AKIPRESS.COM - The United Nations General Assembly adopted a "Pact for the Future" on Sunday, which U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as a landmark agreement that is a "step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism," Reuters reported. 

The pact, opens new tab, which also includes an annex on working toward a responsible and sustainable digital future, was adopted without a vote at the start of a two-day Summit of the Future. The agreement came after some nine months of negotiations.

Guterres long-pushed for the summit and the pact, which covers themes including peace and security, global governance, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations. It lays out some 56 broad actions that countries pledged to achieve.

Global crises have spotlighted the need for U.N. reform and overhauling international financial systems. These challenges include ongoing wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan; lagging climate change mitigation efforts; widespread national debt issues; and concerns over technology advancing without governance.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Vershinin criticized the negotiations and adopting the pact.

Russia failed in its bid to include an amendment - backed by North Korea, Syria, Nicaragua, Belarus and Iran - that would have spelled out that "the United Nations and its system shall not intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state."