Doha: The Second World Summit for Social Development opened in Doha on Tuesday with the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration – a consensus pledge to accelerate action on poverty eradication, decent work, and social inclusion, and to put the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track. Three decades after a landmark summit in Copenhagen, leaders in the Qatari capital warned that inequality remains high, climate shocks are intensifying, and nearly two billion people still lack social protection, pushing the world off course for the 2030 deadline.
According to United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres called the declaration a booster shot for development, urging a peoples plan to reduce inequality, create decent work, reform global finance, and rebuild unity. He emphasized that the summit is about hope through collective action and called for the delivery of a bold plan that humanity needs and deserves. Annalena Baerbock, President of the General Assembly, also urged leaders to go the last mile, stating that economic growth alone has not ended poverty. She identified climate change as the single largest obstacle to social development and called for debt relief, fairer trade, broader technology access, and full participation of women.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani highlighted social development as an existential necessity, pointing to national efforts to expand opportunity and international support for poverty reduction. He stressed that peace and stability, including support for Palestine and an end to the crisis in Sudan, are essential conditions for social progress. Additionally, Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of ECOSOC, noted that more than 800 million people still live in extreme poverty and that even small shocks, such as illness or climate disasters, can push millions more into hardship.
The opening panel, “Strengthening the Three Pillars of Social Development,” chaired by leaders from Montenegro and Kyrgyzstan and moderated by ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo, focused on turning commitments into action. Juan Somavia, who chaired the 1995 summit, praised the declaration but stressed the urgency of implementation. Netherlands Minister Mariëlle Paul emphasized that jobs must be decent to lift people from poverty. ITUC’s Luc Triangle called for fair taxation and global tax cooperation to fund social development and equip workers for digital and green transitions. Oxfam’s Amitabh Behar highlighted rising inequality and urged taxing the super-rich and reinvesting in public services. Esther Nagtey, representing youth with disabilities, stressed meaningful participation, stating that young people are the changemakers of today.
The Doha declaration sets a shared plan; leaders say delivery now hinges on financing, political will, and coordinated implementation – moving from pledges to policies that reach people. The agenda for Wednesday includes plenary statements, a civil society forum, and a roundtable for reviewing progress and driving action.
