Samira Siddique Addresses CoNGO NGO Committees Summit

On Tuesday, June 24, the Summit of NGO Committees organized by the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) was held at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York City. The gathering centered the theme of civil society participation at the UN.

CEE Director of Strategic Initiatives Samira Siddique spoke on the keynote panel “The Multilateral Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities.” Siddique shared how CEE has approached the UN through a movement-building lens, explaining that this has been particularly impactful given the ongoing threats to climate funding and initiatives. She also highlighted CEE’s current work on the Global Ethical Stocktake and collaboration with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Other panelists discussed the effort to select a feminist woman as the next Secretary General, the failures of the UN Security Council, and the need to unite civil society across borders, sectors, and generations.

The second panel focused on improving and preserving UN and NGO collaboration. Speakers explored key barriers to access and meaningful engagement in UN processes.