ANND’s Reaction to the WSSDII Draft Declaration
Click here to read the paper
Amid mounting global challenges, international efforts to renew commitments to social development are gaining momentum and are becoming more visible and urgent, despite the persistent gap between ambition and implementation. In this context, the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) presents this reaction paper to critically engage with the Draft Political Declaration (REV2) for the Second World Social Summit (WSSD2) scheduled for November 2025.
While the REV2 reaffirms global goals such as poverty eradication, decent work, and social inclusion, it fails to address the pressing and interconnected challenges facing the Arab region. Structural inequalities, protracted conflicts, occupation, and political instability continue to undermine the foundations of social development. These are exacerbated by economic crises, climate vulnerability, forced displacement, and shrinking civic space, all of which deepen social fragmentation and insecurity.
While acknowledging some pressing challenges, they lack clear and actionable measures to effectively address them and foster an environment in which social development can truly flourish. Through this paper, the network calls for stronger Arab civil society engagement to ensure that the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2 reflect the lived reality in the region and to reaffirm the centrality of human rights, democratic participation, and social justice in shaping comprehensive and sustainable development agendas.
To accompany the publication of this paper, ANND held an online session on August 6, 2025, to present and discuss its content. The session included:
- Ziad Abdel Samad gave a brief overview of the WSSDII process and context
- Adib Nehme presented ANND’s reaction paper, highlighting its structure and key messages
- Salma Nims and Roberto Bissio shared their reflections and feedback
- Barbara Adams concluded with insights on the global process and ongoing negotiations
Watch the full recording on YouTube here: Click to watch the session
Recent publications
Historic Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice on Climate Disasters - Habib Maalouf
