Qatar Delegation Meets with UN DESA to Advance Preparations for the Second World Social Summit

UN DESA Photo

A high-level delegation from the State of Qatar concluded a successful two-day working visit to the United Nations Headquarters in New York as part of ongoing preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), which will be hosted in Doha later this year.

The visit, held on 3–4 April 2025, brought together representatives from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and the Hayya team, alongside officials from various UN departments, including the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM), the Department of Safety and Security (DSS), the Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT), the Department of Global Communications (DGC), and others.

A Comprehensive Review of Summit Preparations

The visit featured a full agenda of coordination meetings and technical discussions, covering the full spectrum of logistical and substantive elements required to deliver a successful global summit. Discussions addressed:

  • Summit planning updates from both the Qatari and UN sides;

  • Visa and registration processes for delegates, VIP guests, civil society and media;

  • Venue layout and floorplan design for the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC);

  • Stakeholder engagement strategy, including accreditation and space allocation;

  • Security arrangements, including the designation of UN territory and blue zone logistics;

  • Communications and outreach, with presentations on the WSSD2 branding, website and logo;

  • Substantive preparations, including a closed-door session with DESA’s WSSD2 team leads.

The meetings reaffirmed the strong partnership between Qatar and the United Nations in delivering a Summit that is inclusive, secure, and impactful. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress made since the first technical planning mission and agreed on next steps to finalize outstanding items.

Partnership and Commitment

The visit was also an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between Qatar and the UN system. The Qatari delegation’s engagement demonstrated its commitment to ensuring the success of the Summit at both the political and technical levels.

UN DESA, under the leadership of Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, welcomed Qatar’s proactive and solution-oriented approach, underscoring the shared vision to make the World Social Summit 2025 a landmark moment for advancing inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development for all.

Looking Ahead

With the momentum gained from this visit, preparations for WSSD2 are firmly on track. The political declaration continues to be shaped through informal consultations among Member States, while operational and logistical planning moves forward with strengthened coordination between the Host Country and the United Nations.

The Second World Summit for Social Development will mark a historic opportunity to accelerate progress toward a more inclusive world.

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