General Assembly Supports Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States, Decides Modalities of World Social Summit, Adopting Three Texts
Speakers Also Discuss Role of Peacebuilding Commission, Urge Greater Resources to Increase Its Engagement in Building, Sustaining Peace
The General Assembly today adopted three texts — including a resolution in support of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States — and conducted a debate on building peace, with speakers applauding the work of the Peacebuilding Commission and calling for resources to increase its engagement.
Adopted without a vote, the draft resolution titled “Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States: A Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity” (document A/78/L.80), endorsed that text, which was the outcome document of the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States. The resolution also expressed gratitude to Antigua and Barbuda for hosting the Conference from 27 to 30 May.
The Agenda urges support for efforts to establish a “SIDS Centre of Excellence” in Antigua and Barbuda and calls for international support to help small island developing States (SIDS) strengthen health systems, build strong institutions, achieve gender equality and empower youth. It also seeks international support for the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of oceans, marine resources and biodiversity. Further, it commits to facilitate easier access to affordable and concessional finance.
Prior to the vote on today’s text, the Assembly Secretary noted that its adoption would give rise to budgetary implications for additional post and non-post resources in the range of $600,000 to $1 million in 2025 and a range of $200,000 to $500,000 for 2026 and thereafter. Further, the request for the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to establish SIDS divisions, within existing resources, would necessitate shifting of resources. The two regional commissions are presently unable to identify activities that could be curtailed to effect this, she said, also drawing attention to the concerns expressed by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on the use of the phrase “within existing resources” in a number of Assembly resolutions and decisions. A revised estimates report would be submitted for consideration by the General Assembly, through its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), during the main part of its seventy-ninth session, she added.
Speaking in explanation of position afterwards, delegates welcomed the adoption, with many noting the destruction caused in recent days by Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. “For us, climate change is a lived reality,” said Orlando Habet, Minister for Sustainable Development and Climate Change of Belize, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Spotlighting his region’s well-documented vulnerability to diverse challenges, he said the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda “sets out a clear vision to steer the international community’s collaboration with SIDS for the next 10 critical years.” In particular, he welcomed the “significant” progress made on the multidimensional vulnerability index.
“Agreeing to a programme of action is only a first step,” the representative of Samoa, who spoke on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), pointed out, adding that SIDS left the Conference with “cautious optimism”. The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda calls for deliberate action and sustainable partnerships, he said, adding: “We are past the point of tokenism.” Highlighting the importance of operationalizing the SIDS Centre of Excellence, he called for discipline in fulfilling long-standing commitments, and noted that effective implementation will require financing, capacity-building, technology transfer, data collection and technical cooperation.
Echoing that call, the representative of Uganda, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, stressed the need for urgent action to address the financing gap and increasing debt burden faced by small island and other developing countries. This includes reform of the international financial architecture so that it can respond to such States’ needs by facilitating easier access to affordable and concessional finance. He pointed out that the “distinct nature and unique vulnerabilities” of SIDS makes them a “special case that requires targeted support from the international community” and emphasized that developed countries are obliged to assist developing ones in meeting their development objectives.
When his country agreed to host the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, the representative of Antigua and Barbuda said, it was with the hope that the next 10-year framework for those States would be transformative. Highlighting the extraordinary potential that defines such States, he said the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda is crucial to unleashing that. “Our islands are the first to bear witness” to rising sea levels and other climate change impacts, he said, adding that the Agenda is both a framework for hope and a declaration of solidarity.
However, the representative of the Russian Federation, while expressing support for the aspirations of SIDS, said his delegation does not recognize the link between climate and security, as observed in the Agenda. Regarding the use of artificial intelligence and demographic data, he noted the lack of international law norms on this matter. Türkiye’s delegate, also expressing reservations about the climate and security linkage, dissociated from references made to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. That Convention is insufficient to address modern challenges relating to the law of the sea, including those posed by climate change, she said.
Also adopted today without a vote was a draft resolution concerning the modalities of the World Social Summit under the title “the Second World Summit for Social Development” (document A/78/L.93) By its terms, the Assembly decided that it will be held at the level of Heads of State or Government in Qatar from 4 to 6 November 2025, and that it will adopt a concise, action-oriented political declaration, agreed in advance by consensus.
Prior to the text’s adoption, the Assembly Secretary noted that the requests referred to in its operative paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11 would entail new activities in 2025 entailing conferencing services for the World Social Summit and assistance and support for its organization and preparation. Adoption of the draft would give rise to budgetary implications for additional non-post resources in the range of $900,000 to $1.1 million, under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management; section 9, Economic and social affairs; and section 28, Global communications, in 2025. A revised estimates report would be submitted for consideration by the General Assembly, through the Fifth Committee, during the main part of its seventy-ninth session, she said.
In explanations of position delivered before and after adoption, a number of speakers welcomed the Summit, with the representative of Uganda, who spoke on behalf of Group of 77 and China, describing the Summit as a crucial platform for dialogue and the forging of new alliances. Djibouti’s delegate, called on States to contribute to the trust fund in support of preparations for the Summit, adding that a revised draft of the fund’s terms of reference should be prepared and circulated to Member States for their approval.
Morocco’s delegate, who coordinated negotiations on the text, expressed commitment to negotiating the declaration in an open and inclusive manner, engaging all States and stakeholders. His co-coordinator, the representative of Belgium, said the declaration will be ambitious and action-oriented, and will intensify momentum towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The representative of Hungry, speaking for the European Union, noted that the text recognizes the strong interdependence between social development and social justice, peace and security and all fundamental human rights. She also looked forward to the participation of civil society in the Summit.
However, the representative of the Russian Federation, while welcoming the consensus adoption, said her delegation does not support operative paragraph 9, which provides for the participation of civil society organizations that do not have consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. “This has proven ineffective on many occasions,” she stressed, expressing hope that this operative paragraph will not serve as a precedent for other decisions. Along similar lines, the representative of Türkiye added that “articles of this modalities resolution should not constitute a precedent”, and rejected attempts to circumvent established UN procedures “to create alternative tracks for participation of non-State parties to UN conferences and summits”.
Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted a draft decision on accreditation and participation of an intergovernmental organization in the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (document A/78/L.94). By its terms, the Assembly decided to accredit the African Tax Administration Forum and invited it to participate as an intergovernmental organization in the work of the Conference, and in its preparatory process as an observer.
The Assembly also held a debate on building and sustaining peace, taking up the report of the Peacebuilding Commission (documents A/78/765 and Corrigendum 1) and the Secretary-General’s report on the Peacebuilding Fund (document A/78/779).
The representative of Brazil, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, described that body as “a unique forum where countries share their challenges, experiences and best practices in peacebuilding and sustaining peace”. Spotlighting its increased and diversified engagements aimed at promoting meaningful actions in support of the countries that engaged with it, he said it also aimed at attracting new countries that voluntarily and “in a fully nationally owned way”, may request its partnership. The Commission’s work is grounded in the understanding that sustainable peace and security must be anchored on some fundamental pillars, including sustainable social and economic development, food security, and human rights. In May, he added, the Commission took a concrete step to strengthen its partnership with the African Union by formally issuing a standing invitation to the African Union to participate in all the Commission’s meetings, he said.
The representative of Croatia, speaking in his capacity as Chair of the Commission’s seventeenth session, highlighted “its bridging role with other intergovernmental bodies”. In 2023, it provided 16 advisories to the Security Council, 3 to the General Assembly and 2 to the Economic and Social Council. It held 20 ambassadorial-level meetings and carried out three substantive missions — to Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Ethiopia — in 2023. It also broadened its scope — including by holding meetings for the first time on Canada, Honduras, Mozambique, Nepal and Norway — while continuing its engagement with the Great Lakes region, among others.
“We must dispel the myth that conflict prevention is something intrusive and negative,” said the representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer. In fact, it is a universal responsibility that all Member States have signed up to in the UN Charter, she said. There is a need to broaden the Fund’s donor base and strengthen its relationship with international financial institutions and regional development banks, she noted. The Union and its member States provide “more than 60 per cent” of the Fund’s financing, she said, adding that the Fund will benefit from assessed contributions.
Acknowledging the Assembly’s achievement in allocating $50 million in assessed funding for the Peacebuilding Fund, Egypt’s delegate said that, while this is a major milestone, “we must not become complacent”. Calling on delegates to build on this initial step and broaden the resource pool, he said it is necessary to seek additional avenues of support, enhance partnerships with regional and subregional organizations and harness the Fund’s potential. Calling for a more comprehensive understanding of peace that goes beyond traditional frameworks to address the root causes of conflict, he said this will require capacity-building for local institutions. Further it is crucial to operationalize the notion of national ownership, he said, adding that the Commission should support “self-led peace initiatives”.
South Africa’s delegate pointed to the Commission’s untapped potential, adding that it has the capacity to offer more support for prevention of violent outbreaks and restoration of constitutional or democratic order, among others. The Fund remains an important source of funding for United Nations peacebuilding activities, he said, welcoming the use of assessed contributions towards peacebuilding. The private sector can play a critical role in financing peacebuilding activities through “peace-positive investment”, he added, while the peacebuilding architecture review provides a platform to further enhance the working methods of the Commission.
The representative of Denmark, also speaking for Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, stressed: “Invest in peace.” Every penny invested in prevention saves many dollars in conflict management, he observed. Civil society participation is key — as is that of women, he said, underscoring the need to ensure that the peacebuilding architecture review is informed by the voices of those in affected countries. “It is not an easy time to build peace and prevent violent conflict,” he observed, calling for multilateralism “with the UN at its core”.
Acknowledging that the review “takes place at challenging times due to the lack of trust among the membership and the struggle to find convergence”, Italy’s delegate urged those present to “find common ground on some building blocks where a wide consensus is within reach” — namely, on the universality of conflict prevention, the importance of national prevention strategies and the need to allocate more financial resources for peacebuilding. To enhance the Security Council’s engagement with the Commission’s advice, he said — “to make this qualitative leap” — such advice “must 100 per cent reflect previous interactions with the States involved”.
Detailing one such interaction, Colombia’s delegate expressed appreciation for the role of the Commission and the Fund in her country’s peace processes, and recalled her Government’s standing request for international support for its “total peace policy”. The Fund has worked harmoniously with the Commission to find critical opportunities for peacebuilding and connect the development, humanitarian, human rights and peace pillars, she said. She also highlighted the human catastrophe in Palestine and the consequent erosion of fundamental principles of international law, urging those participating in these conflicts to respect the laws of war and humanitarian principles.
The representative of Timor-Leste also drew attention to the peacebuilding process in his country, adding that the Commission’s inclusive approach not only strengthens the resilience of communities, but also fosters long-lasting peace, commending the Commission’s strategic focus on preventive measures. Emphasizing the essential role of early warning systems and rapid-response mechanism, he said the report on the Peacebuilding Fund shows how targeted financial support has led to tangible improvements in security, governance and socioeconomic conditions. True enduring peace is built from within communities, he underscored.