Summit of the Future: UN’S New Global Peace Plan?

The United Nations Headquarters in New York is all set to hold the ‘Summit for the Future’ on September 22-23, where United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will be addressing some acute challenges facing the world currently.

“Multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow”, will be the theme for the much-awaited summit, with a special focus on massive investment required in sustainable development and accelerated actions in areas like inequalities among countries, climate change, peace and security.

The renewed efforts in this sphere take place as escalating wars between Russia Ukraine and Israel Gaza coupled with climate chaos and the COVID-19 pandemic, have severely delayed and hindered the progress in meeting the deadline for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Academic institutions, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, the private sector and young people of UN Member states are expected to forge a new global consensus on a clear picture of the future and ways to secure it at the esteemed Summit for the Future.

With a clear focus on multilateralism indicating that issues of global interest can only be solved through international cooperation, the summit has five goals in mind including sustainable development and financing; international peace and security, as being the top priority. Here, securing global financing is of utmost importance and will require much public investment. Along with this, approaching decarbonisation and other sustainability efforts is extremely essential.

The great power system between countries which has led to numerous conflicts in the current geopolitical scenario should be required to adhere to a  UN Charter rather than working according to militarism and power politics. A new index on UN-based multilateralism can help member states be committed to global cooperation which can help sustain peace.

The pressing issues will also involve digital cooperation and emerging technologies to be responsibly governed. Empowerment through education for future generations will also figure in talks during the UN Summit as countries will be expected to formulate a financial arrangement for children in poorer nations to have equal access to education.

A reform to the UN system to boost diverse representation at leadership levels is essential to achieve all the objectives listed above.