Doha: The second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) Doha 2025 will commence Tuesday at the Qatar National Convention Centre. The three-day summit will witness the participation of over 8,000 representatives from member states, including heads of state and government, ministers, the United Nations, civil society, academics, the private sector, and youth.
According to Qatar News Agency, the event intends to renew the commitment to social justice and translate this commitment into concrete actions that place human beings at the heart of sustainable development. This summit represents the first official meeting of the UN General Assembly to be held outside New York or Geneva, reflecting Qatar's status as a proactive strategic partner of the UN. From the 2008 International Conference on Financing for Development to the 2023 UN conference for least developed countries, Doha has hosted a series of international conferences that underscore a shared vision, promoting shared prosperity and achieving sustainable development for all.
Qatar's hosting of this summit underscores the nation's dedication to advancing inclusive and sustainable social development, supporting global efforts to eradicate poverty, promote productive employment, and achieve social inclusion. It further affirms Qatar's belief in multilateral cooperation to address social and economic challenges, particularly amid rapid global transformations.
The summit builds on the legacy of the first summit hosted in Copenhagen in 1995, which marked a historical milestone in global collaborative efforts to combat poverty, reduce unemployment, and enhance social cohesion. The convention seeks to reaffirm international commitment to the Copenhagen principles, evaluate progress, address persistent gaps, and chart a new path forward.
At the first summit, the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action were adopted, a promise placing human beings at the center of development. Through ten fundamental commitments, world leaders pledged to eradicate poverty, promote full employment, and build inclusive, resilient, and just societies. These commitments have since served as a 21st-century vision rooted in dignity, equality, and shared prosperity.
Significant progress has been achieved since Copenhagen: extreme poverty has been halved, school enrollment, particularly for girls, has surged, digital transformation has expanded access to services, and global health achievements have increased life expectancy and combated diseases. Yet critical challenges remain: income inequality, unequal access to opportunities and services, and exclusion due to the digital divide persist.
The Doha Summit is expected to culminate in the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration, reaffirming the link between poverty eradication, decent work for all, and social inclusion as pillars of sustainable development. The declaration serves as a global call to action, renewing governments' commitment to creating an enabling environment for inclusive social development. It will inject momentum into the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, standing as an ambitious, socially centered framework for the future.
Ahead of WSSD Doha 2025, Qatar participated in the pre-summit media briefing in New York. Representing Qatar at the briefing was HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Aliya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani. Also participating was HE President of the 80th session of UNGA, Annalena Baerbock.
Baerbock highlighted that the summit will usher in a new era of international cooperation, translating commitments into tangible, actionable steps. The UN also expressed its gratitude to Qatar for hosting this landmark summit, emphasizing that its convening will contribute to formulating practical and implementable solutions benefiting all communities.
Furthermore, the summit will feature a series of events alongside its main sessions, including the inaugural meeting of leaders of the Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty, the Doha Forum on Solutions for Social Development, as well as two flagship events: the Private Sector Forum and the Civil Society Forum.
On the margins of the summit, the Shura Council, in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), will convene a parliamentary forum titled: Investing in People and Institutions: The Role of Parliamentarians in Social Development. It will feature a panel discussion titled "Building Bridges for Inclusive Development", where parliamentarians and key social development partners will address topics such as human investment and strengthening institutional roles.
The summit also sees the participation of Education Above All, a global organization in the field of development and education. In partnership with strategic partners, it will host six high-level sessions addressing education, youth empowerment, climate resilience, and inclusive economic growth.
Additionally, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), in partnership with the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions, will hold an international symposium titled: "Human Rights at the Core of Social Development: Toward a Sustainable Future", alongside the activities of WSSD Doha 2025. The symposium will explore ways to integrate human rights into the core of social development policies and programs.