Second World Summit on Social Development in Doha- Press Conference | United Nations

“Without social justice, there will never be long-lasting peace and security,” said Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, as she previewed next week’s World Social Summit in Doha. Baerbock recalled that “30 years ago, world leaders underlined in Copenhagen that dignity, opportunity and inclusion must be at the heart not only of development, but at the heart of the United Nations.” Briefing the reporters in New York today (29 Oct) she noted that while the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development had been “another milestone for social development and also the strong push for our SDGs,” progress remains uneven. “Still today, 30 years after Copenhagen and ten years after the Agenda 2030, over 800 million people still live in extreme poverty,” Baerbock said. The President of the General Assembly stressed that the upcoming summit in Doha would aim to “underline the purpose of Copenhagen, to act and to bring forward solutions to reduce poverty once and for all.” Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, said her country was “delighted to welcome the international community: more than 8,000 participants from member states, the United Nations, civil society, academia, the private sector, workers and employers and youth all coming together in Doha to recommit to social justice and put people at the center of sustainable development.” She added that “Doha has emerged as a symbol of dialogue and global solidarity by hosting these milestone moments for the United Nations,” noting that “at the heart of the Summit will be the adoption, of course, of the Doha Political Declaration on Social Development.” Touching on recent developments in the Middle East, Sheikha Alya said, “Doha has been intensively engaged in the reaching of a ceasefire in Gaza. Our leadership has been highly engaged in this matter, and we very much look forward to what comes next. For us what is important is to sustain this ceasefire.” She emphasized that “if you don't address education in Gaza immediately, you will not sustain the situation, because education gives the stability element in any situation.” The ambassador said the summit’s strength lies in bringing together different angles like peace and security, human rights and development. Returning to the link between development and conflict, Baerbock said, “Social justice is very hard to deliver on in wartime, obviously, but the other side is also true. Without social justice, there won't be lasting peace.” She added that deprivation and lack of opportunity often drive displacement and extremism, underscoring that “social justice is the base for a better and safer and more secure world.”


For more information or to watch video on YouTube, click here!