Speaking on behalf of the Chairman Secretary-General António Guterres, Amina Mohammed called for immediate and decisive action to save the tottering Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond are causing devastating loss of life and diverting political attention and scarce resources from the urgent work to end poverty and avert climate catastrophe,” she said at the ministerial meeting of the High-level political forum (HLPF) on sustainable development.
She stressed the need to cut military budgets and instead spend money on peace and development.
Critical phase of SDGs
Ms Mohammed stressed the critical status of the SDGs, noting that only 17 per cent of the targets are on track as the 2030 deadline approaches.
“Future generations deserve more than 17 percent of a sustainable future,” she stressed, outlining a four-pronged strategy for urgent acceleration in a bid to meet the 2030 deadline for the goals.
The first step, she stressed, is to bring about peace. She emphasized that political and financial resources should no longer be spent on conflict, but on development efforts.
She also stressed the importance of promoting the green and digital transition and urged countries to improve their climate action plans by 2025 and align them with the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit, in line with the Paris Agreement and invest in expanding digital connectivity.
Invest in peace
Ms Mohammed addressed the financial challenges hindering progress on the SDGs, pointing to the widening financing gap and destabilising financial conditions in many developing countries.
She acknowledged that reforms are underway within multilateral development banks and that special drawing rights are being recycled, but called for stronger action.
“We must go further and faster to deliver an SDG stimulus,” she urged, calling for increased lending capacity, expanded access to emergency financing and comprehensive debt solutions.
Keep your promise
Finally, Ms Mohammed reiterated the SDGs’ pledge to “leave no one behind”.
She stressed the need to prioritize vulnerable populations, defend the rights of people with disabilities and combat gender inequality.
“To achieve this agenda, vulnerable people and groups must be at the forefront of national development plans, policies and budgets,” she said.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly, delivers a speech at the ministerial opening of the High-level Political Forum.
Nations must act
Chairman of the General Assembly Dennis Francis echoed this urgencywhich highlights the situation of 1.1 billion people living in multidimensional poverty.
“Today, 1.1 billion people live in multidimensional poverty. If we do not do something impactful, eight percent of the global population – or 680 million people – will still be hungry in 2030,” he warned, urging immediate and comprehensive action.
He stressed the need to address the root causes of poverty and hunger and emphasised their interconnectedness with conflict, climate change and economic shocks.
Be creative and daring
Mr Francis also stressed the importance of last year’s SDG Summit, which adopted a strong political declaration and launched a new phase of accelerated action to achieve the global development goals by 2030.
Looking ahead, he expressed optimism about the coming Top of the futurewhich was expected to be a transformative event that would strengthen political will and address inequalities in the global financial system.
“The expected outcome of the Summit – a Pact for the Future – must be transformative enough to rightly telegraph the political will that will usher in a better future for everyone, everywhere,” he said, urging member states to be creative, inclusive and bold to ensure the Pact is truly transformative and restores public trust.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
Paula Narváez Ojeda, President of the Economic and Social Council, speaks at the ministerial opening of the High-level Political Forum 2024.
Help achieve the goals
Paula Narváez, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) stressed the crucial role the body plays in steering the implementation of the SDGs.
“Throughout the cycle of the Economic and Social Council, I have prioritized promoting the transformative policies that the Council’s various subsidiary bodies can provide to implement the SDGs.”
She stressed the importance of tailoring these policies to the diverse needs of people and the planet, taking into account the concerns of each country.
In that context, she highlighted the major Voluntary National Reviews conducted at the HLPF, with 36 countries presenting this year. These reviews provide valuable insights into national experiences, lessons learned and obstacles encountered in implementing the SDGs.
“We were able to dig deeper into the reasons for the delay in implementation, but we were also able to hear from the authorities themselves and from stakeholders what good practices we can reproduce,” Ms Narváez noted.
Commitment to dialogue
The President of ECOSOC called for a renewed commitment to multilateralism and constructive dialogue.
“We must all commit to being fully engaged in building a constructive dialogue and raising the bar with a great vision from all stakeholders,” she urged, stressing the need for collective effort to achieve the necessary transformations.
Mrs. Narváez concluded her speech with the hope that the actions taken today will inspire future generations.
“We hope that the boys and girls who see us today will see an opportunity in the future to realize their potential, as we show here today,” she said, reinforcing the long-term vision of the SDGs.
Ministerial segment
During the three-day ministerial part of the HLPF, a general debate will be held on the theme From the SDG Summit to the Summit of the Future.
Ministers and high-level representatives of participating States, as well as intergovernmental organizations, key groups and other stakeholders, will take action to realize the Political Declaration of the 2023 SDG Summit and accelerate its implementation. Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.
They will also contribute to the preparations for the Summit of the Future, which will take place in September.
The forum will take place under the auspices of ECOSOC and will conclude on 18 July with the adoption of a ministerial declaration.
