Remarks of the Secretary-General to the informal interactive dialogue on the implementation of the Pact for the future

Mr. President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important dialogue — the first of three in the coming months. 

From day one of the Pact for the Future’s adoption, the President has been its active champion. 

I deeply appreciate your efforts, Mr. President, and your leadership. 

Excellencies,

Adopting the Pact was the beginning of the process, not the end. 

Today I want to focus on what we have done over the last six months — and what we need to do. 

We face a long list of challenges.   

Conflicts and climate disasters are intensifying.   

The Sustainable Development Goals are far off-track — as is the funding required to achieve them. 

Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself. 

But let me be very clear.  It is exactly because of these divides and these mistrusts that the Pact for the Future and the two parallel documents are more important than ever.  And the bigger the obstacle, the bigger will be my determination to make things move forward in line with the will expressed by Member States in the Summit of the Future.

Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need — with more reductions to come. 

Resources are shrinking across the board — and they have been for a long time. 

From day one of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious agenda to become more effective and cost-effective across our organization. 

Earlier this month, I announced the “UN80” initiative to continue this work and intensify it.

We’re reviewing efficiencies and improvements to current arrangements, the implementation of mandates handed down by Member States, and structural changes and programme realignment. 

All these will contribute for a more effective implementation of the Pact for the Future.

Excellencies, 

We’ve wasted no time moving into the implementation phase of the Pact. 

From an operational perspective, we established a principal-level steering committee — which I chair — overseeing six working groups focused on action and reforms in key areas: 

Sustainable Development Goals acceleration…peace and security… international financial architecture…digital technologies…UN governance…and youth. 

We’ve created two task teams focusing on future generations and the need to look beyond GDP as a measure of progress and guide to policy-making. 

And we’re establishing an internal tracking system to monitor our progress on Pact implementation. 

Today, I’d like to report on our efforts since the Pact was adopted, and outline the work ahead in four areas.

First — peace and security. 

United Nations peace operations help safeguard people and communities in some of the most desperate corners of the world. 

The Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict, to ensure that our peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats. 

In November, I issued a report on peacebuilding which included concrete suggestions to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund. 

We’re actively working on the second independent progress study on the positive contribution of young people to peace processes.   

And we’re progressing on a review of all forms of Peace Operations — as requested in the Pact. 

Our recent proposals to the Security Council regarding Haiti are a case in point where new approaches can be developed to complex security challenges. 

The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable — with viable exit strategies and transition plans. 

It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep. 

We will also continue pushing forward on other peace-related priorities of the Pact — including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space. 

And we will continue advocating — including through the intergovernmental negotiations process — for the Pact’s call to make the Security Council more representative of today’s world and more effective in the capacity to promote peace in the world.

Second — finance for development. 

Since the Pact’s adoption, we’ve taken action on several fronts. 

For example, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams are now mapping out how we can accelerate progress at the national levels in close cooperation with the Governments.

We’ve begun analyzing the impact of military expenditure on the achievement of the SDGs and on our own work at the UN — with a final report out by September. 

The Expert Group called for in the Pact to develop measures of progress that go beyond Gross Domestic Product will soon be announced, and will work throughout the year before an inter-governmental process takes over in 2026. 

And we’ve been working closely with the World Bank and the IMF to follow-up on the Pact’s action points addressing improvements to the international financial system. 

Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on. 

We know the environment is not favourable. 

But we must not give up. 

Since the Pact’s adoption, I have also established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt. 

In the coming weeks, they will propose a list of achievable outcomes — and release a full report in June in advance of the Financing for Development Conference in Spain. 

Debt relief is a central issue if we want the implementation and the Pact for the Future a reality. 

At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, to make them bigger and bolder. 

This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization. 

And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed. 

Many of these actions depend on decisions of other multilateral institutions and of Member States, but we will not relent in our constant advocacy for what the Pact for the Future has clearly indicated as the way to pursue.

Three — youth and future generations 

Our efforts must deliver for young people and the generations to come. 

The Pact’s central promise to young people is to listen to their concerns and ideas, and including them at the decision-making table. 

Following the establishment of a UN Youth Office in 2022, young people played a key role in shaping the Pact’s priorities. 

With the Pact’s adoption, we’re now progressing towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people. 

And we’re developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across our work at the United Nations — including by broadening the representation of younger colleagues within our organizational structures. 

Through the Declaration on Future Generations, we’re also looking to the generations yet to be born. 

We’ve established a Strategic Foresight Network and Community of Practice, to ensure our policies, programmes and field operations are based on long-term thinking. 

And later this year, I will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

Fourth — technology. 

We’re implementing the Global Digital Compact’s calls to close all digital divides and ensure all people benefit from a safe and secure digital space.

Artificial Intelligence is a particular focus. 

We’re developing a report on innovative voluntary financing options for AI capacity-building to help the Global South harness AI for the greater good, taking into account the recommendations of my High-Level Advisory Body. 

The zero draft resolution to establish the International Independent Scientific Panel on AI and convene a Global Dialogue on AI Governance was also circulated last week — thanks to the work of the co-facilitators, Spain and Costa Rica. 

I urge the General Assembly to act swiftly to establish this Panel, and ensure that AI expertise and knowledge are available to all countries, while supporting the Global Dialogue.

The UN system stands ready to support this work. 

Excellencies,

As we push for these priorities, we’re also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations, as called for by the Pact. 

Last fall, we undertook a comprehensive assessment across UN entities to harness the potential of innovation, data analytics, digital transformation and foresight across our work — as called for in the UN 2.0 initiative. 

We’re already seeing results: from speeding-up disaster assessments in the Asia-Pacific, to strengthening social security programmes in Malawi, to consolidating Information Technology functions across the UN System.

This work must continue — especially in light of the funding challenges we face. 

We’re counting on your support as we move forward. 

Excellencies, 

The Pact for the Future is an essential part of this process of constant renewal, as we re-shape the multilateral system for the challenges of today’s world. 

We cannot dilute our efforts.

We need to sustain the same spirit and determination in which the Pact was forged and adopted. 

We count on you to inform, inspire and guide the implementation work ahead.

Once again, thank you for your ideas and commitment.