KBC Channel 1

Author: Christine Muchira/Release

  • Sudan launches first malaria vaccine in landmark child health initiative

    Sudan launches first malaria vaccine in landmark child health initiative

    Sudan has launched its first malaria vaccination campaign amid 18 months of civil conflict, aiming to protect thousands of children from the deadly disease.

    On Monday, The Federal Ministry of Health, in partnership with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, rolled out vaccines for Sudan’s war-battered population, making it the first country in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region to benefit.

    Malaria remains a leading cause of childhood mortality in Sudan, which has one of the highest malaria rates in the region. The disease claimed an estimated 7,900 lives in Sudan in 2023, though the actual toll may be higher due to ongoing conflict between rival militaries.

    The launch follows the arrival of the first consignment of 186,000 doses to Sudan in October and the campaign will begin across 15 health facilities in Gedaref and the Blue Nile states, benefitting more than 148,000 children under 12 months-old. In 2025 and 2026, the vaccine will be introduced in a further 129 localities.

    Lifesaving tool

    “The opportunity offered by the introduction of the vaccine into the national immunisation programme is enormous,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Sudan.

    “This vaccine is a critical new tool in our child mortality fighting toolkit,” he continued. Sudan’s conflict has made access to healthcare challenging.

    An unprecedented 11 million people have been internally displaced and more than 70 per cent of hospitals in conflict zones are now non-operational. While vaccination rates had reached 85 per cent before the war, they have now plummeted to about 50 per cent.

    Low immunisation coverage and frequent disease outbreaks, such as cholera, malaria, measles, and polio are exposing millions of unvaccinated children to fatal yet preventable diseases.

    Strategic plan

    The Federal Ministry of Health has developed extensive plans to ensure a successful rollout, including training healthcare workers, engaging communities, and bolstering cold chain capacity to safeguard vaccine quality.

    Dr. Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to Sudan added that the “WHO continues to advocate for comprehensive malaria interventions, integrating the vaccine with other preventive measures,” emphasising a multi-faceted approach.

    “The introduction of the malaria vaccine not only represents a critical step forward in protecting the lives of countless children but also symbolises hope for a healthier future amidst adversity,” Anne Cronin stated, Senior Country Manager for Sudan at Gavi.

    © WHO/Omer Tarig A six-month-old girl was the first child to receive the malaria vaccine in Sudan, during Tuesday’s vaccine roll-out event in Gedaref
  • World Vision Kenya launches ‘The Big Dream to End Child Marriage’ program

    World Vision Kenya launches ‘The Big Dream to End Child Marriage’ program

    World Vision Kenya Thursday launched ‘The Big Dream to End Child Marriage’ program, a comprehensive initiative that builds upon and expands the successful Kenya Big Dream (KBD), designed to combat child marriage across seven counties in Kenya.

    Building on the success of the KBD program, the new initiative aims to significantly reduce the prevalence of child marriage by 2030 while promoting gender equality and protecting girls’ rights.

    According to UNICEF’s 2022 report on child marriage in East and Southern Africa, over 50 million of these child brides reside in Eastern and Southern Africa alone, with nearly one-third (32 percent) of the region’s young women married before age 18.

    The numbers in our neighboring countries are deeply concerning: 4.2 million child brides in Kenya, where 23% of women ages 20-24 were married before their 18th birthday; 17.3 million in Ethiopia, where 40% of young women face early marriage; 1.4 million in Somalia with 35% married before 18; and 1.3 million in South Sudan, where more than half of young women (52%) were married as children.

    The KBD program was initiated in 2019 and has since reached over 1.4 million people in Baringo, West Pokot, Samburu, and Migori counties, addressing critical issues such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and violence against children.

    ‘The Big Dream to End Child Marriage’ program will now expand these efforts to include Baringo, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, Migori, West Pokot, and Narok counties—regions where child marriage is deeply entrenched due to cultural, social, and economic factors.

    ‘‘At World Vision, we have set an ambitious goal: to positively impact the lives of 150 million vulnerable children by 2030. The Big Dream to End Child Marriage program is a crucial component of this global strategy.

    It aligns perfectly with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 on Gender Equality, reminding us that ending child marriage is not just a moral imperative, but a necessary step towards achieving broader development goals.’’ Lilian Dodzo, Regional Leader, East Africa, World Vision said.

    The program will empower girls, enhance their access to education, and foster community engagement to create a sustainable end to child marriage. The key areas of focus include:

    Education Access where the program focuses on increasing girls’ access to quality education through scholarships and support programs.

    Similarly the program aims at strengthening child protection systems by collaborating with government bodies to enforce laws and policies protecting children from harmful practices.

    Additionally, the program will focus on behaviour change by engaging communities to challenge harmful social norms and promote gender equality.

    KBD program also focuses on economic empowerment where it provides financial literacy training and vocational skills to reduce economic vulnerability among families.

    The other key focus is Water and Sanitation Access (WASH) that aims at improving school sanitation facilities to keep girls in school.

    Through the KBD program, notable transformations have occurred, including the abandonment of FGM practices by former circumcisers, who have turned to sustainable income-generating activities.

    ‘‘Five years ago, we planted the seeds of change in Baringo and West Pokot. We nurtured these seeds, watching them take root and flourish. In 2021, we expanded our reach to Samburu, and in 2022, to Migori. Through each phase, we’ve witnessed the power of education, child protection, and community advocacy in transforming lives and challenging deeply ingrained practices.’’

    Dr. David Githanga, Board Chair of World Vision Kenya, stated adding that, ‘‘As World Vision Kenya, we’ve supported 1,704 girls with school fees, reducing their vulnerability to early marriage. We’ve reached 437,288 children across West Pokot, Baringo, Migori, and Samburu, empowering them and reducing gender-based violence. We’ve established 332 savings groups with 6,973 members, accumulating savings of over 300,00 dollars – a testament to the economic empowerment that is crucial in the fight against child marriage.’’

    World Vision aims to create a future where no girl is forced into marriage and every child has the opportunity to realize their potential.

    By 2030, The Big Dream to End Child Marriage program aspires to eliminate child marriage in its operational areas, aligning with Kenya’s broader goals on gender equality and child protection.

    World Vision calls on the government, particularly the Ministry of Gender and Affirmative Action, to support this initiative through policy advocacy, resource allocation, and capacity building at both national and county levels. Collaborative efforts are crucial to effectively implement policies that protect girls and promote their rights.

     

  • A ‘people’s COP’ to heal the planet: UN biodiversity summit opens in Colombia

    A ‘people’s COP’ to heal the planet: UN biodiversity summit opens in Colombia

    Secretary-General António Guterres urged delegations from some 190 countries to “make peace with nature” and shore up a plan to stop habitat loss, save endangered species, and preserve our planet’s precious ecosystems as the latest UN biodiversity summit got under way in Cali, Colombia on Sunday night.

    The UN chief’s call came in a video message to the opening ceremony of the gathering, which officially begins on Monday 21 October in one of the most biodiverse countries on earth. Over the next two weeks, government experts, environmental activists and indigenous groups will tackle pressing global challenges in biodiversity protection.

    Formally the 16th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known by the shorthand CBD COP16, the summit marks the first global gathering on this vital issue since 2022, when countries agreed on the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Framework (GBF), the most far-reaching action plan to protect biodiversity.

    The Secretary-General said: “The framework is grounded in a clear truth – for humanity to survive, nature must flourish…it promises to reset relations with Earth and its ecosystems.”

    ‘La COP de la gente’

    “But we are not on track. Your task at this COP is to convert words into action. That means countries presenting clear plans that align national actions with all the framework’s targets,” he said, adding that it also means agreeing a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework and it means honouring promises on finance and accelerating support to developing countries.

    Guterres said delegations must leave Cail with significant investments in the GBF, its related funds and commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver on its goals in full.

    “And those profiting from nature must contribute to its protection and restoration,” he continued, and underscored that the world’s developing countries “are being plundered” as the scientific discoveries and economic growth derived from their “extraordinary riches” were benefitting others.

    COP16 must engage all of society – as ‘la COP de la gente’ (a COP of the people) – and it must strengthen the role of indigenous peoples and local communities, who are “the world’s great guardians of biodiversity, luminaries of sustainable use.

    Their knowledge and stewardship must be at the heart of biodiversity action at every level.

    “We have a plan to rescue humanity from a degraded Earth,” the Secretary-General said, and added that he looked forward to seeing delegates in person at the end of the COP “to hear how you have delivered.”

    ‘Recomposing the way we live’

    In her remarks, COP President Susana Muhamad said that during COP16, steps must be taken towards implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Framework.

    “It is basically about recomposing the way we live, recomposing the development model, recomposing, rethinking, rediscovering how we live together in diversity, in a system that does not permanently make nature a victim of development, but rather our own reproduction as a society reproduces life,” she said.

    Muhamad, who is Colombia’s Environmental Minister stressed that biodiversity conservation is deeply linked to climate action, and that extractive use of natural resources is responsible for 50 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions today, but at the same time, it is also causing 90 per cent of biodiversity loss.

    “Powerfully restoring ecosystems and nature can contribute almost 40 per cent to the solution of stabilizing the climate and the carbon cycle,” she emphasized.

     

     

  • Egypt is certified malaria-free by WHO

    Egypt is certified malaria-free by WHO

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking a significant public health milestone for a country with more than 100 million inhabitants.

    The achievement follows a nearly 100-year effort by the Egyptian government and people to end a disease that has been present in the country since ancient times.

    “Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

    “This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge. I congratulate Egypt on this achievement, which is an inspiration to other countries in the region, and shows what’s possible with the right resources and the right tools.” He added.

    Egypt is the third country to be awarded a malaria-free certification in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and the first since 2010. Globally, a total of 44 countries and 1 territory have reached this milestone.

    “Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase. We must now work tirelessly and vigilantly to sustain our achievement through maintaining the highest standards for surveillance, diagnosis and treatment, integrated vector management and sustaining our effective and rapid response to imported cases. Our continued multisectoral efforts will be critical to preserving Egypt’s malaria-free status,” said Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt.

    “I reaffirm that we will continue with determination and strong will to safeguard the health of all people in Egypt under the wise leadership’s guidance and proceed with enhancing our healthcare system, this will remain a cornerstone in protecting the lives of all people living in and visiting Egypt.”

    Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years. A country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of transmission.

    Egypt’s journey to elimination

    Malaria has been traced as far back as 4000 B.C.E. in Egypt, with genetic evidence of the disease found in Tutankhamun and other ancient Egyptian mummies.

    Early efforts to reduce human-mosquito contact in Egypt began in the 1920s when the country prohibited the cultivation of rice and agricultural crops near homes.

    With most of Egypt’s population living along the banks of the Nile River and malaria prevalence as high as 40%, the country designated malaria a notifiable disease in 1930 and later opened its first malaria control station focused on diagnosis, treatment and surveillance.

    “Today, Egypt has proven that with vision, dedication, and unity we can overcome the greatest challenges. This success in eliminating malaria is not just a victory for public health but a sign of hope for the entire world, especially for other endemic countries in our region. This achievement is the result of sustained, robust surveillance investments in a strong, integrated health system, where community engagement and partnerships have enabled progress. Furthermore, collaboration and support to endemic countries, such as Sudan, remain a priority,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.

    By 1942, malaria cases in Egypt had spiked to more than 3 million as a result of the Second World War population displacement, the disruption of medical supplies and services, and the invasion of Anopheles arabiensis, a highly efficient mosquito vector, among other factors.

    Egypt succeeded in controlling the malaria outbreak through the establishment of 16 treatment divisions and the recruitment of more than 4000 health workers.

    The construction of the Aswan Dam, completed in 1969, created a new malaria risk for the country, as standing water produced breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Egypt, in collaboration with Sudan, launched a rigorous vector control and public health surveillance project to rapidly detect and respond to malaria outbreaks.

    By 2001, malaria was firmly under control and the Ministry of Health and Population set its sights on preventing the re-establishment of local malaria transmission. Egypt rapidly contained a small outbreak of malaria cases in the Aswan Governorate in 2014 through early case identification, prompt treatment, vector control and public education.

    Malaria diagnosis and treatment are provided free-of-charge to the entire population in Egypt regardless of legal status, and health professionals are trained nationwide to detect and screen for malaria cases including at borders.

    Egypt’s strong cross-border partnership with neighbouring countries, including Sudan, has been instrumental for preventing the re-establishment of local malaria transmission, paving the way for the country to be officially certified as malaria-free.

  • UNICEF seeks $165 million for therapeutic food to combat ‘silent killer’

    UNICEF seeks $165 million for therapeutic food to combat ‘silent killer’

    Nearly two million children suffering from severe wasting are at risk of death due to funding shortages for life-saving Ready-to-use-Therapeutic-Food (RUTF) to treat the condition, which is the most dangerous form of malnutrition.

    The warning comes from UN children’s agency UNICEF which said levels of severe wasting in children under five remain gravely high in several countries due to conflict, economic shocks and climate crises.

    Deadly condition

    Severe wasting – also known as severe acute malnutrition – is caused by a lack of nutritious and safe foods and repeated bouts of disease, such as diarrhoea, measles and malaria.

    Children become dangerously thin, and their weak immune systems make them vulnerable to growth failure, poor development, and death.

    RUTF is an energy dense, micronutrient paste made from powdered milk, peanuts, butter, vegetable oil, sugar, and a mix of vitamins and minerals.

    It has helped bring millions of children back from the brink of death from severe malnutrition.

    “In the past two years an unprecedented global response has allowed the scale-up of nutrition programmes to contain child wasting and its associated mortality in countries severely affected by conflict, climate and economic shocks, and the resulting maternal and child nutrition crisis,” said Victor Aguayo, UNICEF Director of Child Nutrition and Development Victor Aguayo.

    “But urgent action is needed now to save the lives of nearly two million children who are fighting this silent killer.”

    Stocks running out

    UNICEF said shortages of RUTF are already leaving children at risk of not receiving treatment in the 12-hardest hit countries.

    Mali, Nigeria, Niger and Chad are either already experiencing or imminently facing stockouts, while Cameroon, Pakistan, Sudan, Madagascar, South Sudan, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda could run out of stock by mid-2025.

    The situation in Africa’s Sahel region is exacerbated by prolonged droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall. This is leading to food shortages and high food prices and, subsequently, higher levels of severe wasting.

    For example, over 300,000 under-fives in Mali are expected to suffer from severe wasting this year, yet nutrition programmes started running out of RUTF supplies at the end of July.

    Meanwhile, the Government in Chad declared a food and nutrition emergency in February, and over 500,000 children under five are projected to suffer from severe wasting this year. Provinces with large refugee populations are particularly affected.

    Roughly 315,000 children in the country were treated between January and August. Although needs remain urgent, stocks of RUTF could run out by the end of this month.

    ‘No Time to Waste’

    UNICEF is seeking $165 million to fund therapeutic feeding, treatment and care for the two million children who are at-risk of death, in an update to its No Time to Waste plan.

    The initiative was launched in 2022 to respond to the global food and nutrition crisis. Since then, UNICEF has raised over $900 million to scale up programmes, services and supplies for the early prevention, detection and treatment of child wasting.

    As a result, 21.5 million children and women received essential services, while 46 million children were reached with early detection services and 5.6 million accessed life-saving treatment.

    No Time to Waste 2024 outlines the urgent funding shortfalls that are putting young lives in danger. The appeal also emphasizes the need for continuity of local manufacturing of essential nutrition supplies which is vital for sustaining interventions and improving community resilience against malnutrition.

    Child Nutrition Fund

    To address severe child malnutrition in the long term, UNICEF launched the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) last year, with the support of the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.

    The CNF goals include supporting local and regional production of fortified foods, food supplements and RUTF for young children in areas experiencing high levels of child malnutrition in efforts to circumvent global supply chain disruptions, reduce environmental impacts of shipment, and boost job opportunities and economic growth within communities.

    Once fully implemented, the CNF will help insulate countries from the funding shortages and fluctuations in demand currently driving part of the growing RUTF shortages.

     

     

     

  • ‘Africa must continue to rise,’ says General Assembly President

    ‘Africa must continue to rise,’ says General Assembly President

    To meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN General Assembly President on Monday emphasised Africa’s potential and the urgent need for both international support and systemic reforms across the continent.  

    In a speech delivered during a debate on African development, Assembly  President Philémon Yang addressed the continent’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s (AU) related framework, known as Agenda 2063.

    A young construction worker in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi.
    ILO Photo/Marcel Crozet A young construction worker in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi.
  • UNCTAD welcoming Kenya’s groundbreaking economic development programme

    UNCTAD welcoming Kenya’s groundbreaking economic development programme

    Kenya will hold consultations with key development partners on Thursday 3rd October to discuss the implementation of its new Holistic Productive Capacities Development Programme designed by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

    This effort aims to reshape the country’s economic future.

    According to a statement by UNCTAD, the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi will lead other cabinet secretaries and senior government officials in discussions with donors, UN representatives, the private sector and other stakeholders to open a fresh chapter in Kenya’s pursuit of long-term, sustainable economic growth.

    “This programme marks a transformative moment for Kenya’s economic future,” said Paul Akiwumi, UN Trade and Development’s director for Africa, least developed countries and special programmes. “It’s about building strong economic foundations and empowering people, businesses and institutions to innovate, compete and thrive.”

    New development paradigm

    The need for a new development paradigm is more urgent than ever, as past and present commodity-driven growth models have failed to deliver inclusive growth and sustainable development in many countries, including Kenya.

    Industrialization and economic transformation remain elusive and vulnerability to shocks persistent, limiting poverty reduction and job creation.

    Kenya has achieved above-average growth rates in Africa, which exceeded 5pc for the 15 years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling the country to reach an estimated GDP per capita of $2,082 in 2021.

    Despite this progress, the country faces daunting economic challenges, with two thirds of the population living on less than $3.20 per day.

    UNCTAD says, the upcoming consultations will focus on addressing the challenges through a new development paradigm of building productive capacities, which include essential inputs such as skilled labour, energy, transport and ICT, to position the country as a competitive and innovation-driven economy.

    Kenya’s Vision 2030 hinges on bridging the country’s productive capacities gap a crucial factor in transforming its economy from one reliant on low-productivity sectors to a diversified and high-value economy.

    UN Trade and Development’s assessments underline the urgency of bolstering productive capacities, without which Kenya’s ambition for economic transformation and greater job creation risks being stifled.

    Holistic Productive Capacities Development Programme: A bold vision

    The 10-year programme set to commence in 2025 is aimed at bolstering economic diversification, industrialization, infrastructure enhancement and private sector empowerment, among other areas.

    The upcoming consultations seek to secure $20 million in funding over the next decade to support this transformative programme, which will focus on five key pillars: Economic diversification and value addition, nfrastructure and environmental sustainability and ICT for digital transformation.

    These as well as private sector growth and skills development and policy coordination.

    The consultations will bring together Kenyan institutions and international development partners to chart the path forward.

    They will examine how to harness Kenya’s comparative advantages in agriculture, manufacturing and technology, while aligning with the African Continental Free Trade Area to boost regional and global trade.

    Private sector at the centre

    Private sector development is at the heart of the programme, which seeks to empower micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, enhance business environments and attract domestic and foreign investment.

    As Kenya continues its rapid infrastructure development, particularly in transport, logistics and energy, the programme aims to turn the country into a regional hub for manufacturing and value-added processing.

    A collaborative effort

    UN Trade and Development’s long-standing expertise in using trade, investment, finance and technology as vehicles for sustainable development will be critical to the success of the programme, which will integrate key stakeholders from various sectors, ensuring a broad-based and inclusive approach.

    A high-level steering committee and a technical taskforce will oversee the implementation of the programme, ensuring seamless coordination and execution.

  • WHO calls for urgent overhaul of care systems for older people as population ages

    WHO calls for urgent overhaul of care systems for older people as population ages

    The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday issued an urgent call for countries to transform their care and support systems for older people, warning that current systems are not prepared to meet growing demand.

    Anshu Banerjee, head of WHO’s division on maternal, child and adolescent health and ageing, emphasized the need for rethinking how care is delivered to older people.

    “We all require support to care for ourselves at some point in our lives, but we are more likely to require care the longer we live,” he said.

    “However, evidence shows that care and support systems across the world are not yet prepared to meet the needs of older people.”

    Alarming statistics

    According to WHO’s analysis, unmet healthcare needs persist among older adults, regardless of where they live.

    By 2030, one in six people globally will be over 60, and 80 per cent of older adults will live in low and middle-income countries by 2050, further underscoring the global priority of healthy ageing.

    Latest data also points to alarming challenges ahead, including “ageist” stereotypes that poor health is an inevitable part of ageing, thereby preventing many older people from receiving necessary care.

    It also found that only 25 pc of reporting countries have adequate resources to implement integrated care, and that just 16 per cent of low-income countries offer training programmes for informal caregivers who are the backbone of support in many regions.

    A majority of them are family members and almost always women.

    Radical shift needed

    Dr. Banerjee noted that the transformation of care systems is essential not only for older adults but for improving care across all age groups, making it a valuable investment for the future.

    “The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing underscores that a radical shift is required in how we value and deliver care to foster healthy ageing – and WHO stands ready to support countries who are committed to make this shift,” he said.

    The agency’s recommendations for transforming care systems include delivering person-centred care that focuses on individual needs and preferences, integrating health and social care services across various settings, and providing equitable support for caregivers.

    It also highlighted the need for greater collaboration between national governments, local authorities, civil society and the private sector to make these changes happen.

    UNICEF/Preena Shrestha Older women, in particular, face additional challenges and prejudice due to ageist attitudes and discrimination. Pictured here, a 69-year-old woman walks in a village in Nepal.

    International Day of Older Persons

    The call, coinciding with the International Day of Older Persons, came as the world approaches the midpoint of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) on combatting ageism, creating age-friendly environments and improving integrated and long-term care.

    The theme for this year’s International Day of Older Persons is, Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide.

  • UN’s Guterres urges global solutions as uncertain world edges toward a ‘powder keg’

    UN’s Guterres urges global solutions as uncertain world edges toward a ‘powder keg’

    Delivering his 2024 report on the UN’s work ahead of the general debate, Guterres said world leaders were gathering in the shadow of raging conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere, and rising uncertainty over climate change, ending poverty and reigning in AI.

    “Our world is in a whirlwind. We are in an era of epic transformation facing challenges unlike any we have ever seen challenges that demand global solutions,” the UN chief said.

    He warned that geo-political divisions are deepening, temperatures around the world are rising, wars are raging without any end in sight, and nuclear posturing and new weapons are “casting a dark shadow”.

    “We are edging towards the unimaginable – a powder keg that risks engulfing the world,” he said.

    Two overriding truths

    Guterres told Heads of States and Government in attendance that he stood before them with two “overriding truths”:

    “First, the state of our world is unsustainable – we cannot go on like this. And second, the challenges we face are solvable – but that requires us to make sure the mechanisms of international problem-solving actually solve problems.”

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the General Assembly before the opening of the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 79th session.

  • UN adopts ground-breaking Pact for Future to transform global governance  

    UN adopts ground-breaking Pact for Future to transform global governance  

    World leaders Monday adopted a Pact for the Future that includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.

    This Pact is the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow.

    The most wide-ranging international agreement in many years, covering entirely new areas as well as issues on which agreement has not been possible in decades, the Pact aims above all to ensure that international institutions can deliver in the face of a world that has changed dramatically since they were created.

    As the Secretary-General has said, “we cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents.”

    Overall, the agreement of the Pact is a strong statement of countries’ commitment to the United Nations, the international system and international law. Leaders set out a clear vision of an international system that can deliver on its promises, is more representative of today’s world and draws on the energy and expertise of governments, civil society and other key partners.

    “The Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations open the door to new opportunities and untapped possibilities,” said the Secretary-General during his remarks at the opening of the Summit of the Future. The President of the General Assembly noted that the Pact would “lay the foundations for a sustainable, just, and peaceful global order for all peoples and nations.”

    The Pact covers a broad range of issues including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance. Key deliverables in the Pact include:

    In the area of peace and security

    The most progressive and concrete commitment to Security Council reform since the 1960s, with plans to improve the effectiveness and representativeness of the Council, including by redressing the historical under-representation of Africa as a priority.

    The first multilateral recommitment to nuclear disarmament in more than a decade, with a clear commitment to the goal of totally eliminating nuclear weapons.

    Agreement to strengthen international frameworks that govern outer space, including a clear commitment to prevent an arms race in outer space and the need to ensure all countries can benefit from the safe and sustainable exploration of outer space.

    Steps to avoid the weaponization and misuse of new technologies, such as lethal autonomous weapons, and affirmation that the laws of war should apply to many of these new technologies.

    On sustainable development, climate and financing for development

    The entire Pact is designed to turbo-charge implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    The most detailed agreement ever at the United Nations on the need for reform of the international financial architecture so that it better represents and serves developing countries, including:

    Giving developing countries a greater say in how decisions are taken at international financial institutions;

    Mobilizing more financing from multilateral development banks to help developing countries meet their development needs;

    Reviewing the sovereign debt architecture to ensure that developing countries can borrow sustainably to invest in their future, with the IMF, UN, G20 and other key players working together;

    Strengthening the global financial safety net to protect the poorest in the event of financial and economic shocks, through concrete actions by the IMF and Member States;

    and accelerating measures to address the challenge of climate change, including through delivering more finance to help countries adapt to climate change and invest in renewable energy.

    Improving how we measure human progress, going beyond GDP to capturing human and planetary wellbeing and sustainability.

    A commitment to consider ways to introduce a global minimum level of taxation on high-net-worth individuals.

    On climate change, confirmation of the need to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

    On digital cooperation

    The Global Digital Compact, annexed to the Pact, is the first comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation and AI governance.

    At the heart of the Compact is a commitment to design, use and govern technology for the benefit of all. This includes commitments by world leaders to:

    Connect all people, schools and hospitals to the Internet;

    Anchor digital cooperation in human rights and international law;

    Make the online space safe for all, especially children, through actions by governments, tech companies and social media;

    Govern Artificial Intelligence, with a roadmap that includes an International Scientific Panel and a Global Policy Dialogue on AI;

    Make data more open and accessible, with agreements on open-source data, models, and standards;

    This is also the first global commitment to data governance, placing it on the UN agenda and requiring countries to take concrete actions by 2030.

    Youth and future generations

    The first ever Declaration on Future Generations, with concrete steps to take account of future generations in our decision-making, including a possible envoy for future generations.

    A commitment to more meaningful opportunities for young people to participate in the decisions that shape their lives, especially at the global level.

    Human rights and gender

    A strengthening of our work on human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women.

    A clear call on the need to protect human rights defenders.

    Strong signals on the importance of engagement of other stakeholders in global governance, including local and regional governments, civil society, private sector and others.

    There are provisions across the Pact and its annexes for follow-up action, to ensure that the commitments made are implemented.

    Summit Process

    The Summit process and the Pact have been deeply enriched by the contributions of millions of voices and thousands of stakeholders from around the world.

    The Summit brought together over 4000 individuals from Heads of State and Government, observers, IGOs, UN System, civil society and non-governmental organizations.

    In a broader push to increase the engagement of diverse actors, the formal Summit was preceded by the Action Days from 20-21 September, which attracted more than 7,000 individuals representing all segments of society.

    The Action Days featured strong commitments to action by all stakeholders, as well as pledges of USD 1.05 billion to advance digital inclusion.