Your Excellency, Ambassador Ma, Permanent Representative of China,My Friend and Colleague, Achim Steiner, Administrator of UNDP,Excellencies, Distinguished Panelists,Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very pleased to join you at this High-level Side Event.
The 2030 Agenda is transformative and universal. It is applicable to all countries while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development. It is guided by the vision and the noble commitment of our leaders to leave no one behind.
This presents a challenge. To achieve it, we must begin with a collective realization that no one sector, constituency, or level of government has the capacity to single handedly solve all the challenges that confront our drive for implementation.
I had the distinct pleasure to introduce the Secretary-General’s 2018 SDG Progress Report last week. While we can see that positive development takes place around the world, progress is often uneven. For example, while extreme poverty has been reduced considerably in the past decades, there are pockets of the world where it still persists, with one-third of people living in extreme poverty in Southern Asia. In the Pacific, climate change and sea level rise are a genuine and immediate existential threat For Small Island Developing States.
In 2017, UNDP and UNDESA forged a partnership aimed at supporting the establishment of essential building blocks for implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the ASEAN and Pacific region (PSIDS). Activities under this collaboration are supported by the kind assistance provided through the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund. It is an example of how the UN System and international development partners can engage to strengthen efforts for meaningful implementation of the SDGs.
I take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the Chinese Government for making available the critical resource that makes this partnership possible.
I agree with the sentiments that, while economic growth remains important, it is no longer enough. Unbalanced and inadequate development, which is the theme of today’s Event, continues to be the main constraints for people seeking to build better lives, and it must be addressed. We also need to harness technological advances for the good of all countries.
The High-level political forum (HLPF) plays a critical role in this, bringing together a diverse group of people from various disciplines. This week, 47 countries are presenting their voluntary national reviews (VNRs). The VNRs aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
By the conclusion of the HLPF this week, with wrap up of the third round of VNRs, 113 reviews will have taken place. Several countries have conducted their second review. Already, thirty-two (32) countries have so far volunteered to be reviewed in 2019, with all regions represented.
I am pleased to confirm that UNDESA will continue to substantively support global, regional and national VNR preparations through its capacity building programmes.
In this connection, in addition to the good work currently being undertaken by UNDP, UNDESA will, with the support of the Peace and Development Trust Fund, partner with other UN entities and Regional Organizations in the Pacific to assist the countries in that region prepare for their 2019 VNR and build capacity for others to volunteer in future.
We need to share our lessons learnt and turn them into results by extending such cooperation to other regions.
As a contribution to this endeavor, DESA has initiated a global call for evidence-based good practices, which I launched at the opening of the HLPF last Monday. We will gather these selected good practices and solutions on an online platform to ensure far-reaching and universal access to policies and initiatives that have been proven to work.
I look forward to our discussions this afternoon. We are being presented with a wonderful opportunity. Let us have a frank dialogue on lessons learnt, share our experiences on opportunities and challenges, and discuss ways to ensure full and effective implementation of the SDGs in line with our collective commitment to leave no one behind.
I thank you.
I am very pleased to join you at this High-level Side Event.
The 2030 Agenda is transformative and universal. It is applicable to all countries while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development. It is guided by the vision and the noble commitment of our leaders to leave no one behind.
This presents a challenge. To achieve it, we must begin with a collective realization that no one sector, constituency, or level of government has the capacity to single handedly solve all the challenges that confront our drive for implementation.
I had the distinct pleasure to introduce the Secretary-General’s 2018 SDG Progress Report last week. While we can see that positive development takes place around the world, progress is often uneven. For example, while extreme poverty has been reduced considerably in the past decades, there are pockets of the world where it still persists, with one-third of people living in extreme poverty in Southern Asia. In the Pacific, climate change and sea level rise are a genuine and immediate existential threat For Small Island Developing States.
In 2017, UNDP and UNDESA forged a partnership aimed at supporting the establishment of essential building blocks for implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the ASEAN and Pacific region (PSIDS). Activities under this collaboration are supported by the kind assistance provided through the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund. It is an example of how the UN System and international development partners can engage to strengthen efforts for meaningful implementation of the SDGs.
I take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the Chinese Government for making available the critical resource that makes this partnership possible.
I agree with the sentiments that, while economic growth remains important, it is no longer enough. Unbalanced and inadequate development, which is the theme of today’s Event, continues to be the main constraints for people seeking to build better lives, and it must be addressed. We also need to harness technological advances for the good of all countries.
The High-level political forum (HLPF) plays a critical role in this, bringing together a diverse group of people from various disciplines. This week, 47 countries are presenting their voluntary national reviews (VNRs). The VNRs aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
By the conclusion of the HLPF this week, with wrap up of the third round of VNRs, 113 reviews will have taken place. Several countries have conducted their second review. Already, thirty-two (32) countries have so far volunteered to be reviewed in 2019, with all regions represented.
I am pleased to confirm that UNDESA will continue to substantively support global, regional and national VNR preparations through its capacity building programmes.
In this connection, in addition to the good work currently being undertaken by UNDP, UNDESA will, with the support of the Peace and Development Trust Fund, partner with other UN entities and Regional Organizations in the Pacific to assist the countries in that region prepare for their 2019 VNR and build capacity for others to volunteer in future.
We need to share our lessons learnt and turn them into results by extending such cooperation to other regions.
As a contribution to this endeavor, DESA has initiated a global call for evidence-based good practices, which I launched at the opening of the HLPF last Monday. We will gather these selected good practices and solutions on an online platform to ensure far-reaching and universal access to policies and initiatives that have been proven to work.
I look forward to our discussions this afternoon. We are being presented with a wonderful opportunity. Let us have a frank dialogue on lessons learnt, share our experiences on opportunities and challenges, and discuss ways to ensure full and effective implementation of the SDGs in line with our collective commitment to leave no one behind.
I thank you.
File date:
Monday, July 16, 2018