“Charting New Directions: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Development”
Dear Colleagues, Shakuntala Santhiran,
Good morning.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to this Global Policy Dialogue on “Charting New Directions: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Development.” Thank you all for joining us here in New York and online, on this very special day, the UN Charter Day.
Today, as we mark the eightieth anniversary of the United Nations Charter, we gather not just to reflect on its founding vision of peace, dignity, and prosperity, but also to actively envision the world we must build together.
The challenge is urgent. With just five years until 2030, only about one-third of the Sustainable Development Goals are on track or show moderate progress.
Poverty and hunger persist. Inequalities widen. Conflict and climate change continue to erase hard-won gains.
Yet, this is also a moment of great possibilities.
We possess the knowledge, scientific advances and innovations, and a new generation’s demands for justice and inclusion -- that inspire both hope and urgency.
Our task today is clear: We must chart new directions.
We need bold thinking on how economies can serve people and planet, and how societies can embrace diversity, fairness and sustainability.
The insights of our High-level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs are critical.
Their reflections, rooted in evidence and experience, can help us rethink growth models, mobilize financing, and harness technologies for shared progress.
I encourage everyone, here and online, to engage actively, challenge conventional assumptions, and help us reimagine sustainable development for the decades ahead.
Let’s ensure that international cooperation remains the world’s most powerful instrument for hope, solidarity, and action, so that truly, no one is left behind.
Thank you.