Transforming Global Governance
Pact for the Future – Chapter 5
Transforming Global Governance
Pact for the Future – Chapter 5
A Call for Bold Action
Reimagining 21st Century Governance
Global governance as we know it needs a massive transformation – and fast. The institutions that have served us for decades are struggling to keep up with modern crises like climate change, inequality, and rising conflict. The stakes couldn’t be higher: without decisive, urgent reforms, the structures that underpin our future progress and the gains we’ve made on peace and development could fall apart, putting our global wellbeing and millions of lives – particularly in developing nations – at serious risk.
The solution? Rebuild trust in global institutions by making them more transparent, accountable, and inclusive, ensuring they can tackle the global challenges we face. These systems must evolve to truly represent the world today, especially the developing nations that have historically been left out of decision-making.
It’s not just about saving what we’ve built; it’s about creating a global governance system that can lead us into the future, protecting the vulnerable and ensuring sustainable development for everyone.
A Call for Bold Action
Reimagining 21st Century Governance
Global governance as we know it needs a massive transformation – and fast. The institutions that have served us for decades are struggling to keep up with modern crises like climate change, inequality, and rising conflict. The stakes couldn’t be higher: without decisive, urgent reforms, the structures that underpin our future progress and the gains we’ve made on peace and development could fall apart, putting our global wellbeing and millions of lives – particularly in developing nations – at serious risk.
The solution? Rebuild trust in global institutions by making them more transparent, accountable, and inclusive, ensuring they can tackle the global challenges we face. These systems must evolve to truly represent the world today, especially the developing nations that have historically been left out of decision-making.
It’s not just about saving what we’ve built; it’s about creating a global governance system that can lead us into the future, protecting the vulnerable and ensuring sustainable development for everyone.
Key Themes for
Global Transformation
Reviving Multilateralism
Global cooperation has never been more important. This chapter emphasizes that we need to make the UN and other international institutions more effective by planning for the future and using technology and data to predict risks and respond faster. The world needs institutions that are nimble and can act before crises spiral out of control.
Bringing Democracy to Global Decisions
The power dynamics in global institutions must shift. The chapter demands greater representation for developing countries, especially those in Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. This is about fixing the historic imbalance that has excluded these nations from major decisions affecting the world.
Leading the Way on Gender Equality
The goal is to revitalize the UN’s top body on gender equality, ensure it’s fit for purpose, and increase the number of women in top roles across multilateral spaces, including the UN’s leadership after nearly 80 years. This includes urging Member States to nominate women for the next Secretary-General election, addressing the fact that no woman has ever held this role.
Inclusion of Stakeholders
Civil society, the private sector, and marginalized groups need a bigger role in global governance. The chapter calls for more inclusive decision-making, ensuring every voice matters and resources are combined to tackle our shared challenges.
Financial Stability for the UN
For these big changes to happen, the UN needs steady and reliable funding. The chapter stresses the importance of securing sustainable, predictable funding, so the UN can continue to be the backbone of global cooperation.
Security Council Reform
It’s time for the UN Security Council to undergo significant changes. The chapter calls for a more democratic, representative Council, with a special focus on elevating African voices and addressing the power of veto.
19 Tangible Actions
Action 38: Revolutionizing Global Governance
Imagine the world as a giant puzzle, with each country representing a piece. Right now, not all the pieces are fitting together properly, so countries are working to transform how they cooperate to tackle today’s problems and the challenges of tomorrow. First, they want to make sure global promises are kept by making international systems like the United Nations more accountable and transparent, so everyone can trust these institutions. They also plan to use technology and data to predict risks and opportunities, kind of like using GPS to navigate the future. It’s important that all countries, especially developing ones, have a real voice in decision-making, so no one is left out of the big conversations. Finally, they’re promising to keep the United Nations financially strong, paying their dues on time to ensure it keeps functioning properly.
Action 39: Giving the Security Council a Makeover
Think of the Security Council like the group leaders in a big school project, but right now, not everyone has a fair say. Countries are working to fix that by making the Security Council more inclusive, so voices from all parts of the world can be heard, especially from places like Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. The goal is to add more members to the group, making it better reflect today’s world and giving developing countries and smaller nations more power in decisions that affect everyone. Another key part of this is talking about the veto power some countries have and finding ways to limit its use so decisions are more fair. Lastly, they’ll keep making sure the Security Council stays fair and effective in the future by reviewing how it works and making changes when needed.
Action 40: Fast-Tracking Security Council Changes
We’re speeding up the process of Security Council reform by getting countries to submit new models and revise old ones. This is about finding a middle ground on key issues like membership size, veto power, and regional representation. By pushing this forward, we can address global peace and security challenges more quickly and effectively.
Action 41: Supercharging the Security Council’s Peacemaker Role
Imagine the Security Council like a group chat where the most important global decisions are made, but not everyone always gets to participate equally. Countries want to change that by making the decision-making process in the UN more fair and transparent. This means improving the way the Security Council works with the General Assembly and the Peacebuilding Commission, so everyone stays in the loop. The goal is for the Security Council to take quick and effective action when major issues like war crimes or genocides happen, kind of like hitting “emergency mode” in a video game to stop a crisis before it gets worse. They also want to make it easier for more countries to have a say in these decisions, making the process more open and democratic, so that everyone can understand what’s going on and have a voice in keeping the world peaceful.
Action 42: Bringing New Life to the General Assembly
The General Assembly will get a boost, ensuring it remains the main platform for countries to come together and tackle global issues. We’ll work to make its processes more inclusive, transparent, and guided by principles like merit and gender balance, especially when choosing the next UN Secretary-General. And yes, it’s time we finally see a woman in that role!
Action 43: Powering Up ECOSOC
Think of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as the control center for global development, where countries come together to figure out how to solve issues like poverty, inequality, and climate change. Countries are now committed to making ECOSOC even stronger to speed up progress. One key step is improving cooperation between ECOSOC, the Peacebuilding Commission, and international financial institutions, so everyone works together smoothly. They also want to give civil society and young people a bigger role, making sure more voices are heard. The youth forum will continue to give young people from all over the world a chance to share their ideas with global leaders. Lastly, ECOSOC will explore ways to strengthen the Commission on the Status of Women, ensuring that the push for gender equality and women’s rights remains a top priority ahead of Beijing+30.
Action 44: Building Stronger Foundations for Peace
The Peacebuilding Commission will play a bigger role in mobilizing support for conflict prevention and national peacebuilding. Expect stronger partnerships with regional organizations, international financial institutions, and civil society groups, particularly women’s organizations. The 2025 review of peacebuilding architecture will be vital to bring a more strategic approach and greater coherence and impact to peace efforts.
Action 45: Making the UN System More Agile and Inclusive
The UN will become faster, smarter, and more capable of addressing global challenges. We’ll invest in technology, strategic foresight, innovation, and data analysis to make the organization more responsive. The UN’s development system will also be strengthened to help countries achieve the SDGs and address emerging challenges. Accessibility for persons with disabilities will be prioritized to ensure full participation for all.
Action 46: Ensuring Human Rights for All
Imagine living in a world where everyone has the freedom to be themselves and live without fear – this is what human rights are all about. Countries are committed to making sure everyone enjoys their rights, which include civil rights like freedom of speech, economic rights like the right to work, and social rights like access to education. They plan to tackle new challenges that threaten these rights, ensuring that people and civil society working to promote human rights can do so without fear of intimidation. They will also support the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who helps protect these rights, and ask the Secretary-General to ensure there is enough funding to support their work. This way, everyone can truly enjoy their rights now and in the future.
Action 47: Reforming for a Fairer Future
The global financial system needs a revamp to ensure developing countries have a stronger voice and can access the funds needed to meet the SDGs. We’ll push for reforms at the IMF and World Bank to make them more responsive to today’s challenges, while making sure developing nations are well-represented in decision-making processes. These changes will help create a more inclusive and just financial system for all.
Action 48: Amplifying Developing Nations’ Voices in Global Finance
We’re working to boost the representation of developing countries in global financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank. This includes advocating for changes in quotas and voting power by 2025, giving developing nations more say in economic governance. We’ll also support more diverse leadership within these institutions to ensure fairer, more inclusive decision-making.
Action 49: Unlocking Billions for SDGs
To help developing countries achieve their goals, we need to mobilize more financial resources. We’re pushing for reforms at multilateral development banks to provide affordable financing and unlock private sector investment. New tools like debt-for-climate swaps will help countries balance economic growth with environmental protection. We’ll also push for a strong replenishment of the International Development Association to increase support for the world’s poorest nations.
Action 50: Making Debt Sustainable for Long-Term Goals
We’ll reform the global debt system to ensure that countries can borrow responsibly for long-term growth without falling into crippling debt. This means creating better ways to restructure debt when needed and promoting the use of innovative debt tools, like climate-resilient clauses. We’re also working with the IMF to improve the global debt architecture so that countries can prioritize their development goals without drowning in debt.
Action 51: Strengthening Financial Safety Nets
Developing countries need a stronger safety net to protect them from economic shocks. We’re encouraging countries to rechannel Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to developing nations, while working with the IMF to explore ways to strengthen the global financial safety net. By bolstering financial stability, we’ll help developing countries bounce back faster from crises and achieve long-term growth.
Action 52: Boosting Climate Finance to Save Our Planet
Climate change is one of the biggest threats to our world, and developing countries need more financing to fight it. We’re calling on multilateral development banks to scale up climate finance and help these nations implement their climate strategies. We’ll also work with financial institutions to better assess climate risks and reduce the cost of capital for developing countries investing in green projects.
Action 53: Rethinking Progress Beyond GDP
It’s time to move beyond GDP as the main measure of a country’s success. We’ll develop new indicators that capture social, economic, and environmental progress. The Secretary-General will lead an expert group to create these measures, helping countries track development in a more holistic way. These new indicators will also help nations access financing for their development efforts.
Action 54: Responding to Global Crises More Effectively
When crises like pandemics or financial meltdowns strike, the world needs to respond faster and more efficiently. We’ll strengthen the UN’s role in coordinating international responses to complex global shocks. This includes improving collaboration between governments, international organizations, and civil society to ensure that responses are fair and prioritize the most vulnerable.
Action 55: Building Stronger Partnerships for a Better Future
Solving global challenges requires everyone working together – governments, businesses, civil society, and more. We’ll deepen partnerships across all sectors to tackle big issues like climate change and inequality. The UN will strengthen its relationships with national parliaments and regional organizations, making sure local voices are included in global decision-making.
Action 56: Exploring Space for All of Humanity
Space exploration is advancing rapidly, and it’s critical that we manage it responsibly. We’re committed to ensuring that space remains a peaceful and accessible domain for all nations. The UN will work to promote international cooperation on space exploration, with an eye toward holding a major conference on the peaceful use of outer space in 2027. This will ensure that space benefits everyone, not just a few powerful countries.
International Cooperation and the Path Forward
None of this happens without true global collaboration. Every nation, every sector – governments, civil society, businesses, and beyond – must work together to drive these reforms forward. Key global institutions like the World Bank and IMF will play a critical role, but the real work will come from the partnerships built along the way.
The chapter outlines crucial upcoming milestones – from the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review to the IMF’s quota review – that will act as benchmarks for progress. But beyond these technical discussions, the chapter emphasizes the need to restore faith in multilateralism by making these institutions work for everyone. The future depends on it. If we get this right, the world will be safer, fairer, and more resilient in the face of whatever challenges lie ahead.
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