UN Summit of the Future & the Reform in UN Institutions

In Sept 2024, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the UN Summit of the Future 2024, emphasizing the need for immediate reforms in outdated UN institutions related to peace, security, and finance.

• The Prime Minister of India also participated in the summit.

Key Highlights of the UN Summit of the Future

1. Objective: The UN Summit of the Future aims to reform and strengthen global governance to tackle modern challenges and secure a sustainable future for future generations.

1. It builds on recent UN efforts like the 2022 UN Environment Stockholm+50 and the High Seas Treaty.
2. 2022 UN Environment Stockholm+50 was held in 2022 to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which was the 1^st to make the environment a global issue.
3. The High Seas Treaty establishes a legal framework to create marine protected areas in the high seas, which are areas of the ocean that aren't part of a country's territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, or internal waters.

2. Theme: "Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow."
3. Outcome: The summit concluded with the adoption of a key document, A Pact for the Future, which includes the Global Digital Compact and A Declaration on Future Generations.

Key Agreements

1. Pact for the Future: Focuses on speeding up progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implementing the Paris Agreement for climate action.

1. It includes commitments to transition from fossil fuels and work towards a peaceful and sustainable future.

2. Global Digital Compact: Promotes fair access to technology and ensures its benefits are shared globally.

1. AI Governance: Introduces the 1^st universal agreement on the governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
2. It advocates for establishing a multidisciplinary Independent International Scientific Panel on AI within the UN, ensuring representation from all regions.
3. The goal is to enhance scientific understanding by assessing AI's impacts, risks, and opportunities, leveraging existing research and initiatives (SDG 17).

3. Declaration on Future Generations: Encourages long-term thinking, urging leaders to consider the needs of future generations.

1. It commits to nuclear disarmament, regulating autonomous weapons, and preventing an arms race in outer space. This marks the 1^st multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in over a decade.

India’s Position at the Summit

1. Call for UN Reform: India advocated for reforms in the UN and Security Council, pushing for expanded permanent membership, including representation from India and African nations.
2. New Conflict Areas: The Indian Prime Minister highlighted cyber, maritime, and space as emerging conflict zones and urged for global frameworks to ensure security in these areas.
3. Digital Governance and Cooperation: India supported global digital governance and offered its digital public infrastructure for international collaboration.
4. Support for Key Initiatives: India endorsed the Pact for the Future, AI governance frameworks, and digital cooperation initiatives at the summit.

Why is the need for UN Reforms?

1. Outdated Structure: The UN was founded in 1945 with just 51 member states, but today there are 193 members.

1. The global economy has grown over twelve times since 1945, while the financial system, designed during colonial times, remains outdated.

2. Global Disparities: Developing nations face rising debt and inequalities that hinder sustainable development, showing that current global systems fail to meet today's needs.
3. Technological and Geopolitical Shifts: Technological advances and changing global power dynamics expose the weaknesses of post-World War II institutions in tackling modern challenges like climate action, sustainable development, and economic disparities.
4. Legitimacy and Credibility Issues: The Security Council's legitimacy is increasingly questioned. To maintain global peace and security, it must represent the will of all member states, not just the few permanent members.

1. Reform is crucial to boost the legitimacy of its decisions, as the permanent membership doesn't reflect today's geopolitical landscape.

5. Inequitable Representation: Regions such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America are underrepresented in the Security Council. This imbalance weakens decision-making and raises concerns about fairness in representation.

1. A more equitable distribution of non-permanent seats is vital to addressing these disparities.

6. Financial and Administrative Reform: The UN's financial sustainability is critical, especially as demands for peacekeeping and development rise.

1. Japan’s proposal highlights the need to align financial contributions with member states’ responsibilities, ensuring fair and proportional funding.
2. The international financial system, including the IMF, World Bank, and WTO, needs to better support developing nations struggling with debt and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

7. Global Security Challenges: Today's security landscape includes regional conflicts, terrorism, and humanitarian crises. A reformed Security Council is essential to address these issues effectively.

How Will UN Reforms Impact Global Governance?

1. Enhanced Inclusivity: The reforms aim to give a stronger voice to developing nations and underrepresented regions like Africa and Latin America. This could lead to more equitable decision-making in global governance.
2. Increased Agility: A more agile Peacebuilding Commission and revised peace operations will enable quicker responses to emerging global challenges.
3. Strengthened Financial Architecture: Reforming the international financial system will better support developing countries in managing debt and advancing toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
4. Digital Governance: The Global Digital Compact seeks to regulate artificial intelligence and digital technologies, ensuring their alignment with sustainable development and human rights.

1. It addresses the digital divide and cybersecurity concerns.

5. Youth Engagement: The Pact for the Future encourages greater involvement of young people in decision-making, ensuring future generations' interests are considered.
6. Conflict Resolution: New norms and accountability mechanisms will strengthen the multilateral system, helping manage geopolitical competition and improve conflict prevention and resolution.

How Does India Critique the United Nations?

1. Ineffectiveness in Crisis Management: India has pointed out that the UN Charter has failed to address key challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, terrorism, and climate change.

1. India urges reforms to make the UN more relevant and responsive to current geopolitical realities.

2. Veto Power Concerns: India has criticized the disproportionate influence of the P-5 nations (U.S., U.K., France, Russia, China) due to their veto power.
3. Charter Review: India calls for a comprehensive review of the UN Charter, which still includes outdated references to former entities like the Soviet Union and classifies some nations as "enemy states."

1. India emphasizes the need to update the Charter to reflect modern international dynamics.

4. Slow Reform Process: India has expressed frustration over the slow progress of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on UN reform, which began in 2008 but has not led to significant change.

1. India stresses the importance of making UN reform a global priority.

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