The need to reform and strengthen the multilateral system was a major theme across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Many world leaders and representatives emphasized that the current global governance structures are outdated and ineffective in addressing modern challenges.

In the Interactive Dialogue 1, Kenya’s President William Ruto stated that “the prevailing multilateral institutional architecture is dysfunctional or at least highly ineffective and cannot be relied upon to provide the solutions for the world that we all urgently need”.

Several concrete proposals for reform were put forward. In the 5th plenary meeting, Finland’s Alexander Stubb proposed “expanding the UN Security Council by five members, scrapping veto power, and suspending voting rights for members violating the UN Charter”.

The need for more inclusive representation was a common theme. In the Interactive Dialogue 2, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio emphasized that “we must ensure that our efforts reflect the voices of all nations, including those of us in the Global South, particularly Africa, who often bear the brunt of global insecurity but are too frequently sidelined in decision-making processes”.

The importance of youth engagement was highlighted in the Friday Opening Ceremony, where Felipe Paullier called for “concrete commitments and meaningful youth engagement in the multilateral system”.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres summarized the overall sentiment in the Opening Plenary, calling for “deep reforms to make global institutions more legitimate, fair and effective”.

Several sessions of the Summit of the Future addressed reforming the UN Security Council to make it more representative and effective. Key themes included expanding membership, revising veto powers, and ensuring better regional representation.

In the Interactive Dialogue 1, the UK representative called for more permanent seats on the Security Council for African countries and for India, Germany, Japan, and Brazil, as well as an expansion of non-permanent membership.

During the 5th plenary meeting, Finland’s Alexander Stubb proposed to expand it by five members, one from Latin America, two from Africa, and two from Asia and suggested scrapping veto power.

The Interactive Dialogue 2 saw multiple calls for reform. President Julius Maada Bio stated that Reforming the United Nations Security Council must be a priority. The current structure established after World War II no longer reflected geopolitical realities of the 21st century.

In the Interactive Dialogue 4, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that Full reform of the UN Security Council is also imperative to make it more representative and effective in addressing challenges in peace and international security.

During the 6th plenary meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken proposed specific changes, stating The United States believes that this should include two permanent seats for Africa, one rotating seat for small island developing states, permanent representation for Latin America and the Caribbean, in addition to the permanent seats for countries we’ve long endorsed, Germany, Japan, India.

In the 3rd plenary meeting, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida noted The Summit of the Future is witnessing a clear call from member states for action on reform, with a majority supporting the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent seats.

Accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 was a key focus across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Leaders and experts emphasized the urgency of action, given that many SDGs are currently off-track.

Several main themes emerged for accelerating SDG implementation:

1. Increased financing and reforms to the global financial system: Many speakers called for more funding and changes to international financial institutions. For example, in the Interactive Dialogue 1, the Chair of Uganda stated: “We call for undertaking governance reforms at the international financial institutions and multilateral development banks, and we underscore the need for enhancing representation and a voice of developing countries in decision making in the international financial architecture.”
2. Leveraging digital technologies and AI: Many sessions highlighted the potential of digital solutions to accelerate SDG progress. In the Interactive Dialogue 3, Doreen Bogdan-Martin from ITU stated that “game-changing digital solutions can accelerate 70% of the SDG targets.”
3. Improving access to and use of evidence: The Towards 2030 and Beyond session focused on initiatives to synthesize and use evidence for SDG-related policy decisions. John Lavis introduced the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition, stating: “The Global SDG Synthesis Coalition hopes that a year out, we have living evidence syntheses on the highest priority SDG questions of our time. Three years out, we’re answering most of the big questions. Six years out, we’ve got the entire spectrum covered, and we’re ready for 2030 and beyond.”
4. Strengthening international cooperation: Many leaders emphasized the need for global collaboration. In the 4th plenary meeting, Justin Trudeau of Canada stated: “We should work within institutions such as the United Nations and renew our commitment to the Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030.”

The urgency of accelerating SDG implementation was repeatedly emphasized. In the Interactive Dialogue 4, UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director Kitty van der Heijden stated: “We’re on track to achieve about 50%, 15, 1.5 of the SDGs and we’re barely reaching one in three of the child-related indicators within the SDGs. We simply have to do better.” This sentiment was echoed across multiple sessions, with leaders calling for immediate and coordinated action to get the SDGs back on track by 2030.

Reforming the international financial architecture to better support developing countries was a key theme discussed across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Leaders and representatives from various countries and organizations emphasized the need for significant changes to enhance support for developing nations.

In the Interactive Dialogue 1, the Prime Minister of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, called for “undertaking governance reforms at the international financial institutions and multilateral development banks, and we underscore the need for enhancing representation and a voice of developing countries in decision-making in the international financial architecture, especially the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions”.

During the 5th plenary meeting, Pedro Sánchez of Spain advocated for strengthening multilateral development banks, boosting special drawing rights, and including contingency clauses in debt contracts. Penny Wong of Australia mentioned offering “climate resilient debt clauses in our sovereign loans by the end of 2025 to help developing countries build economic resilience in the face of climate change and other shocks”.

In the Friday Closing Ceremony, Jana Zghabi emphasized the need to “urgently reform the international financial architecture. This includes establishing a sovereign debt workout mechanism and embracing metrics beyond GDP. Financial systems should prioritize the people, not just the profits, and pave the way for equitable global development”.

The 4th plenary meeting saw Feleti Teo of Tuvalu stating: “To address this, we must champion the reform of the international financial architecture to correct deeply entrenched imbalances, drive economic diversification, and promote international partnerships that can deliver resilient prosperity”.

During the Saturday Opening Ceremony, António Guterres called for “Reform of our international financial institutions so that they supercharge resources for sustainable development and for climate action”.

In the 3rd plenary meeting, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, emphasized: “We must urgently reform our international financial architecture. We have already fulfilled our commitment to re-channel 100 billion dollars of special green rights to developing countries and the EU has taken a leading role. But we all know this is not enough. We must do more”.

These discussions highlight a clear consensus on the need for comprehensive reforms to the international financial architecture to better support developing countries, including increased representation, more accessible financing, and mechanisms to address debt sustainability and climate resilience.

The growing debt burdens of developing countries emerged as a critical issue across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Leaders and representatives from various nations and international organizations emphasized the urgent need to address this challenge.

In the Interactive Dialogue 1, the Deputy Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Panapasi Nelesoni, highlighted the dire situation faced by vulnerable nations: ‘As we face more frequent and more extreme climate disasters each year, Tuvalu faces the reality that we will either drown in debt or be drowned by the sea.’. The World Bank President, Ajay Banga, mentioned efforts to alleviate debt burdens: ‘To ease the debt burden for four countries in the Common Framework, we have committed close to $16 billion from IDA, of about half of which was pure grants, the rest concessional.’.

During the 5th plenary meeting, innovative solutions were proposed. Pedro Sánchez of Spain suggested ‘including contingency clauses in debt contracts to go beyond just simply covering natural disasters to cover other crises.’ Penny Wong of Australia mentioned offering ‘climate resilient debt clauses in our sovereign loans by the end of 2025.’

The Friday Closing Ceremony highlighted the need for systemic approaches. Betty Wainaina reported: ‘Debt servicing is crowding out SDG financing. Speakers stressed the need for global consensus to stem the rising debt crisis, including a systemic multilateral approach. Instruments, including climate resilient debt clauses and state contingent debt instruments must be rolled out at scale. Debt resolution mechanisms need to be delivered with a speed that matches the urgency of the moment.’

In the 4th plenary meeting, leaders of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) emphasized the urgency of debt relief. Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa of Samoa stated: ‘Debt relief and access to concessional financing, including the use of the MVI, can give SIDS the breathing space we need to anchor our economy’s instability and invest in our future.’

The Saturday Opening Ceremony highlighted the unique challenges faced by African nations. Abdullahi Alim noted: ‘It’s about restructuring the way debt is measured on the continent. Unlike anywhere else in the world, the majority of the debt in Africa is actually owned by the private sector. And it’s four times more expensive to borrow debt on the continent than anywhere else in the world.’

The Opening & Plenary segment saw global leaders calling for systemic changes. Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, advocated for ‘changing the rules of the game, shockproofing vulnerable economies’. Charles Michel emphasized: ‘We must also tackle the problem of debt because we cannot accept that low- and middle-income countries must choose between fighting poverty and fighting climate change.’

These discussions underscore the global recognition of the debt crisis facing developing nations and the urgent need for comprehensive, innovative solutions to address this challenge.

Combating climate change and supporting climate-vulnerable countries emerged as a critical topic across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Key themes included:

• Urgent Action Required: Many speakers emphasized the immediate threat posed by climate change, particularly to small island developing states (SIDS) and other vulnerable nations. For instance, Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands stated: “Climate remains our biggest security threat.”
• Financial Commitments: Several developed nations highlighted their climate finance commitments. Justin Trudeau of Canada stated: “We must recognize also that rich countries such as Canada have a duty to fight climate change, which is what we’re doing through our commitment of $5 billion towards global climate financing efforts.”
• Technological Solutions: The role of AI and digital technologies in addressing climate change was discussed in several sessions. For example, Karan Bhatia from Google mentioned: “Google’s Flood Hub, an AI-powered flood forecasting tool, we’re able to predict flood zones up to a week before they strike. It’s live in 80 countries, reaching more than 460 million people around the world.”
• Support for Vulnerable Countries: Many speakers called for increased support for climate-vulnerable nations. The US National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi announced “a new United States Framework for Climate Resilience and Security, which brings together the whole of government of the United States to confront the threats of climate change that all of our nations face and threatens our collective peace.”
• Transitioning to Renewable Energy: The need to shift towards sustainable energy sources was highlighted. The President of Namibia, Nangolo Mumba, emphasized: “We must act to combat climate change, because climate change is a global problem. This is the thing that is creating problems for all of us. We have droughts, we have floods, we have all kinds of problems because of that. We must transit to renewable energy.”
• Reform of Financial Systems: Several speakers called for reforms to better address climate challenges. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark stated: “We must also face a truth that can be a bit difficult for all of us, that our current international financial system is outdated. Right now it cannot respond to the challenges we face.”

Overall, the discussions emphasized the urgent need for global cooperation, increased financing, technological innovation, and support for vulnerable nations to effectively combat climate change and its impacts.

Bridging the digital divide and ensuring equitable access to digital technologies emerged as a crucial theme across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. The urgency of this issue was highlighted by several speakers, including Deemah AlYahya, Secretary General of DCO, who stated: “I’m speaking, of course, about the digital divide and the daunting number of 2.6 billion individuals and people that remain unconnected and unable to take part in all the digital age has to offer.”

The discussions emphasized several key strategies to address this challenge:

1. Affordable Access: In the “A Digital Future for All” session, Mats Granryd from GSMA emphasized the need for affordable devices: “We need to bring down the cost of the device. We know roughly $20 is the sweet spot.”
2. Digital Skills Development: The importance of digital education was highlighted in multiple sessions, including the “Friday Closing Ceremony” where Zongxu Xie recommended to “ensure skills are accessible through digital education.”
3. Infrastructure Development: The need for improved connectivity was discussed, particularly for underserved communities. In “The Power of the Commons,” Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi discussed Nigeria’s efforts, stating: “We launched the 9,000 kilometers fiber optics project where government want to connect the remote societies and underserved communities.”
4. Global Cooperation: The importance of international collaboration was emphasized, with many speakers discussing the role of the Global Digital Compact. In the “Opening & Plenary segment,” Ki-hwan Kweon of South Korea stated: “The global digital compact will enable closing the digital divides and sort of turbocharge the sustainable development goals.”
5. Addressing Specific Divides: Speakers highlighted the need to address various aspects of the digital divide, including gender, age, and geographic disparities. In the “YouthLead” session, Clara Brown stated that “the digital divide disproportionately affects youth particularly young women in rural communities and it is crucial that we continue to sustainably fund and support work towards gender and socio-economic digital equity for youth.”

The discussions emphasized that bridging the digital divide is not just about connectivity, but also about ensuring meaningful access and use of digital technologies. As Rumman Chowdhury reported in the Saturday Closing Ceremony: “Many of our speakers today have highlighted the urgent need to reduce the digital divide, not just in terms of achieving universal connectivity, but also to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and safe digital technology and the skills and capacities to use it meaningfully to improve their lives.”

The Summit of the Future discussions underscored that bridging the digital divide is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation are shared equitably across the globe.

The need for governance frameworks for emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), was a recurring theme across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Leaders and representatives from various countries emphasized the importance of developing global governance structures for AI to ensure its responsible development and deployment.

Several key initiatives and proposals were discussed:

• The establishment of a scientific panel on AI was proposed by multiple speakers, including Fumio Kishida of Japan who called for “establishing an independent international scientific panel on AI and initiating a global dialogue on its governance within the United Nations.”
• The creation of an AI Capacity Building Fund was mentioned in several sessions, including by the representative from Sweden who stated: “Through GDC, we have agreed on a number of key initiatives, including a Global Digital Dialogue on AI Governance, a Scientific Panel on AI, and an AI Capacity Building Fund.”
• The importance of the United Nations in shaping global AI governance was highlighted by several speakers, such as Pedro Sánchez of Spain who stated: “Spain has established the first AI monitoring agency in the world. And through this, we believe that the United Nations should play a key role in defining the global governance system around artificial intelligence.”

The need for a comprehensive legal and governance framework was emphasized in various contexts. For instance, in the session on “A Digital Future for All,” Brad Smith from Microsoft stated: “This technology and the companies that create it need to be subject to the rule of law. Local laws in countries, all the way to global governance, including at the United Nations.”

The Global Digital Compact was frequently mentioned as a potential framework for addressing AI governance. In the Saturday Opening Ceremony, António Guterres emphasized: “The Global Digital Compact must be a blueprint for closing digital divides and the first universal agreement on artificial intelligence laying the foundations for a global platform centered at the UN that can bring all actors together.”

Overall, there was a clear consensus on the need for international cooperation and governance frameworks for AI, with the United Nations playing a central role in coordinating these efforts.

The empowerment of youth and their meaningful participation in global decision-making was a recurring theme across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Key points and proposals included:

1. Inclusion in decision-making processes:
   • UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need to “find ways in which, with the office totally committed to that, to make sure that in the decision-making processes of these bodies, there are moments in which there is an active intervention of young people.”
   • Jana Zghabi recommended that “Member states should commit to having meaningful youth involvement in national delegations to UN processes and conferences.”
2. Digital literacy and empowerment:
   • Daniella Esi Darlington stated, “We have to create more digital literacy programs for our youth, and we also have to create platforms where they apply those knowledge.”
   • Chido Cleopatra Mpemba mentioned initiatives to promote digital literacy in Africa: “We’ve taken this campaign to seven countries with the partnership of the private sector because we believe it’s important that we have a digital literate, you know, future generation.”
3. Structural changes:
   • Martin Manyozo advocated for “Structured laws for youth must be created in these spaces, giving them the power to shape decisions rather than simply observe them.”
4. Education and capacity building:
   • Feleti Teo of Tuvalu emphasized, “The key pillar of future lays in our youth. South Sudan young population is the greatest asset that we have, and empowering them through education, innovation, and entrepreneurship is very essential.”
5. Representation in international forums:
   • Doreen Bogdan-Martin stressed, “We need you. We need you at AI for Good. We need you at the WSIS Forum. We need you at our Space Sustainability Forum where we did have a number of our space youth there. So we need you at the table.”

These proposals reflect a broad consensus on the importance of youth empowerment and participation in global decision-making, with emphasis on digital literacy, structural changes in governance, education, and representation in international forums.

Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment globally was a recurring theme across several sessions of the Summit of the Future. Key measures and focus areas discussed include:

1. Economic empowerment and participation: Speakers emphasized the need to increase women’s participation in the digital economy and address economic barriers. Dr. Abdallah Al Dardari from UNDP highlighted the economic cost of low female participation, stating “The cost of the current level of female participation in economic activity in the Arab world is 20% of GDP every year.”
2. Inclusion in digital transformation: Several sessions stressed the importance of including women in digital transformation efforts. In Saudi Arabia, as mentioned by Abdullah Alswaha, “And in terms of empowering women, we are proud to have had a great success story in the 21st century in terms of empowering women to reach 35 percent, going beyond the average of G20, the European Union and Silicon Valley.”
3. Addressing the gender digital divide: Initiatives to close the digital gender gap were discussed, with Doreen Bogdan-Martin mentioning “all the work that we’re specifically targeting for girls, for women and girls to close that digital gender gap.”
4. Participation in peace processes: The importance of including women in peacemaking and peacebuilding was emphasized. Juan Manuel Santos stated, “The elders call for the meaningful participation and inclusion of senior women in peacemaking and peacebuilding processes.”
5. Financial and policy reforms: The UN Women representative called for “easing the debt burdens on developing countries can free up public budgets to invest in essential services that directly benefit women” and emphasized that “international financial institutions and government budgets and tax policies should be informed by gender analysis.”
6. Health and rights: Australia’s representative Linda Burney emphasized “Policies that focus on women and girls, sexual and reproductive health rights. Policies that prioritise women and girls’ participation in public life. Policies geared towards eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence, including sexual and gender-based violence.”
7. Leadership development: Japan’s Fumio Kishida announced, “Japan will launch a program dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders in the field of gender.”

These discussions reflect a comprehensive approach to gender equality, addressing economic, political, social, and technological aspects of women’s empowerment on a global scale.

Strengthening global health systems and preparing for future pandemics was addressed in several sessions of the Summit of the Future, with a focus on digital transformation and international cooperation.

In the Multistakeholder Dialogue on National Digital Health Transformation, Alain Labrique highlighted that “The role of digital in creating resilient health systems became increasingly clear during the pandemic.”

During the 4th plenary meeting, the World Health Organization representative emphasized the need for “a commitment to a pandemic agreement. The COVID-19 pandemic showed that when health is at risk, everything is at risk. The outbreaks of Mpox in Africa demonstrate once again why the world needs the WHO pandemic agreement, a shared approach to share threats.”

In the Interactive Dialogue 3, Abdullah Alswaha from Saudi Arabia mentioned their use of digital health technologies, stating: “As for digital health, we have harnessed the virtual hospital model as a pioneering model around the world by serving more than 30 million pilgrims who come from over 100 countries of Saudi Arabia.”

The Interactive Dialogue 1 touched on the broader impact of health systems, with the Global Fund representative stating: “In a world where about 4.5 billion people are not fully covered by essential health services, we know that health is fundamental to eradicate poverty, achieve gender equality, economic growth, and to ensure peaceful societies.”

Finally, in the Interactive Dialogue 4, the WHO representative emphasized the need for a robust global health system, stating: “As brutally demonstrated during the pandemic, an enhanced global system must be able to promote, provide and protect health and well-being for everyone, everywhere.” They called for “a pandemic agreement to ensure equity and protect health in crises.”

Addressing root causes of conflicts and promoting peace and security emerged as a crucial theme across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Several key actions and principles were highlighted:

• Strengthening international law and multilateralism, as emphasized by Andrzej Duda of Poland.
• Placing youth at the center of development and peace efforts, as stated by José Maria Pereira Neves.
• Collaboration between governments, international organizations, and young people on violence prevention strategies, as proposed by Martin Manyozo.
• Protecting civilians in conflict zones and ensuring accountability, as emphasized by Simon Harris of Ireland.
• Strengthening preventive diplomacy and addressing underlying causes of conflict, a point raised by multiple speakers in Interactive Dialogue 2.
• Pursuing a rules-based approach for peaceful dispute resolution, as stated by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil.
• Reviewing and improving UN peace operations, as proposed by António Guterres.

These discussions highlight the complex, multifaceted approach needed to address root causes of conflicts and promote sustainable peace and security globally.

The question of reforming global trade systems to be more equitable and supportive of sustainable development was primarily addressed in two sessions of the Summit of the Future.

In the Interactive Dialogue 1, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization, emphasized the importance of trade in achieving sustainable development goals. She called on all nations to issue protectionism and unilateral measures that may have negative spillover effects on others, and to support the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, eradicating poverty and ensuring food security. She also stressed the need to reform trade-distorting subsidies.

During the Saturday Opening Ceremony, Abdullahi Alim highlighted the importance of advancing export-oriented industrial policies, particularly for African economies. He pointed out the disparity in gains from global supply chains, using the example of cashew nut production in Côte d’Ivoire compared to countries like Vietnam and India.

These discussions underline the need for a more equitable global trade system that supports sustainable development, particularly for developing economies, while maintaining a rules-based multilateral framework.

Addressing growing inequalities within and between countries emerged as a key concern across multiple sessions of the Summit of the Future. Leaders and representatives highlighted various aspects of inequality and proposed some measures to address them:

• Economic and financial inequalities were a major focus. In the High-Level Dialogue with the Secretary-General, Kenya’s President William Ruto emphasized that “The role of an unfair and unjust global financial system is compounding economic crises and deepening inequalities. Development financing is not keeping pace with the economic realities and urgent needs of the developing world. Consequently, the gap between the developing world and developed nations continues to grow, creating a form of development apartheid.”
• Digital inequality was another significant theme. In the session on A Digital Future for All, Achim Steiner proposed digital public infrastructure as a solution, stating that it “encompasses foundational systems, like digital identity systems we just saw, or payment platforms that allow people, businesses, and governments to interact in a secure, inclusive, and efficient way.”
• Concerns were raised about AI potentially exacerbating inequalities. In the AI/Gen AI for the Global Goals session, Shea Gopaul warned that “There needs to be an equitable distribution of the AI benefits. And this is where there’s really serious concern. Because many countries are not ready with the infrastructure, and this is really going to cause even worse income inequalities.”
• The need for inclusive economic development was stressed. In the 5th plenary meeting, Wang Yi of China advocated for “We need to follow a people-centered development philosophy and advocate a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization to deliver the fruits of development to our people and ensure common prosperity for all countries.”
• Health inequalities were also addressed. In the Interactive Dialogue 4, the representative of the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition Global emphasized that “We must radically shift our mindset from seeing health as a cost to recognizing it as a crucial investment in our collective future.”
• The debt burden on developing countries was highlighted as a major contributor to inequality. In the Opening & Plenary segment, António Guterres stated that “Huge inequalities are a break on sustainable development. Many developing countries are drowning in debt and unable to support their people.” Charles Michel of the EU added that “We must also tackle the problem of debt because we cannot accept that low- and middle-income countries must choose between fighting poverty and fighting climate change.”

While these discussions highlighted the multifaceted nature of inequalities and the urgent need to address them, concrete measures and action plans were often not detailed in depth. The conversations emphasized the interconnectedness of various forms of inequality and the need for comprehensive, global approaches to tackle them effectively.

The consideration of future generations’ interests in today’s decision-making processes emerged as a significant theme across several sessions of the Summit of the Future. This concern was particularly prominent in discussions about youth participation, environmental sustainability, and global governance reforms.

In the High Level Dialogue with the Secretary-General, the importance of involving younger generations in decision-making was emphasized. The Secretary-General stated, “We cannot do that if your generation is not part of the decision-making process that is still controlled by my generation, that messed up in the way it has happened.”

The Friday Opening Ceremony: Summit of the Future Action Days highlighted the current underrepresentation of youth in global decision-making. Dan Carden pointed out, “And we still have a lot of work to do, because despite more than half the world’s population being under the age of 30, only 2.8% of Members of Parliament are under 30.”

The Declaration on Future Generations was frequently mentioned as a concrete step towards considering the interests of future generations. In the Saturday Opening Ceremony: Summit of the Future Action Days, Andrew Holness stated, “With the adoption of this Declaration at the Summit tomorrow, we will be able to celebrate a universal realization that, even as we address the challenges of today, we have an obligation to protect the interests of future generations and ensure that they will inherit a planet in which they can thrive.”

The importance of reforming global governance systems to better serve future generations was also discussed. In the Interactive Dialogue 4, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness emphasized, “We must therefore use this opportunity to commit to reforming the multilateral system, including the international financial architecture, to be more responsive to the realities of today and capable of preparing us for the future.”

Overall, the discussions highlighted the need for increased youth participation in decision-making, the implementation of the Declaration on Future Generations, and reforms in global governance systems as key strategies to ensure the interests of future generations are considered in today’s decision-making processes.

Several sessions at the Summit of the Future addressed the importance of promoting human rights and rule of law globally, though specific steps were not always detailed.

In the Friday Closing Ceremony, Martin Manyozo called for a “global community must really commit to peace, youth protection, and human rights.”

The Saturday Opening Ceremony featured Hina Jilani emphasizing that transformation is “rooted in the respect for human rights, in the recognition that only a rule-based order can propel that change.”

In the plenary segments, several leaders stressed the importance of human rights and rule of law. Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium, stated: “We should strive to lead by example. By abiding by international law, applying the principles of the UN Charter and respecting and promoting the rights enshrined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights in our countries and abroad.”

The importance of rule of law was highlighted in Interactive Dialogue 2, where Simon Harris of Ireland stated: “Our actions must reflect a firm commitment to universal values, respecting, protecting, and fulfilling all human rights.”

In Interactive Dialogue 4, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk emphasized: “To safeguard humanity, we need to foster organisational cultures that are both based on human rights and oriented towards the future.”

The discussions highlight a broad consensus on the importance of human rights and rule of law, but suggest more concrete steps and commitments may be needed to make tangible progress globally.

The Summit of the Future discussions extensively explored how science, technology, and innovation can address global challenges. Many sessions emphasized the transformative potential of digital technologies, particularly AI and digital infrastructure, in achieving sustainable development goals and tackling issues like climate change, health, and education.

In the High Level Dialogue with the Secretary-General, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva highlighted that “We do stand at the cusp of a remarkable transformation fueled by technological change and green innovation. We can harness higher green growth and jobs if we all concentrate on reshaping the world.”

The importance of evidence-based policymaking was stressed in the session “Towards 2030 and Beyond: Accelerating the SDGs through Access to Evidence on What Works,” where significant investments in AI-driven evidence synthesis were announced.

In the AI/Gen AI for the Global Goals session, Sanda Ojiambo emphasized the potential of AI, stating that “Gen AI can be a true game-changer for sustainability progress because it will democratize access to information, it will accelerate innovation through the solutions, through cross-disciplinary thinking, and certainly by increasing productivity.”

The role of science diplomacy was highlighted in the Building Bridges through Science Diplomacy session, where Sir Peter Gluckman noted that “Science diplomacy offers a framework for leveraging scientific expertise and innovation. By fostering partnerships across borders, we can develop comprehensive strategies that not only tackle immediate problems, but also lay the groundwork for long-term sustainable solutions.”

The importance of digital public goods was discussed in “The Power of the Commons” session, with Amandeep Gill stating that “By leveraging the potential of Digital Commons, we believe we can accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda.”

Throughout the summit, speakers emphasized the need for international cooperation, ethical guidelines, and inclusive access to ensure that technological advancements benefit all of humanity and contribute to sustainable development.

The role of regional organizations in maintaining peace and promoting development was discussed in several sessions of the Summit of the Future, though not extensively.

In the Interactive Dialogue 2, the representative of the African Union called for “better coordination with regional bodies towards a fairer and more targeted approach in the peace and security domain.”

During the Interactive Dialogue 4, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe representative highlighted their success in sub-regional cooperation, stating “At the OSCE we have successfully pioneered sub-regional cooperation, including on addressing climate change, be that in Central Asia, in Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe or in the South Caucasus.”

In the Plenary segment & Closing session, the Economic Cooperation Organization representative outlined their regional development strategy: “Aligned with the Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030, we at ECO crafted the Vision 2025, which aims to boost trade, enhance connectivity, secure transition towards green energy, and promote sustainable economic growth and the welfare of our people.”

The importance of regional organizations was also noted in the 4th plenary meeting, where the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia representative stated: “Organizations like SICA are crucial in addressing global challenges at the regional level and can serve as a valuable outreach platform for the U.N.”

Global cooperation on migration, refugees, and internally displaced persons was addressed in several sessions of the Summit of the Future. The need for financial support and collaboration between humanitarian and development actors was emphasized in the Interactive Dialogue 2, where the UNHCR representative stated: “We need your financial support” for humanitarian aid and called for collaboration “from the start of the response to a crisis.”

In the 4th plenary meeting, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative advocated for a shift in perception, stating: “Let us all, donors, host countries, the private sector, the UN, civil society, displaced people, all work towards the vision of the Global Compact on Refugees, where refugees are seen as an opportunity and not a burden, and they can think of a future in which they are not refugees.”

The importance of international cooperation and resource investment was highlighted in the Interactive Dialogue 4, where the Warbe Development Foundation representative from Bangladesh called for “stronger international cooperation and investment of resources based on equity, solidarity, and shared responsibility.” They also emphasized that “Migration should be a key cross-cutting issue in future SDG framework due to its impact on growth, equity, and rights.”

Technological solutions were also discussed, with Kelly T. Clements from UNHCR presenting an example of using blockchain technology to provide aid to refugees in Ukraine during the A Digital Future for All (morning sessions).

Lastly, the Friday Closing Ceremony emphasized the importance of youth involvement, with Aryan Sanghrajka discussing the need to “scale support for youth-led action, delivering on the Compact for Young People and Humanitarian Actions objective” and “ensure that young refugees move beyond education and into decent work.”

The reform and strengthening of the UN development system to better support SDG achievement was mentioned in several sessions, though often without extensive detail on specific actions. In the 5th plenary meeting, Pedro Sánchez of Spain highlighted Spain’s role as “the main contributor to the Joint Sustainable Development Goal Fund” and his participation in “the leaders group for the Secretary General’s SDG Stimulus Plan”.

In the Interactive Dialogue 1, the UK representative called for “more investment in the UN Peacebuilding Fund and a sustainable resident coordinator system improving coordination and delivery within countries”. He also emphasized the importance of being “ambitious when renewing the four-year mandate of the United Nations Development System later this autumn”.

During the 6th plenary meeting, Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for “renewed effective multilateralism” to address global challenges and achieve the SDGs.

In the 3rd plenary meeting, Guterres called for “deep reforms to make global institutions more legitimate, fair and effective, based on the values of the UN Charter”. Charles Michel of the EU stated: “We must also reform multilateral development banks and we must address the problem of sovereign debts”.