DOHA, QATAR – November 4, 2025 – In a significant development for international cooperation and social policy, world leaders gathered in Doha, Qatar, today for the Second World Summit for Social Development, culminating in the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration. Against a backdrop of persistent geopolitical tensions and widening global inequalities, the Declaration signals a renewed, unified commitment from governments worldwide to prioritize the creation of more just and inclusive societies.
The high-level summit, which runs from November 4th to 6th, 2025, brought together more than 40 Heads of State and Government, alongside ministerial representatives and thousands of other stakeholders, to reassess progress since the landmark 1995 Copenhagen Declaration. The core message emerging from the proceedings is that social development is not merely a moral aspiration but a fundamental prerequisite for achieving global peace, stability, and sustainable economic growth.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the urgency of the moment during the opening press conference. He characterized the newly adopted document as a "booster shot for development" and explicitly stated that "True development isn't about prosperity for the few; it's about opportunities for the many, grounded in social justice, full employment, and human dignity."
Four Key Areas for Accelerated Action
The Doha Political Declaration focuses on galvanizing urgent action across four interconnected areas designed to reverse setbacks caused by recent global crises, including climate change, pandemics, and rapid technological shifts.
Firstly, there is a shared pledge to accelerate efforts to end poverty and inequality by strengthening national social protection systems. This addresses the uneven progress seen globally, despite historic gains in poverty reduction over the last three decades.
Secondly, leaders committed to fostering decent job creation through targeted investments in skills development, inclusion, and ensuring equal opportunity in the labor market.
Thirdly, the Declaration calls for a fundamental reform of global financial systems to unlock necessary finance for developing countries and to ease the burden of unsustainable debt.
Finally, there is an emphatic commitment to the principle of leaving no one behind, specifically targeting empowerment for those populations most vulnerable to social and economic exclusion.
Reaffirming the Global Social Compact
Convening three decades after the original Copenhagen Declaration, the Doha Summit aimed to address how the global landscape has evolved dramatically, shaped by new challenges like the digital transformation driven by artificial intelligence. Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of the Summit, emphasized this evolution. He stated that the Declaration "underscores the interconnectedness of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions," urging a move toward a "fairer, more sustainable, and resilient global social development agenda."
The adoption of this political text provides a framework for national governments to implement people-centered policies, moving beyond rhetoric to concrete measures. The success of this renewed global compact hinges on translating these high-level commitments into tangible improvements in human rights, employment figures, and social security coverage across the globe. This international political development sets the tone for global governance discussions heading into the formulation of China's next Five-Year Plan and other major international policy initiatives in the coming years.