffirmation of the strengthening of multilateralism, global solidarity and international cooperation as the most effective way to achieve common goals to respond to the challenges posed by the current socio-economic realities.

On specific issues, the Group considers necessary to reflect in the document to be elaborated under the title "A Pact for the Future" the recognition of the multidimensional nature of development and the need to address the interrelated challenges, such as poverty and hunger eradication, social inclusion, illicit financial flows, and economic growth in a balanced and integrated manner. It is also estimated as very important the reaffirmation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as one of the key elements for the Summit of Future.

In the same context, for pragmatic reasons the Group is in favor of including in the Pact a special call for enhancing the means of implementation, in particular in terms of mobilizing adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources, enhancing technology development and transfer, building capacity and strengthening partnerships for development.

Conclusion

During a period when the world is confronted with an obvious and dangerous crisis of multilateralism, the preparation of the 2024 Summit of the Future is a highly significant diplomatic process . The UNGA has already encouraged Member States and members of UN specialized agencies to be represented at the Summit at level of Head of State or Government, or at the highest possible level. It had invited entities having received a standing invitation as observers in the UNGA work to participate in the Summit. Representatives of non-governmental organizations that are in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council are also invited to participate in the Summit, in accordance with relevant UNGA rules and procedures.

Meanwhile , the preparatory ministerial meeting to be held on 18 September 2023 will have an important role in finalizing the substantive and procedural aspects of the 2024 Summit of the Future which is expected to mark a cardinal date in the history of UN multilateral diplomacy.It may contribute to facilitating coordination and alignment of policies among participating nations, a process which is able to lead to the development of common strategies and frameworks to guide international actions and cooperation, shaping the future direction of global governance.