Latest update November 7th, 2024 1:00 AM
Oct 10, 2024 Letters
Dear Editor
On the eve of the recently concluded seventh-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) a summit of Heads of States and Government was held in New York at the United Nations to discuss a 50 plus page draft entitled; ‘Pact for the Future.’ The document was submitted to the General Assembly under the head ‘Strengthening of the United Nations System.”
Prior to the debate, some delegations claimed the UN secretariat, the drafters of the Pact had violated the body’s ‘Adoption Procedures’ because no intergovernmental negotiations on the Pact took place while requests for meetings for an exchange of views were ignored. A case was made to the effect that there was discomfort with the draft text since it was considered to be ‘raw and non-consensual’ and that effectively, it ‘undermined the intergovernmental nature of the UN.’ As a consequence, a resolution opposing the Pact was put to the vote.
When the vote was taken, 143 countries voted in favour of the final document; 15 countries abstained 28 countries did not vote at all while 7 countries voted against. The Bahamas and Haiti were among the 28 that did not vote on the resolution.
The ‘Pact for the Future’ was eventually adopted by the General Assembly. It aims to “upgrade the multilateral system” (i.e. the UN system) to make it more adapted to “future challenges” (i.e. give it more power) with the help of technology and AI systems (which will give it “foresight capabilities”). A Ten Point ‘Pact on Future Generations included ten (10) Guiding Principles; thirteen (13) Pledges and eight calls for Action by UN member states.
In my estimation, the key paragraphs in the Pact state; ‘We are at a time of profound global transformation. We are confronted by rising catastrophic and existential risks, many caused by the choices we make. Fellow human beings are enduring terrible suffering. If we do not change course, we risk tipping into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown.’
In this regard, the Pact calls for ‘a recommitment to international cooperation based on respect for international law, without which we can neither manage the risks nor seize the opportunities that we face. This is not an option but a necessity.’
The Pact goes on; ‘Our challenges are deeply interconnected and far exceed the capacity of any single State alone. They can only be addressed collectively, through strong and sustained international cooperation guided by trust and solidarity for the benefit of all and harnessing the power of those who can contribute from all sectors and generations.’
The Pact is an informative but intriguing write up by the UN Secretariat, it raises questions such as; how could a bunch of bureaucrats/ technocrats sit in an office today and with pen on paper, list in great detail what the future holds for future generations and how those generations should threat with future challenges?
The Pact is so predictable that it conveys the impression that future generations now know for sure what is in store for them; but as older folks in Guyana would say of the UN secretariat, “they look like a bunch of See Far men.” And quite correctly so; how can the challenges that will face mankind in future be so predictably foreseen.
Of importance to Guyana, the Pact calls on nations to; ‘make full use of all the instruments and mechanisms set out in the Charter, intensifying our use of diplomacy, committing to resolve our disputes peacefully
refraining from the threat or use of force, or acts of aggression, respecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholding the principles of political independence and self-determination, as well as strengthening accountability and ending impunity.’
The Pact identifies 56 ‘actions for sustainable development and foreign investment, international peace and security, science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation youth and future generations transforming global governance’ It was decided ‘To review the overall implementation of the Pact at the beginning of the 83rd session of the GA through a meeting of the Heads of State and Government.’
The debate on the Pact was at times robust, and at times passionate. Speaker after speaker addressed issues that were common in almost all interventions; including reform of the UN and the perennial call for an expansion in the membership of the Security Council; and the non-achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, deemed the Pact as a “once in generation” opportunity to retrofit the multilateral system to meet twenty-first-century challenges.” He called on nations to “bring multilateralism back from the brink,” stating, “Our world is heading off the rails” as “resources that could bring opportunities and hope are invested in death and destruction”.
President Lula of Brazil pointed out that the SDG’s are likely to be the UN’s biggest failure; stating that “the UN lacks ambition and boldness, the GA has lost its vitality;”
One speaker described the Security Council as “a Cold War relic;” while the President of East Timor claimed that “developing countries are victims of great powers who pay attention to their own self-interests.”
President Ali called on nations to; ‘act together, for the advancement of peace, for the achievement of sustainable development, and the preservation of human dignity, now and for generations to come.” He highlighted that; “Outdated and broken global systems must be fixed. We must reform the international financial architecture and make it more inclusive and conducive to sustainable development for all.”
On the question of sustainable development President Ali stressed; “…sustainable development cannot flourish without peace and security. We must end and prevent wars. The Security Council must also be reformed to be more representative, responsive and democratic. If not it will lose both its credibility and relevance.”
President Ali is correct. Countries of the Global South are fed up with lack of progress on their demands for a greater voice at the international financial institutions, as well as for more generous access to development and climate finance, emergency credit lines, and debt relief. They are convinced that a mealy-mouthed compromise that lacks specifics will simply leave them empty-handed
According ‘Emissary’ a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace publication that provides ‘incisive, nuanced analysis on the most pressing international affairs challenges’;
‘The Pact pits wealthy nations that have long been the “makers” of the ‘world order’ against developing and post-colonial nations no longer content to be passive “takers.”
According to ‘Emissary,’ ‘The West prefers a piecemeal approach to global reform and to preserve the prerogatives they enjoy in international institutions, particularly of global economic governance. The Global South for its part, want a more egalitarian multilateral system that enhances their voice, power, and interests and can deliver on debt relief, development aid, trade opportunities, climate financing, and access to cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence.’
Despite the world-changing significance of the historic Summit, reporting on the Pact in Guyana has been non-existent. There is a lack of information in mainstream media about the Pact and the Summit. This deficiency gives rise to the question; shouldn’t there be national debates about the Pact? Shouldn’t Guyanese be better informed and asked what they think about the Pact or should it be simply; 🎶Que sera sera, whatever will be will be the future’s not ours to see, que sera sera 🎶
Yours faithfully,
Clement J. Rohee
Nov 07, 2024
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