President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and an ad hoc delegation attended the UN Summit of the Future and the Action Days on September 20-23. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the delegation welcomed the UN’s Pact for the Future, adopted on September 22. They support its commitments to multilateralism for a fair, equitable, and inclusive future. The MEPs agreed that parliaments must now hold governments accountable for delivering on these commitments, including human rights, climate and Environment, peace and security, and reform of the international financial architecture and financing for development.
Barry Andrews (Renew, Ireland), Chair of the Committee on Development and co-chair of the 13-member delegation stated on the final day of the UN Summit of the Future, “It is clear from our visit that large reductions in development aid are causing significant suffering in our partner countries, particularly those affected by conflict, climate change, and food insecurity. The European Parliament needs to play a central role in supporting new sources of funding, particularly from international financial institutions, to ensure that we meet our commitments to Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.”
“The Pact for the Future should be a beacon of hope and a bold move towards a sustainable future, placing multilateralism at the heart of global governance and connecting regions and peoples in the pursuit of common goals, like the green transition and the eradication of extreme poverty. The Pact reflects the urgent need for strong and inclusive solutions to environmental crises, emphasising global solidarity, collective responsibility, and concrete actions to safeguard the planet for future generations,“ said Marta Temido (S&D, Portugal), co-chair of the delegation and member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
The 13 MEPs from five Parliament committees held one-on-one meetings with high-level UN and international representatives, parliamentarians worldwide, civil society representatives, and over 20 EU Youth Delegates. The discussions focused on future challenges and ways to advance priority themes, including sustainable development and financing, peace and security, and global governance.
The European Parliament and the National Assembly of Cote d’Ivoire co-hosted a discussion on “How can parliaments close the SDG financing gap?“ The event featured a speech by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. Additionally, the Parliament organised a side event on “Parliaments and Parliamentary Partnerships for The Women, Peace, and Security Agenda.“
Furthermore, the Parliament hosted a discussion on the role of parliaments in multilateralism at the global level. President Metsola delivered an opening speech, emphasising the importance of strengthening ties with other parliaments worldwide, referring to parliamentary multilateralism as modern democracy’s greatest success.
MEPs expressed satisfaction with the adoption of the Pact, which, alongside the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration for Future Generations, stands as an essential achievement for multilateralism.
