The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world含羞草研究社檚 increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty.

The 42-page 含羞草研究社淧act of the Future含羞草研究社� challenges leaders of the 193 U.N. member nations to turn promises into real actions that make a difference to the lives of the world含羞草研究社檚 more than 8 billion people.

The pact was adopted at the opening of the two-day 含羞草研究社淪ummit of the Future含羞草研究社� called by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking 含羞草研究社渢he door含羞草研究社� to a better future.

含羞草研究社淲e are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淣ow it is our common destiny to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action.含羞草研究社�

The U.N. chief challenged the leaders: Implement the pact. Prioritize dialogue and negotiations. End 含羞草研究社渨ars tearing our world apart含羞草研究社� from the Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan. Reform the powerful U.N. Security Council. Accelerate reforms of the international financial system. Ramp up a transition from fossil fuels. Listen to young people and include them in decision-making.

The pact含羞草研究社檚 fate was in question until the last moment. There was so much suspense that Guterres had three prepared speeches, one for approval, one for rejection, and one if things weren含羞草研究社檛 clear, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

含羞草研究社淣o one is happy with this pact,含羞草研究社� said Russia含羞草研究社檚 deputy foreign minister, Sergey Vershinin.

The summit opened with him proposing amendments that would have significantly watered down the pact. Speaking on behalf of Africa含羞草研究社檚 54 nations 含羞草研究社� which opposed Russia含羞草研究社檚 amendments 含羞草研究社� the Republic of Congo countered with a motion not to vote on the amendments. That motion was approved to applause. Russia only got support from Iran, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan and Syria.

Assembly President Philemon Yang then put the pact to a vote and banged his gavel, signifying the consensus of all 193 U.N. member nations that was required for approval.

Russia has made significant inroads in Africa 含羞草研究社� in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Central African Republic 含羞草研究社� and the continent含羞草研究社檚 rejection of its amendments along with Mexico, a major Latin American power, was seen as a blow to Moscow by some diplomats and observers.

Yang announced ahead of speeches by world leaders that they would be muted after five minutes 含羞草研究社� a rare occurrence at the United Nations, where words are the backbone. Among those who kept talking after their mics were silenced: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kuwait含羞草研究社檚 Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah and Irish President Michael Higgins.

The Pact of the Future says world leaders are gathering 含羞草研究社渁t a time of profound global transformation,含羞草研究社� and it warns of 含羞草研究社渞ising catastrophic and existential risks含羞草研究社� that could tip people everywhere 含羞草研究社渋nto a future of persistent crisis and breakdown.含羞草研究社�

Yet, it says, leaders are coming to the U.N. at a time of hope and opportunity 含羞草研究社渢o protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through actions in the Pact for the Future.含羞草研究社�

The pact includes 56 actions on issues including eradicating poverty, mitigating climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace and protecting civilians, and reinvigorating the multilateral system to 含羞草研究社渟eize the opportunities of today and tomorrow.含羞草研究社�

Secretary-General Guterres singled out a number of key provisions in the Pact of the Future and two accompanying annexes, a Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations.

The pact commits world leaders to reform the 15-member Security Council, to make it more reflective of today含羞草研究社檚 world and 含羞草研究社渞edress the historical injustice against Africa,含羞草研究社� which has no permanent seat, and to address the under-representation of the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America.

It also 含羞草研究社渞epresents the first agreed multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in more than a decade,含羞草研究社� Guterres said, and it commits 含羞草研究社渢o steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to govern the use of lethal autonomous weapons.含羞草研究社�

The Global Digital Compact 含羞草研究社渋ncludes the first truly universal agreement on the international governance of artificial intelligence,含羞草研究社� the U.N. chief said.

The compact commits leaders to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel in the United Nations to promote scientific understanding of AI, and its risks and opportunities. It also commits the U.N. to initiate a global dialogue on AI governance with all key players.

The pact含羞草研究社檚 actions also include measures 含羞草研究社渢o mount an immediate and coordinated response to complex shocks含羞草研究社� including pandemics, Guterres said. And it includes 含羞草研究社渁 groundbreaking commitment by governments to listen to young people and include them in decision-making.含羞草研究社�

As for human rights, Guterres said, 含羞草研究社淚n the face of a surge in misogyny and a rollback of women含羞草研究社檚 reproductive rights, governments have explicitly committed to removing the legal, social and economic barriers that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their potential in every sphere.含羞草研究社�

Eighteen months of negotiations on the pact were led by Germany and Namibia. Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba said leaders must leave the summit committed to a path toward peace 含羞草研究社� not one that leads to 含羞草研究社渁n environmental catastrophe, widening inequality, global conflict and destruction and the rise of dangerous technologies that threaten our security.含羞草研究社�

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that If countries don含羞草研究社檛 unite and implement the pact含羞草研究社檚 more than 50 actions, 含羞草研究社渘ot only would history judge us 含羞草研究社� but also young people around the world.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭he road is rocky,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淏ut was that ever any different?含羞草研究社�