Published On 5/11/2025
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Last update: 07:17 (Mecca time)
Doha- In a milestone described as an extension of an international path that spanned three decades since the Copenhagen Summit in 1995, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Doha Political Declaration of the Second World Summit for Social Development, announcing from the Qatari capital the completion of a new phase of the global effort aimed at consolidating social justice and enhancing the place of the human being at the heart of development.
The President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, confirmed the official ratification of the “Doha Political Declaration” during the opening session of the summit hosted by Doha between November 4 and 6, with wide participation from leaders and officials of the United Nations and countries of the world.
Baerbock stressed that the adoption of the declaration constitutes a “decisive step” towards building comprehensive social development in which no one is left behind, stressing that Doha culminates in this adoption as the final stage in a long path that began 30 years ago in Copenhagen, when the first building blocks of the concept of comprehensive social development were laid.
Poverty, work and inclusion
The Doha Political Declaration contained 44 main articles, through which leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in 3 main interconnected pillars:
- Eliminate poverty in all its forms.
- Achieving full and productive employment and providing decent work for all.
- Promoting social inclusion.
The declaration links social justice on the one hand, and peace, security and human rights on the other, stressing the commitment of states not to marginalize any group, and calling for urgent measures to confront climate change in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement, with an emphasis on the Rio principles, most notably the principle of “common and differentiated responsibilities.”
The Rio Principles were a group of 27 international principles approved in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit), which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. These principles are a global reference for guiding environmental and development policies, and a basic pillar of the concept of sustainable development.
The Doha Declaration also stresses the necessity of fully implementing the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, putting people at the heart of the development process, taking into account the needs of current and future generations, and committing to protecting the planet from the risks of environmental degradation.
Financing and reform of the international system
The declaration gives clear priority to financing issues, as it reaffirms the Addis Ababa Action Agenda as an essential part of the 2030 Agenda, welcomes the “Seville Commitment” to renew the financing framework, and calls for building stronger and more representative multilateral institutions.
It also focuses on intergovernmental commitments related to social development, including what was stated in the political declarations of the 2019 and 2023 Sustainable Development Summits, in addition to the principles and directions contained in the “Charter for the Future.”
The Declaration reaffirms that the realization of civil, political, economic, social and cultural human rights, including the right to development, must be safeguarded and protected for all without exception, stressing that the eradication of extreme poverty remains the greatest challenge facing humanity and a basic condition for achieving sustainable development.
Muhammad Al-Hajji, editor-in-chief of Al-Watan newspaper: The Doha Political Declaration is a roadmap to activate and enhance social development initiatives worldwide. #Qatar_TV | #News_Center pic.twitter.com/24odd1SJvt
— Qatar Television (@QatarTelevision) November 4, 2025
Glaring gaps and worrying numbers
In her speech during the opening session, Baerbock pointed out that the past decades have brought tangible progress, represented by a decline in unemployment and extreme poverty rates, but she stressed that this progress “has not reached everyone.”
Burbock called for adopting interconnected solutions that recognize the intersection of the 17 sustainable development goals, considering that progress in one of the goals reflects positively on the rest of the goals, and stressed the importance of integrating the issues of equality, education, and decent work into one unified framework.
She also stressed the need to bridge a financing gap amounting to $4 trillion to achieve development goals, considering that the problem is not a lack of money, but rather how to invest it, with the need to reduce debts for the most fragile countries and promote innovation.
The Doha Political Declaration launches a call to action to achieve 15 goals that promote social development and eradicate poverty#Qena #Qatar pic.twitter.com/hxNK7xpuBl
– Qatar News Agency (@QatarNewsAgency) November 4, 2025
Combating racism and discrimination
The Doha Declaration recognizes that combating racism, discrimination and xenophobia is a basic condition for achieving just social development, stressing the international commitment to confront all forms of discrimination and hate speech on and off the Internet.
The Declaration calls for the adoption of effective legal, political and institutional measures to address racism in all its manifestations, and to ensure comprehensive participation in policy-making, to ensure the full enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights as universal, indivisible, interrelated and interrelated rights.
It also stresses the importance of mobilizing innovative and sustainable financing locally and internationally, including public-private partnerships, to ensure adequate social spending, expand health coverage, and support research and innovation.
The Doha Declaration also emphasizes the promotion of comprehensive, flexible and affordable health systems, based on primary health care and supported by a qualified workforce and appropriate infrastructure, and ensuring preparedness for pandemics and health emergencies by developing production capabilities and infrastructure and promoting equitable technology transfer, while protecting health data and patient privacy.
In the field of digital transformation, the declaration emphasizes bridging digital and knowledge gaps, promoting fair and safe access to digital technology, and using emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to support social development and public services, taking into account national contexts and protecting rights, and encouraging international cooperation and capacity building to accelerate innovation and achieve sustainable development goals.