HLPF 2025 Side Event—On the Road to Doha: From HLPF 2025 to the Second World Summit for Social Development

July 15, 2025
1:15–2:30 p.m. (EST)
Conference Room 5, United Nations HQ
New York, NY

Side event on the occasion of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum.

As the 2025 HLPF undertakes in-depth reviews of SDGs 3 (health and well-being), 8 (decent work and economic growth), and 17 (partnerships for the Goals), the high-level side event will explore how these reviews can help shape the ambition and substance of the upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), to be held in Doha 4-6 November 2025.

The high-level side event will serve as a critical bridge between global review and renewed commitment—highlighting the interlinkages between health, employment, and partnerships in advancing inclusive development, social justice, and SDG implementation.

Agenda

Welcome Remarks

• H.E. Ms. Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations

Opening Segment

• H.E. Mr. Rob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
• H.E. Fahad Al-Sulaiti, Director-General, Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD)
• Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)

High-level Panel

• H.E. Mrs. Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Minister of Social Security, Head of Delegation, Finland
• H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Head of Delegation, Kingdom of Morocco, Co-facilitator of 2WSSD
• Dr. Pungkas Bahjuri Ali, Senior Advisor to the Minister on Social Welfare and Poverty Reduction at the Ministry of National Development Planning, Republic of Indonesia
• Mr. Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy-Secretary General, ITU
• Ms. Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Special Representative to the UN and Director, ILO
• Dr. Werner H. Obermeyer, Director, WHO Office at the United Nations

Moderator

• Prof. Paul Smoke, Acting Director at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation (CIC), Professor and Director of MPA Program at New York University, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School

Respondent

• Mr. Mohammed Hamad Al-Mannai, Youth Representative, State of Qatar