President Nangolo Mbumba has encouraged all UN member states to reflect seriously on how they can continue to build on multilateralism.
He said this as the negotiations for the Pact of the Future are underway, to be adopted at the end of the Summit of the Future in New York.
President Mbumba and co-facilitor of the Summit of the Future, Chancellor Olaf Scholtz of Germany, convened a global call to discuss the expectations anchored on the strength of multilateralism.
Dr. Mbumba made it clear that Namibia's hope is that the Pact will lay new foundations for enhanced representation and inclusivity, which better reflect the present global realities.
These range from challenges of climate change and geopolitical tensions to the need for urgent implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
President Mbumba says therefore the Summit of the Future should be a platform for bold ideas and concrete commitments.
"No single nation, no matter how powerful, can solve the complex, cross-border issues that confront us. From pandemics to cyber security, from migration to the digital economy, multilateral solutions are imperative. This requires the involvement not just of states but also of civil society, the private sector, and non-state actors. While the negotiations for the Pact of the Future are still ongoing in New York, I strongly encourage all Member States to reflect in earnest on how we can continue to build on multilateralism."
The persistent calls for the reform of the UN's most powerful body, the Security Council, are another issue Namibia anticipates being honoured.
"We also look forward to seeing an outcome that addresses, particularly UN Security Council reform to address contemporary challenges more effectively. We must enhance the UN's capacity to respond quickly to crises, whether they are humanitarian, environmental, or security-related. The digitalisation of our world has been a critical prerequisite for development, and through the Pact of the Future and the Global Digital Compact, I look forward to the UN employing new technologies to respond to crises, improve transparency, and engage more effectively with global citizens."
Germany says the Pact for the Future will afford the UN to re-enforce the fundamentals of any international order.
The UN Chief admits that the world body in its current form is ill-equipped to respond to new and existential crises.
Antonio Guterres thus highlighted the need to push harder for reforms.
The Summit of the Future takes place from the 20th to 23rd of September.