UN Adopts Pact for the Future to Address Global Challenges; Pakistan Calls Text ‘Not Perfect’

World leaders gathered at the United Nations on Sunday to adopt the “Pact for the Future,” a comprehensive framework aimed at strengthening global governance to tackle pressing issues such as conflict, climate change, and human rights. This initiative, championed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, is viewed as a crucial step toward revitalizing international cooperation.

The pact outlines 56 actionable commitments, focusing on sustainable development, international peace, and the empowerment of youth and future generations. It calls for reforms in international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, alongside renewed efforts to combat climate change and manage the development of artificial intelligence.

Despite objections from Russia and its allies, who introduced an amendment emphasizing state sovereignty, the pact was adopted with overwhelming support. Pakistan and China opted to abstain from voting, highlighting their reservations.

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram commented on the document, stating that while it is “not perfect,” it will further the global community’s objectives. He underscored the importance of aligning the pact with the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and advancing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The adoption signifies a unified commitment to adapt the multilateral system to address current and future needs, with leaders pledging to promote multilateralism and uphold peacekeeping efforts.

Guterres stressed the urgency of the pact, asserting that “21st-century challenges require 21st-century solutions” and emphasizing the need for immediate action in reforming international cooperation.

The pact also includes initiatives like the Global Digital Compact, aimed at fostering an inclusive digital future, and the Declaration on Future Generations, which seeks to ensure the rights of future generations in decision-making processes.