UPDATE — AUGUST 2025: Since world leaders adopted the “Pact for the Future” at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024, work has shifted from high-level commitments to concrete steps for implementation. The Pact, one of the most wide-ranging international agreements in decades, set out new frameworks on peace and security, sustainable development, digital governance, and AI.
In early 2025, UN Member States convened follow-up meetings to operationalize the Pact, emphasizing that its ambitions must be tailored to each country’s circumstances, particularly for least-developed and vulnerable states. The Pact’s scope covers reform across sustainable development, international peace and security, science and technology, youth engagement, and global governance transformation.
One of the most significant elements is the Global Digital Compact, which is now being implemented through a roadmap running to 2027. The Compact commits countries to closing digital divides, creating an inclusive and secure digital space, improving data governance, and advancing responsible AI oversight. Among its most notable features is the launch of an international scientific panel on AI, designed to provide global expertise and coordinate standards for safe AI deployment.
The Pact also revived momentum on UN Security Council reform for the first time in decades. The agreement commits to making the Council more representative and effective, with a priority on increasing African representation. Negotiations remain contentious: a two-step process is under discussion, with the General Assembly expected to consider enlargement proposals by September 2025, while broader reforms may extend into 2045. Resistance from some permanent members and diverging regional blocs continue to slow progress.
In August 2025, the UN General Assembly adopted resolutions linked to the Pact, including the establishment of the scientific panel on AI. This marked one of the first concrete institutional outcomes since adoption, signaling that implementation is moving beyond rhetoric.
ORIGINAL NEWS STORY:
United Nations Adopts Landmark Pact for the Future to Transform Global Governance
World leaders gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to adopt the “Pact for the Future,” a groundbreaking agreement that seeks to transform global governance to address the challenges of today and tomorrow. This pact includes two key components: the “Global Digital Compact” and the “Declaration on Future Generations.” It is the culmination of years of inclusive international cooperation aimed at ensuring global institutions are fit for purpose in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.
The “Pact for the Future” is one of the most wide-ranging international agreements in decades, addressing new areas such as digital governance and providing fresh commitments on long-standing issues where agreement has been elusive, such as Security Council reform and nuclear disarmament.
At the core of the “Pact for the Future” is a clear vision for a more representative and effective international system. World leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations and international law, recognizing that these frameworks must evolve to remain relevant in addressing current global realities. The pact seeks to strengthen cooperation between governments, civil society, and other stakeholders, ensuring that key global issues are tackled through collective action.
One of the most significant components of the pact involves peace and security. For the first time since the 1960s, there has been a progressive and concrete commitment to reform the UN Security Council. This includes improving its effectiveness and addressing the historical under-representation of Africa, a priority in the ongoing reform efforts. Another major breakthrough is the first multilateral recommitment to nuclear disarmament in over a decade, with world leaders agreeing on a clear goal to eliminate nuclear weapons entirely.
In addition to these efforts, the pact focuses on strengthening international frameworks governing outer space. Countries have committed to preventing an arms race in space, ensuring that the exploration and use of outer space remains safe and benefits all nations. A key focus is on preventing the weaponization of new technologies, such as lethal autonomous weapons, and affirming that international laws of war should apply to emerging technologies.
The pact also aims to “turbo-charge” the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Leaders agreed on an ambitious plan to reform the international financial architecture, giving developing countries a greater voice in global financial institutions. These reforms are designed to mobilize more resources to help developing nations meet their development needs and address sovereign debt issues in a sustainable manner. Climate change is another priority, with a renewed commitment to keeping global temperature rise below 1.5°C and transitioning away from fossil fuels to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The compact also addresses the growing need for AI governance, with plans for an International Scientific Panel and a Global Policy Dialogue on AI. A groundbreaking commitment to data governance was made, placing it on the UN agenda for the first time and requiring countries to take concrete actions by 2030.
The pact includes the “Declaration on Future Generations,” which outlines concrete steps to ensure future generations are considered in today’s decision-making processes. This declaration paves the way for the possible appointment of an envoy for future generations and emphasizes the importance of youth participation in global governance.
The pact also strengthens the UN’s commitment to human rights, gender equality, and the protection of human rights defenders. Leaders recognized the critical role that civil society, regional governments, and the private sector play in global governance and committed to deepening their engagement.
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