Pakistan, speaking for G77/China, calls for UN ‘Summit for the future’ to focus on developing countries’ needs

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 04 (APP): Pakistan, speaking on behalf of Group of 77 (developing countries) and China, Thursday underscored the need for the outcome of the proposed United Nations “Summit of the Future” to incorporate the needs, priorities and aspirations of developing countries, with a renewed commitment to U.N. Charter and multilateralism.

“The world today is the harbinger of the future; hence, achieving intra-generational equity is the only possible path towards inter-generational equity,” Ambassador Munir Akram, the 134-member Group’s chairman, said at an informal briefing on UN Secretary-General’s report on “Our Common Agenda”, which is designed to strengthen multilateral agreements – particularly the 2030 (development) Agenda – and to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

The Summit, which is set for September next year, is to take place when some other high-level events, such as the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Summit, the Dialogue on Financing for Development, and the meeting on Universal Health Coverage, are also scheduled.

The Summit, Ambassador Akram said, must complement, not compete, with other Sept 2023 events. Moreover, he said, since the Summit is meant to ‘turbo-charge’ SDG implementation, it should benefit from and be informed by those events.

“The 2030 Agenda and its implementation is our agreed roadmap for safeguarding the interests of both current and future generations,” the G77 chairman said. The Declaration on Future Generations should provide guidance to ‘turbo-charge’ the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in an inclusive and equitable manner, focusing on implementation of existing commitments.

“This is only possible through the provision of adequate, predictable and sustainable means of implementation, including access to concessional finance, technology transfer on concessional and preferential terms and capacity-building for developing countries,” Ambassador Akram said, adding it must reaffirm commitment to the UN Charter, multilateralism, international solidarity and cooperation.

In this regard, he stressed that the international community recognize the UN’s pivotal role in supporting countries to tackle present and future problems and the challenges facing humanity and arriving at their solutions.

“In the Group’s view,” Ambassador Akram added, “effective implementation of the United Nations Charter is required to promote adherence to international law, and advance the mutually reinforcing objectives of human rights, development and peace and security.”