Max-Otto Baumann and Sebastian Haug are Senior Researchers at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).

United Nations Development Work Should Engage All Member States

Secretary-General António Guterres (centre) speaks during the Interactive Dialogue of the Economic and Social Council on Operational Activities for Development Segment. At left is Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
 Some high-income countries are far behind on certain SDG targets, such as those related to SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production.
Since 1997, United Nations-supported development projects on Santo Antão, Cabo Verde, have helped move water for irrigation and create useable farmland in an arid climate. 22 January 2023, UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Established North–South dynamics have been explicitly challenged by the 2030 Agenda, which sets out the Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for "developed and developing countries alike”.