Nairobi, 21 August, 2024 ¡ª Ahead of next month¡¯s Summit of the Future where world leaders are expected to commit to rebooting international cooperation, members of the Kenya¡¯s civil society met to discuss the proposed Summit outcomes, and the collaboration needed to implement the finally-agreed global agreements in the country.
The Summit of the Future is scheduled to take place 22-23 September 2024 in New York, USA, during the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly. Intergovernmental negotiations are currently underway for the Summit¡¯s outcomes, the Pact for the Future, and its two annexes - the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact.
These key frameworks aim at promoting sustainable development, human rights for all, a fairer global financial system, equitable digital access, new approaches to peace, securing a future for all, and more.
At a high-profile Civil Society Consultation held under the banner "Bringing the Pact Home," Dr Stephen Jackson, the UN in Kenya Resident Coordinator emphasized the urgency of renewing the global social contract, a central theme of the upcoming summit.
¡°Kenya has a unique opportunity to drive the drafting of the Pact for the Future, particularly in areas like climate change and youth empowerment,¡± Jackson stated in his keynote address. He highlighted civil society¡¯s role in holding governments accountable for implementing these global commitments, highlighting Kenya¡¯s leadership in climate advocacy and digital governance.
Hosted by the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Nairobi, the event gathered over 80 participants, including representatives from civil society, UN agencies, government officials, and international partners. The goal was clear: to ensure that the outcomes of the upcoming Summit of the Future resonate with Kenya¡¯s needs and priorities and are effectively localized.
Key recommendations included enhancing collaborations among stakeholders, prioritizing climate and environmental financing, and developing mechanisms to monitor and evaluate progress. Participants emphasized inclusivity, particularly for youth and women, and the need of integrating the Pact into Kenya¡¯s national development agenda and extending its impact to the broader African context.
Echoing Jackson¡¯s sentiments, Ms. Beatrice Mucheru Muthigani, Director of Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, underscored the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing global challenges such as terrorism and climate change.
She advocated for reforms in the international financial architecture to better support developing nations, stressing, ¡°Empowering our youth and enhancing digital literacy are not just global goals¡ªthey are vital for Kenya¡¯s future.¡±
Making the global local
¡°We are here to make the global local,¡± declared Florence Syevuo, Executive Director of the SDGs Kenya Forum, as she opened the session. Her words set the tone for a day of dynamic discussions aimed at aligning global frameworks with Kenya¡¯s Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The consultation also featured a presentation by Carole Ageng¡¯o, Co-chair of the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Support of the Summit of the Future, who shared insights from the May 9-10 conference attended by over 2,000 participants from 151 countries. She emphasized the importance of promoting women¡¯s leadership, advancing climate action, and strengthening youth engagement. ¡°This is about making sure that civil society remains at the heart of these discussions,¡± Ageng¡¯o said.
Sandra Macharia, Director of UN Information Service Nairobi, outlined the proposed outcomes of the Summit of the Future, including restoring trust in multilateral systems, reaffirming commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, and enhancing youth participation in global decision-making.
¡°We are not just talking about global frameworks; we are talking about real, actionable commitments that can make a difference on the ground,¡± Macharia emphasized.
A panel discussion moderated by Memory Kachambwa, Executive Director of FEMNET, explored the relevance of the Summit¡¯s proposed outcomes in the Kenyan context. Panelists, including Charles Mwangi of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and Mumbi Ndungu of Power Learn Project, called for stronger frameworks to support digital inclusion and climate action. They underscored the critical role of civil society in implementing the Pact, stressing the importance of making technology accessible and beneficial for all.
World Caf¨¦ sessions deep dive
Participants also engaged in interactive World Caf¨¦ sessions, where they delved deeper into key drafts for the Summit of the Future. Discussions on the draft Pact for the Future, facilitated by human rights lawyer Stephanie Musho, emphasized the integration of health and food security into the Pact, aligning it with international legal standards.
The session on the draft Global Digital Compact, led by Jane Mangwana of the Africa Population Health and Research Center, highlighted the potential of digital infrastructure for activism and the need for secure, inclusive digital spaces for marginalized communities.
Another group, facilitated by Samuel Mue and Anne Nyakerario Omari, focused on the draft Declaration on Future Generations, advocating for stronger youth engagement and the preservation of local languages in digital platforms.
