79th United Nations General Assembly Summit of The Future: Action Days Summary

Pan-African Solutions Consulting team, Chevelle Dixon and Chawezi Thorne, attended the 79th United Nations General Assembly’s Summit of The Future: Action Days on Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 21st. The 9th UN Secretary General António Guterres convened the Summit to forge a new international consensus amongst representatives from UN member states, civil society, private sector, academia, local and regional authorities, and youth, on how to deliver a better present and safeguard the future. Action Day 1 commenced in the General Assembly Hall with an Opening Ceremony address from UN Secretary General Guterres and youth leaders from around the world, which set the tone for a commitment to move the agenda forward.

Day 2 panels resonated strongly with Pan-African Solutions Consulting mission to forge transformative partnerships that uplift marginalized communities, fostering sustainable innovation, human capital, inclusivity, and equity. The Summit’s youth and future generations focal themes included: Sustainable development and financing for development; International peace and security; and Science, technology and digital cooperation.

A Sustainable Future For All

Chevelle is deeply inspired by the Action Day 2 Sustainable track’s focus on multi-stakeholder partnerships for financing sustainable development. 

As a continuation from discussions between the Summit of the Future and

 Black Diaspora small island nations cross cooperation, led by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in elevating human capital and social outcomes towards a sustainable future for our youth and future generations. Africa and small island nations will continue to bear the brunt of climate change. A sole reliance on philanthropic aid will not cover the financial gaps caused by natural disasters. The discussions on moving from words of the Pact to action included also financing this sustainable development, making it accessible and inclusive to local populations, and to rethinking the credit system in African and other least developed countries. The role of African leadership was made clear by Ms. Chimi Neliaku of Nigeria who acknowledged that by 2050 a quarter of the world's people will be African or of African descent. By then, the Black Diaspora will not just be focused on solving Africa’s problems, but the world’s problems.

As an academically trained economist, it was refreshing see innovative collaborations with universities that spurred a global push beyond gross domestic product (GDP) as the primary metric for measuring the economic wellness of a country toward other indexed metrics related to environmental and human capital indicators.  We agree with the suggestion to create an index to assess the underlying wealth of a country. The inclusion of other indicators, metrics, and data methodology collection will aid the index towards more comprehensive and equitable policy making. These policies should encourage investments in sustainable human capital and natural capital.

A Digital Future For All

Chawezi is deeply inspired by the Action Day 2 Digital track focus on leveraging digital technology to bridge the digital divide and accelerate sustainable development across the Global South through the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and the AI.

The Summit serves as a reminder that achieving a truly inclusive AI economy requires sustained collaboration among governments, civil society, and the private sector. For Africa, this means not only addressing infrastructure gaps but also ensuring that the benefits of AI-driven solutions in health, education, and economic growth are accessible to all, including underserved and rural populations. For example, Microsoft, Google, Khan Academy, and Open AI’s efforts to extend affordable internet access and digital skilling programs, such as those seen in Kenya, Zambia, and Nigeria, will drive socioeconomic growth and align with the SDGs.

The Summit’s outcomes underscore a promising path forward, where digital transformation and AI can play a pivotal role in shaping a more equitable and prosperous future for Africa and the world, such as the conversation on AI governance, privacy, and cybersecurity.

Outcome: The Pact

One important outcome of The Summit of the Future was the adoption of the Pact for the Future with annexes Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations on Sunday, September 22, 2024. The Pact covers a broad range of themes including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance. Pan-African Solutions Consulting looks forward to working with global leaders on initiatives declared in the PACT and   is hopeful for the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in June 2025.

Chevelle Dixon and Chawezi Thorne represent Pan-African Solutions at the 79th UNGA.