Doha: Participants at the Second World Summit for Social Development currently held in Doha reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the social development agenda, by enhancing and strengthening its framework for international and regional cooperation, as stipulated in the Copenhagen Declaration and the Doha Political Declaration issued today by the summit.
According to Qatar News Agency, participants decided to launch a five-year follow-up process for the Doha Declaration and the Copenhagen Declaration starting in 2031, to assess progress, identify gaps, renew commitments, and hold a high-level plenary meeting under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly. The methods and outcomes of this process are to be determined no later than the 85th session of the Assembly.
The declaration further requests the UN Secretary-General, in consultation with Member States and within the framework of the follow-up to the Doha Political Declaration and the Copenhagen Declaration, to prepare a report by the 85th session of the General Assembly evaluating progress and identifying gaps in the field of social development.
The Doha Political Declaration reaffirmed that the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) is entrusted with the primary responsibility for monitoring and reviewing the outcomes of the World Summit for Social Development, the results of the 24th special session of the General Assembly, the Doha Summit, and international government commitments on social development, while continuing to strengthen its role, including its contribution to the follow-up process.
The declaration calls on the UN regional commissions, within their respective mandates, to hold preparatory meetings at the regional level prior to the follow-up, aimed at assessing progress, gaps, and opportunities for the implementation of the Doha Political Declaration and the Copenhagen Declaration, using existing mechanisms and platforms for such preparatory regional meetings.
It also urged the Economic and Social Council, UN development system funds and programs, and relevant specialized agencies and organizations, within their mandates, to continue integrating international government commitments on social development into their work programs and actively participate in the follow-up process.
The declaration emphasized strengthening the effectiveness of multilateralism and international cooperation, encouraging inter-agency collaboration, and improving policy coherence within the UN system.
It also called for enhanced coordination between the United Nations and international financial institutions, within their mandates, through regular and substantive dialogues, including during the CSocD sessions, to promote financing and support mechanisms for advancing social development, particularly in developing countries.
The declaration urged increased participation and partnerships among all relevant stakeholders, including parliamentarians, civil society, employers’ and workers’ organizations, youth, persons with disabilities, academia, local and regional authorities, religious institutions, and the private sector, to implement commitments.
It called for support to developing countries, particularly African countries, least developed countries, small island developing states, and landlocked developing countries, to strengthen the capacity of their national statistical offices and data systems to ensure the availability of reliable, classified, and high-quality social development data in a timely manner.
In conclusion, the Doha Political Declaration stressed the commitment to unified efforts, political will, and decisive actions to advance concrete, integrated, and goal-oriented policies and measures for the implementation of the Doha Political Declaration and the achievement of social development for all, in line with the Copenhagen Declaration.