By Eleonora Banfi
The Summit for the Future, held in September 2024, sought to reinforce multilateralism and reshape the international system to address today’s pressing global challenges, including climate change, inequality, and governance reform. Central to the summit’s outcomes was the Pact for the Future, a comprehensive framework designed to advance sustainable development, enhance peacebuilding efforts, and bolster human rights protections. A key focus was on peace and security reform, with specific attention to improving peace operations and addressing the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, inequality, and resource scarcity. However, despite its ambitious goals, the Pact faced criticism for its lack of concrete mechanisms to achieve these objectives. A glaring omission was its failure to adequately address the refugee and migration crises—a pressing issue for the Arab world. The Pact’s neglect of displaced populations and their host countries highlighted a broader disconnect between the summit’s high-level goals and the on-the-ground realities in regions most affected by conflict and displacement.
Convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the summit underscored the urgent need for comprehensive reforms, particularly within the UN Security Council and financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, to better reflect today’s global landscape. The summit brought together heads of state, representatives of civil society, private sector, and various international organizations. A broad consensus emerged, with many nations supporting the Pact as a crucial step toward addressing the global governance crisis. However, notable absences and opposition from Russia, China, and a few other nations revealed underlying tensions. Russia, in particular, criticized the proposed reforms to the Security Council, fearing it would erode its influence as a permanent member. Both Russia and China expressed concerns that the Pact would shift the global power balance, with China additionally resisting frameworks for technological governance, particularly around AI regulation.
While the summit was conceived as crucial step in preparing the world for future risks and ensuring more equitable development, challenges has emerged, especially concerning the participation of Arab states and their role within the broader global governance system.
Global Criticism of the Summit
One of the major critiques of the summit centers on the ineffectiveness of the UN in fulfilling its three core objectives—maintaining global peace and security, protecting human rights, and fostering development – particularly considering the recent conflicts in the Arab region. Since its inception in 1945, the UN’s power dynamics have disproportionately favored Western nations, particularly in the UN Security Council, where the five permanent members hold veto power. It has perpetuated an imbalance, making it difficult to resolve conflicts in Palestine, Syria, and beyond. The ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine are prime examples of how veto powers have stifled interventions necessary to secure peace and uphold human rights, thus limiting the UN’s role as an effective mediator.
This imbalance extends beyond geopolitics, revealing economic and developmental inequities. The UN’s failure to reform the Security Council’s permanent membership has resulted in one-sided decision-making, which frequently overlooks the priorities of developing nations, including those in the Arab world. This is particularly evident in the Middle East, where conflicts are often marginalized when they clash with P5 interests. This selective attention raises important questions about the UN’s ability to create a truly inclusive system capable of addressing the urgent crises of our time.
Additionally, the summit also exposed the UN’s glaring failure to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, with only 17% of these targets currently on track. Rising global poverty, continued reliance on fossil fuels, and worsening gender inequality are just a few issues underscoring the need for systemic reforms. The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, essential to achieving SDG 5 (gender equality), remains under-prioritized in both global and regional discussions, overshadowed by an excessive focus on military expenditures. This oversight is critical for the Arab world, where ongoing conflicts disproportionately impact women and girls. Furthermore, while technological advances such as artificial intelligence offer potential solutions, unregulated use could exacerbate inequality, particularly in the Arab region where digital divides are pronounced and youth unemployment is a major issue.
Arab Participation: a missed opportunity
Observations about Arab participation at the summit highlight several challenges. For many Arab states, the summit represented another example of how the current global power structure primarily serves Western interests. These structures, dominated by a few powerful nations, fail to reflect the needs and aspirations of developing countries, including Arab nations.
Several specific challenges emerged regarding Arab involvement:
- Lack of Coherence and Dialogue.
What analysts observed was the lack of a unified strategy among Arab countries. While some states took the opportunity to showcase its efforts in economic diversification and climate initiatives, the broader Arab presence was fragmented. The region’s inability to present a cohesive approach—especially on pressing issues like the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon—weakened its collective voice. Moreover, civil society organizations from the Arab world were underrepresented, limiting the diversity of perspectives that could have strengthened regional advocacy. The absence of a clear, united stance among Arab nations reflects a missed opportunity to prioritize developmental needs, especially regarding youth unemployment, economic inequality, and climate vulnerability—all pressing issues across the region.
- Developmental Priorities Overlooked.
The summit could have provided a platform to spotlight the unique developmental challenges facing the Arab world. However, despite the potential, these concerns were not adequately addressed. Issues such as economic inequality, political instability, and climate resilience remain central to the Arab region’s future yet were sidelined in favor of broader global discussions on climate action and financial reform. Moreover, the summit’s failure to adequately integrate the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda—an essential framework for gender equality and development—was another glaring oversight. Equally concerning was the lack of attention to peace and security challenges in relation to refugees and displacement. Given the region’s wars, mass displacement, and resource scarcity, addressing these issues through the WPS framework could have driven more comprehensive discussions on inclusive peace processes, post-conflict recovery, and the long-term integration of displaced populations. Unfortunately, these priorities were largely neglected, particularly in relation to climate change and inequality.
- Learning from Others
A notable success came from Saudi Arabia, which demonstrated significant progress on key global challenges. The kingdom highlighted its ambitious projects under Vision 2030, showing how national reforms can align with global sustainability goals. However, this assertiveness was not mirrored by other Arab nations, many of which did not take full advantage of the summit to push their own developmental agendas. Other regions, particularly those in Africa and Asia, showed more proactive engagement, advocating for financial system reforms and debt relief more effectively. The lack of strong Arab participation left many regional issues unaddressed, perpetuating the perception of the Arab world as reactive rather than proactive in shaping global governance.
- Economic Cooperation as a Path Forward:
The absence of regional economic cooperation among Arab states remains a critical weakness. Despite geographic proximity and shared interests, there remains an absence of robust economic partnerships that could enhance collective influence on the global stage. For instance, while regions like the European Union and African Union have established cohesive economic blocs to advance their interests, the Arab world continues to struggle with fragmented economic policies. As highlighted in the Summit for the Future, the Arab region needs to address the growing economic divide between its wealthy oil states and poorer nations like Yemen and Sudan, which are facing severe developmental setbacks. Without a unified economic strategy, Arab states risk being marginalized in future global forums
Our Takeaways
The Summit for the Future presented a pivotal opportunity for Arab states to assert their presence on the global stage and advocate for their unique developmental challenges. However, the fragmented participation and lack of a unified strategy underscore a significant disconnect between the region’s priorities and the broader international agenda. As the Arab world faces pressing issues such as economic inequality, political instability, and the ongoing impact of conflict, it is imperative that these concerns are voiced and addressed within global forums. The outcomes of the summit highlight the urgent need for Arab nations to adopt a cohesive approach to regional cooperation, particularly in economic partnerships and social equity. By presenting a united front, Arab states can better influence global governance structures, challenge existing power dynamics, and push for reforms that reflect the needs and aspirations of their populations. Furthermore, integrating the Women, Peace, and Security agenda into these discussions is crucial, as it not only addresses gender disparities but also enhances the effectiveness of peacebuilding and development efforts in the region. Empowering women in decision-making processes ensures a more inclusive approach to governance and fosters sustainable progress. Ultimately, the future of Arab participation in international relations hinges on its ability to assertively engage in global dialogues, prioritize youth and gender equality, and collaborate on shared challenges. By doing so, Arab states can reshape their role in the evolving international system and secure a future that aligns with their interests and those of their people. The lesson is clear: meaningful participation in global governance is essential for the Arab world to influence outcomes that matter most to its citizens and to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable global landscape.
To ensure that the outcomes of the summit are translated into meaningful action, we recommend the following steps:
- Formulate a Regional Action Plan for a comprehensive framework for peace and stabilization in the Arab world to ensure the implementation of a joint action plan. This plan should include measurable targets, timelines, and accountability mechanisms.
- Enhance Engagement with Civil Society through formal channels for dialogue and collaboration between governments and civil society organizations across the Arab region. This could involve creating platforms for regular consultation, ensuring that diverse voices contribute to policy discussions and decision-making processes.
- Implement a Regional Refugee and Migration Strategy focused on the long-term challenges of refugee and migration issues. This strategy should prioritize the integration of displaced populations, provision of essential services, and protection of human rights, particularly in countries like Lebanon and Jordan which host significant numbers of refugees.
- Facilitate Knowledge Exchange and Best Practices. Hosting workshops, forums, or online platforms for knowledge exchange will enable countries to learn from one another and adapt successful strategies to their specific contexts.
