Europe charts path for Second World Summit for Social Development 2025

BRUSSELS (ILO News) – A high-level conference entitled “Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development: a European regional perspective” brought together representatives from the EU institutions, the EU and UN Member States, employers’ and workers’ organizations and civil society to discuss their priorities and expectations for the Second World Social Summit, which will be held in Doha, Qatar in November 2025.

Co-hosted by the ILO and the UN Office in Brussels, the event allowed stakeholders to reflect on three decades since the 1995 Copenhagen Summit and to share views on the preparations for the Second World Social Summit.

In a keynote address to the conference, Heidy Rombouts, Director General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign affairs, Foreign trade and Development cooperation, briefed participants about the Doha Political Declaration.

Belgium and Morocco co-facilitated the intergovernmental negotiations leading to the Declaration, which was adopted by silence procedure on 5 September. "We now have a solid foundation. But the real work begins now, translating commitments into action and ensuring that social development becomes a lived reality for all," said Ms Rombouts.

The Declaration is a sign of vivid multilateralism and recognizes the urgent need to address profound social challenges that affect every country. There is a role for all stakeholders, including governments, social partners, civil society and the private sector in its implementation and continued collaboration.

Over the past 30 years, there have been reductions in child labour, advances in primary education, a significant decline in extreme poverty, and for the first time, more than half of the world’s population are covered by some social protection scheme. Despite these achievements, important gaps remain to be addressed.

A high-level panel with representatives from the European Commission, the ILO, the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-PERC), the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Albania, and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs exchanged views on the preparations for the Summit, and agreed on the need for further progress on social development, in Europe and beyond.

The audience engaged with the panel, demonstrating a keen awareness of and interest in the upcoming Summit.

The closing session counted with the presence of the Ambassador of Denmark to the UN in Geneva, who discussed the Danish EU Presidency’s ambitions for the Summit; the Ambassador of Albania to Belgium, given the importance of social justice and decent work in the country; and the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Morocco to Belgium, given the country’s role as co-facilitator of the intergovernmental negotiations for the Declaration.

The World Social Summit creates a new momentum for multilateral and multi-stakeholder approaches to advance social development, with actionable outcomes at the national, regional, and international levels. The follow-up to the Summit will inform and shape the global agenda beyond 2030.