Doha summit ends with call to turn social pledges into action

Doha Summit Ends with a Call to Turn Social Pledges into Action

The Second World Summit for Social Development concluded in Doha on Thursday, urging nations to move rapidly from promises to concrete implementation. The goal is to ensure that the Doha Political Declaration leads to tangible progress in reducing poverty, promoting decent work, and strengthening social inclusion.

Focus on Implementation and Proven Solutions

At the closing press conference, President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock emphasized that the summit represented a shift from identifying challenges to applying tested solutions.

“Copenhagen taught us 30 years ago that social development and inclusion are essential for strong societies,” she said. “We promised to leave no one behind. Social development is not a ‘nice to have’ nor an act of charity. It is in the self-interest of every country.”

Baerbock warned that the persistence of hunger and poverty stems less from a lack of resources than from conflict, inequality, and poor governance.

“One of the biggest problems is not money as such. It is rather how it is invested.”

Global Participation and Key Outcomes

The summit gathered more than 40 heads of state and government, over 230 ministers and senior officials, and nearly 14,000 participants. In addition to plenary and roundtable sessions, over 250 “solution sessions” focused on expanding social protection, improving healthcare and education access, and promoting work that upholds dignity.

Author’s Summary

The Doha summit underlined a global shift toward actionable steps, calling on governments to turn social pledges into measurable progress on poverty, equality, and inclusion.

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