Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
H.E. Ms Annalena Baerbock,
Closing of the Second World Summit for Social Development
6 November 2025, Doha, Qatar
[As Delivered]
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
While I am closing this Second World Summit for Social Development, this is not an ending; it¡¯s the beginning.
The beginning of walking the last mile together.
To deliver on the Doha Declaration and the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.
To leave no one behind.
To leave no one behind through collective social action.
Action to provide classrooms and clinics.
Teachers and nurses.
Pensions and childcare.
Solar panels and sanitation.
Internet access and affordable housing.
Even though, as we just heard, we might not agree on every detail of these actions, the world underlines by consensus in the Doha Declaration that these are not abstract policies.
They are the very foundations of fairer, safer, and stronger societies.
30 years after the first Social Summit, countries here in Doha underlined that the time for talk is over.
This summit marks a deliberate shift from looking at the problem to acting on providing solutions and learning from each other.
We heard compelling examples of how civil society is working hand in hand with communities on the ground.
We heard from business leaders ready to engage and invest in social justice.
And we heard from over 100 heads of state and government and ministers all united in their commitment to deliver on the Doha Declaration we agreed by consensus.
And just before the Summit, we heard over 120 examples of multi-stakeholder solutions:
- From an online identification platform connecting hundreds of millions to digital public goods and benefits,
- To a project dismantling barriers to employment for persons with disabilities.
Now we have to ensure that we put these innovations and collaborations into action, and make them scalable to lift the remaining 800 million out of extreme poverty.
And let¡¯s be clear, it¡¯s not that the world lacks the money.
Recommitting to the SDGs means filling the 4 trillion US dollar annual resourcing gap – and there¡¯s plenty of capital out there, the question is where this capital and how it is invested.
Social development is not an act of charity¡ªit¡¯s in the self-interest of every country and is one of the smartest, most transformative investments we and Member States can make.
Inclusive business models could unlock an estimated 12 trillion US dollars in market opportunities and create 380 million jobs by 2030; jobs for men and women.
Because we know that when women thrive, not only societies prosper but also the whole economy.
Closing the gender digital divide alone could add over 100 trillion US dollars to the global economy by 2050¡ªmore than the combined GDP of the United States and China today.
Speaking about the power of women, allow me to thank the Permanent Representative Sheikha Alya Al-Thani of Qatar for her leadership in preparing this resoundingly successful conference.
Allow me also to thank the whole government of Qatar, ?the many ministers representing Qatar, and above all, His Highness the Amir for the warm hospitality we have experienced in this beautiful city of Doha.
Ministers,
Excellencies,
While it is important to focus on these structural changes in the Doha Declaration, many reminded us rightly that there can be no sustainable development without sustainable peace.
Conflict not only destroys lives, families, future.
Conflict and crises also unravels decades of social progress.
These crises demand immediate and collective humanitarian action.
And we have to be honest with ourselves that the current cuts in funding, especially to the World Food Programme means literally that babies and children are starving.
Not because, as one resident coordinator put it bluntly, we are not delivering, but because we are not delivering emergency nutritional packets to infants anymore due to these cuts.
Again, this is avoidable, the food is there, the nutritional packets for infants are there, they are even sitting in warehouses.
What we need is the political will from Member States.
Excellencies,
As I said, while today is the closing ¨C it’s dark outside already – of the Second World Summit for Social Development, this is not an ending.
It is the beginning.
Of delivering on the last mile to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
It is not an ending.
It is the moment to pass the baton to the G20 Summit in two weeks as the largest economies have a special responsibility to deliver the last mile of social justice as well.
And even before that, passing on the baton to the climate COP which is just beginning right now in Belem, Brazil.
Highlighting, once again, that all 17 SDGs are deeply interconnected.
There can be no social justice without climate action.
And without both, there will never be lasting peace and security.
By that I declare closed the World Social Summit under the title ¡°The Second World Summit for Social Development¡±.