Remarks by the President of the General Assembly
H.E. Ms. Annalena Baerbock
at the Joint Press Briefing with H.E. Ms. Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, PR of Qatar to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ
on the upcoming Second World Summit on Social Development
29 October 2025
[As Delivered]
Good afternoon,
And thanks for joining.
It is an honour for us to brief you today together, for the Second World Summit for Social Development, taking place, as you hopefully know, from 4 to 6 November, in Doha.
And this is a very special moment.
Because after thirty years this is the Second World Summit for Social Development.
And also having a press briefing here today with the host country and the President of the General Assembly underlines how important this social summit is for the United Nations, for the General Assembly.
As it comes directly after our High-Level Week and perfectly suited in the 80th session and therefore also the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations.
Because as we know 30 year ago, world leaders underlined in Copenhagen that dignity, opportunity and inclusion must be at the heart not only? of development but at the heart of the United Nations.
Knowing that without social justice there will never be long-lasting peace and security.
They met 30 years ago at Copenhagen at a time when more than 1.3 billion people – so over a quarter of the world – lived in deep poverty; merely surviving instead of thriving.
And we have made progress since then.
For instance, in the three decades since Copenhagen, the share of people living in extreme poverty has fallen from roughly 30 per cent of humanity to about 10 per cent today.
Yet, as we also know, within 30 years we have made special progress due to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda 10 years ago, another milestone for social development ¨C and also the strong push for our SDGS.
Besides all these successes still today, 30 years after Copenhagen, and 10 years after the 2030 Agenda was adopted, over 800 million people still live in extreme poverty.
And these abstract numbers mean in reality that people ask themselves questions which most of us would never ask ourselves:
Will I make the rent next month?
Do I have to choose between school fees and groceries?
What if a disaster strikes ¨C and in these hours we are thinking of the many people being hit by Hurricane Melissa.
What if the disaster strikes and everything is being destroyed?
Will I stand alone, or will somebody help me?
Would I end up homeless?
Meanwhile, prices are rising faster than wages.
Climate disasters are uprooting entire communities.
So social development is not an abstract matter for few.
But is the crucial question for all of us.
Social development is not only a matter principle; it is also the smartest investments we can make.
When people have access to decent work, when children remain in school, when health care and basic services are secured, societies grow stronger.
Economies gain confidence.
Trust in institutions is restored.
And the foundations of peace are reinforced.
Therefore, it¡¯s a moment of celebration – besides all the numbers, besides all the things we still have to delete ¨C that in Doha, leaders will meet again to underline the purpose of Copenhagen.
To act.
And to bring forward solutions:
–????????????? To reduce poverty once and for all.
–????????????? To expand universal social protection before crisis strikes;
–????????????? To create decent jobs for young people;
–????????????? And to ensure one of the newer topics in this social development ¨C that technologies are included for everyone; that artificial intelligence, opens pathways and opportunities not only for a few.
So therefore, this summit will not only bring together ¨C and I¡¯m really thankful also to the host country ¨C how many heads of state and ministers have signed up. but in Doha not only governments are coming together but also the younger generations: civil society, businesses, and local leaders.
The world is showing that we are not waiting.
That we are not there for more promises.
But that we are there for delivering.
Delivering on the principles of Copenhagen.
Delivering on a just and fair world forever.
And delivering on the promises we made 30 years ago at the First Social Summit ¨C underlining in Doha, again, that we are
Thank you