Russia Failed to Amend the UN’s “Pact For the Future”

The new draft pact was adopted during the UN’s two-day “Summit for the Future” on 22 and 23 September 2024. It’s the most wide-ranging international agreement adopted for many years, covering entirely new areas as well as issues on which an agreement has not been possible in decades, says the UN.

“Pact for the Future” has a recommitment to complete nuclear disarmament, modernizing its peacekeeping and war prevention and recommitting the UN to support the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in holding those who violate its Charter accountable.

The draft also covers a broad range of other issues including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance.

The Pact would “lay the foundations for a sustainable, just, and peaceful global order – for all peoples and nations,” The President of the General Assembly, Philémon Yang noted.

“We cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents

António Guterres

UN Secretary-General

Russia and Iran were among the seven nations to reject the “Pact for the Future”, all of those countries being some of the most heavily sanctioned in the world.

Russia reportedly objected to 25 of the draft divisions including disarmament, asserting the primacy of national jurisdiction, sexual and reproductive health rights, and gender empowerment.

Russia pushed for an amendment to the agreement, claiming that it favors Western interests. Russian representative Sergei Vershinin said “Nobody is happy with this treaty,” but Russia’s request for amendments was rejected by 143 votes to 7.

Dmitry Polyanskiy Russia’s UN Representative said that Russia had “nothing to celebrate” with the Pact’s adoption, adding that “the pact is unbalanced and contains very dangerous provisions which will backfire and undermine multilateralism and intergovernmental nature of the UN.” 

Polyanskiy wrote on X that “the majority from the ‘jungle’ like a herd simply didn’t have the guts to protest and stand for their rights. It will be the one which will bear the consequences,” and said that Russia has now distanced itself from consensus on the pact. 

Russian representatives requested amendments when other countries had already made decisions to move forward and implement them. It remains to be seen what Russia’s response will be and how the UN will move forward in actually implementing its goals. 

Their goals and new processes aim to be achieved over the years to come.