“Pact for the Future: Informal interactive dialogue of the Assembly on the implementation of the Pact for the Future - Looking ahead to 2028”

Thank you Mr President, 
Excellencies, 

The Pact for the Future represents our collective commitment to revitalize multilateralism, address global challenges, and keep the promise of the 2030 Agenda alive. However, to truly deliver on the commitments made in 2024, we must invest in what makes progress possible: democracy.

Implementing the Pact demands that we strengthen democratic and accountable institutions, as is also highlighted in SDG 16. They are the foundation for policies that leave no one behind and build the resilience our societies need. Resilient democratic institutions are our best defense against corruption, injustice and inequalities.

Democratic oversight, open budgets, and civil society engagement help ensure that resources reach those most in need. Member States must honor international commitments to sustainable development financing, support debt relief and fair taxation, and invest in the most vulnerable countries. They should also support democracy, as an accelerator of both implementation and impact.

We must harness data and evidence for accuracy and accountability. Here too, a democratic and inclusive approach is essential. Official and non-official data—including from expert assessments, civil society, and public opinion data—are essential to monitor progress and ensure promises translate into real change for people and the planet. Non-official data, in particular, play a crucial role in filling data gaps and should be included as complementary data sources to national statistics. 

Excellencies,

Democracy is not just an ideal — it is an enabler of broader progress. When institutions are resilient and democratic governance is upheld, progress across multiple development goals accelerates—whether on poverty reduction, gender equality, climate action, or accountable public services. It is democracy that best allows us to achieve these goals, which are outlined in both the 2030 Agenda and the Pact for the Future. It is democracy that allows diverse voices to be heard, conflicts to be resolved peacefully, and trust to be rebuilt between people and institutions. 

Yet, democratic backsliding, shrinking civic space, and rising authoritarianism undermine the institutions and freedoms needed to implement the commitment of the Pact and those of the 2030 Agenda. As we look to 2028, let us put people at the center of our efforts — for it is only through people’s participation that peaceful, just and resilient societies may be built. Let us commit to defending democracy — for it is through democracy that we may leave no one behind. 

The Pact for the Future is our chance to act — and it is democracy that will make its promise real. 

Thank you.