Olaf Scholz traveled to New York for the ceremonial adoption of the UN plan for the future. Russia wanted to prevent the adoption, but the plan was adopted anyway.
Despite a temporary Russian blockade, the UN General Assembly has adopted a fundamental pact to renew the international order. The president of the largest UN body, Philemon Yang, declared that the UN Future Pact, negotiated under German leadership, had been adopted in New York.
Russia had initially blocked the adoption of the UN reform plan drawn up under German leadership by all 193 states. At the UN Future Summit in New York in the presence of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin requested an additional amendment to the text.
“If our amendment is not included in the text of the pact, we will also distance ourselves from the consensus on this document,” said Vershinin. This means that the planned unanimous adoption of the paper is off the table. Vershinin complained that the countries that were not satisfied with the agreement had not been given the opportunity for further negotiations. The Congo then submitted a so-called motion for non-adoption. Russia’s motion was rejected by a majority of 143 votes in the UN General Assembly.
Scholz is counting on the recently adopted UN Pact for the Future to create new trust in the United Nations. “In a time of great tension and uncertainty, we need the Pact for the Future more than ever,” said the SPD politician in his speech at a future summit of all 193 UN states in New York.
It expresses the determination to tackle challenges such as war, climate change, poverty and hunger, global health threats and artificial intelligence together. “The Future Pact can serve as a compass for us. A compass whose needle points towards stronger cooperation and partnership, rather than towards more conflict and fragmentation.”
The pact makes it clear “that all the talk of division, polarization and insecurity will not be the end of our United Nations,” Scholz stressed. “Because we are still working together. Because we still trust each other. Because we are still committed to the principles of the UN Charter. And because we are still prepared to treat each other with respect and fairness.”
Moscow had already caused unrest before the high-level meeting with more than 120 heads of state and government and threatened to disrupt the ceremony. UN member states had prepared on Sunday night to respond to a corresponding proposal from Moscow regarding the so-called Future Pact. Even during the work on the Future Pact, Russia in particular was seen by diplomats as a troublemaker.
The pact, which has been painstakingly negotiated since the beginning of the year, includes declarations of intent for a reform of the UN Security Council and calls for an adjustment of the international financial system in favor of the so-called Global South. It is also intended to lay the first foundations for the global regulation of artificial intelligence. The text also opposes an arms race in space. Despite some bright spots, the final text falls short of the very ambitious expectations of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, according to diplomats.
