Scholz: “The Pact for the Future can serve as a compass for us.”

New York (dpa) – World leaders in New York have adopted a plan to reform the UN, negotiations having been led by Germany. The pact aims to ready the United Nations for the challenges of the 21st century. It is also a commitment to multilateral cooperation. Russia has distanced itself from the agreement, which was supposed to be adopted unanimously. In his speech, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the reform plan. “The Pact for the Future can serve as a compass for us. A compass whose needle points towards more cooperation and partnership, instead of towards more conflict and fragmentation.” 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that the Pact for the Future would “open pathways to new possibilities and opportunities for peace and security”. The pact includes declarations of intent to reform the UN Security Council and calls to rebalance the international financial system in favour of the Global South. The Pact will also form the first plank in global regulations around artificial intelligence. The text also opposes an arms race in space. On Monday German Chancellor Scholz will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in New York.