The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the most pivotal event on the United Nations calendar. At this year’s 79th United Nations General Assembly, the stakes have never been higher: global conflicts are on the rise and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is stalling. In fact, recent reports indicate that, at the current pace, none of the 17 SDGs will be achieved by 2030.
Vanessa McCulloch, Communications Director and Alice Laugher, CEO at UNGA 2024.
Despite these challenges, there was a strong sense of determination about the future. Private sector engagement emerged as a crucial driver of progress, offering innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. CTG was privileged to be there to be part of the conversation. Here are our takeaways:
Pact for the future
© UN Photo/Manuel Elías. Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary- General addressing global leaders at the Summit of the Future.
A key milestone of the week was the announcement of the Pact for the Future, the result of a year-long negotiation process.
The pact aims to establish a new foundation for global governance that is better equipped to deal with 21st century challenges. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres asserted, “we cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents.”
At 61-pages, the action-oriented accord is broad, covering areas such as peace and security, sustainable development, climate action, digital cooperation and human rights. It marks a breakthrough on previously elusive issues and represents a landmark moment for multilateral diplomacy.
By fostering greater collaboration across sectors, the agreement is a critical step towards creating a more peaceful, equitable, and resilient world.
Reclaiming WPS: A Renewed Call for Action and Accountability
CTG attended the Women Peace and Security Roundtable hosted by Thomson Reuters and the WPS Focal Points Network event titled Reclaiming Women, Peace, and Security: Defining a Path Forward.
The latter event gathered industry experts and leaders to discuss the urgent need to advance the WPS agenda. 24 years have passed since the WPS Agenda was adopted, but the world has not become more peaceful, particularly for women. Attendees stressed the urgency of action, highlighting alarming statistics such as the number of women living within 50 kilometres of an armed conflict has more than doubled since the 1990s.
A high-level side event of the Women, Peace and Security Focal Point’s Network.
23 speakers confirmed their country and organisation’s commitments. Ms. Paivi Kannisto, Chief of Peace, Security, and Resilience at UN Women, remarked: “This takes place at a time when women peacebuilders [worldwide] are calling for more decisive action from member states and regional organisations.” By her assessment, this was “one of the most important events of [the] week.”
CTG is honoured to have cemented its role as a key private-sector contributor to the WPS Agenda as a new member of the Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action (WPSHA) Compact.
Future Forward: Empowering Youth to Shape Global Change
An important theme in the Pact for the Future puts youth at the forefront, pushing for their inclusion in national and global decision-making processes to ensure they influence the policies that will shape their world.
The Summit of the Future event, Cultivating Global Opportunities for Youth, hosted by Forbes and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone, set the stage for dynamic conversations around youth empowerment. CTG CEO Alice Laugher joined the panel Innovative Approaches to Transforming Opportunities for Women and Girls in Emerging Economies where she, alongside other panellists, explored how youth entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment in emerging economies can become a force for peace and uplift entire communities.
Some of the most inspiring takeaways were:
- Dreaming bigger: What if young people weren’t just supported, but given opportunities to lead?
- Development through mentoring: Providing youth with internships, guidance, and real-world learning to equip them for the future.
- Unlocking entrepreneurial potential: Creating pathways for women by improving access to capital and nurturing the next generation of female leaders.
A powerful example of youth leadership came from Sierra Leone, where a significant portion of the cabinet is made up of young people.
Alice also highlighted CTG’s commitment to helping young women enter the job market in conflict-affected countries, sharing the success of CTG’s Female First programme, which provides young women with opportunities to gain experience and build their futures.
Action Day event, hosted by Forbes and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
The Frontline as Decision Makers
Don Cheadle addressing attendees of the UN Global Compact Leader’s Summit.
Actor, director and UN Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador Don Cheadle delivered a powerful opening message at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit event. Rejecting the traditional top-down development approach, he urged for a power shift.
Put people who are most impacted in the driver’s seat.
Cheadle declared, underscoring that frontline communities directly facing issues like climate change and conflict, often possess the most insightful solutions. “They must be contributors, leaders in shaping our strategies and thinking for a sustainable future… they often know best how to overcome the challenges… we must not discount these voices.”
This call to elevate frontline communities as decision-makers was echoed at the Goals House event Missing Peace: How Sustainable Development Can Foster Lasting Peace. Professor Severine Autesserre, an acclaimed author on peacebuilding and conflict resolution, reinforced: “Building peace doesn’t need billions in aid, it involves giving power to ordinary people.”
The sentiment was clear: lasting peace and sustainability require more than financial aid. It demands empowering those most impacted to shape the future by leveraging their lived experience and grassroots knowledge.
Balancing the Scales: Investing in Conflict Prevention for a Sustainable Future
During the session Sustainable Development and Peace, Simon Mundy from the Financial Times emphasised that nothing is more disastrous for sustainable development than conflict.
Building on this, Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of UNOPS, pointed out the imbalance in global funding. Over the last decade, humanitarian funding has jumped from 10% to 25%, yet only 4% of funding goes towards conflict prevention. This highlights the importance of prioritising prevention alongside response, ensuring that we actively work to prevent crises rather than just reacting to them.
For regions plagued by conflict, waiting for wars to end isn’t an option. Sustainable development and peace must be pursued together, proactively and hand-in-hand. The message from UNOPS was this: by engaging local stakeholders and prioritising prevention, we can work towards a more resilient and peaceful future.
Renewed Commitment
CTG left UNGA 2024 more determined than ever to champion women’s empowerment and support peacebuilding efforts in conflict-affected regions, driving meaningful impact where it matters most.