– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Tijjani Muhammad Bande, President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
13 November 2019
Chair of the Conference,
Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a pleasure to be here with you today to speak to you about Enhancing Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development. It is a very timely choice of topic to focus on.
We are four years into the implementation of Agenda 2030, the Paris Agreement and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development. The adoption of these frameworks represented a paradigm shift in how we view development. They set out a course for action and implementation.
We have seen countries take important strides in achieving basic goals and targets; but if we are to achieve all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, we need to step up our actions.
Forging and strengthening new and more creative partnerships is essential as we enter the Decade of Delivery in 2020. It is time to change how we view financing development: rethinking our investments that have the potential to transform societies, communities, cities and economies all over the world.
Many examples of successful investment models demonstrate the potential for partnerships between public and private sector financing to multiply financing commitments from billions to trillions. This trend is to a large extent, influenced by the awareness of consumers relating to the necessity to take action collectively on these issues.
Education is a key priority for my Presidency, and the area has seen significant results as a result of strategic partnerships. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is a public-private initiative which brings together the private sector, international organisations, and governments mobilising technical and financial resources in order to develop effective and sustainable educations systems. From 2002 to 2016, GPE partner countries reported an increase of 77 million children enrolled in primary school.
In terms of SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, a prime example worth mentioning is the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI). In 2000, the Global Alliance convened key UN agencies, governments, the vaccine industry, the private sector, and civil society with the goal of reducing child mortality. Since then, it has been instrumental in the immunization of 760 million children, and its programmes account for the prevention of a projected 13 million future deaths.
As a complement to financial resources, we must also mobilize expertise. The OECD has competencies in research and it plays an important role in such partnerships, providing important input to meet the needs of the people on the ground. It has key proficiencies in curriculum design, workplace and market innovations, as well as longstanding experience and expertise assisting governments in policy-making. In this regard, UN Member States stand to benefit from partnerships with OECD.
Excellencies,
An example of the private sector’s integrated action on the Goals are SDG Bonds. These sustainable financing mechanisms connect investors and corporate projects that contribute to the implementation of the SDGs. Just last month, Enel Energy Group announced the issuance of a 2.5 billion Euro SDG Linked Bond.
The UN Global Compact has been instrumental in supporting the private sector in their efforts to partner with governments in the implementation of the SDGs. I hope that the market for SDG bonds and sustainable development will continue to flourish. It is in our interest.
In terms of jobs, in many parts of the world, automation has negatively impacted jobs and livelihoods. In order to make globalization inclusive, both policy-makers and the business sector must do more to prepare and guarantee decent jobs for those who are impacted now and for future generations.
There is great hope and great scope for further public-private collaboration in this area. The private sector understands the demand-side to provide life-long learning opportunities within the framework of effective active labour market policies. This change of course for both workers and governments will ensure that no stakeholder is disillusioned.
The latest ILO report shows that green economies can lead to significant job losses in certain carbon-intensive industries, but that this will be offset by the creation of 24 million new jobs worldwide by 2030.
The SDGs need to be an aspiration for the investment community, enabled through policy conditions that are conducive to private investment in sustainable development. By strengthening efforts in connecting global capital to specific projects that can deliver transformative and inclusive change, we all stand to gain.
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues,
UN reports indicate that we need to create 600 million jobs in order to reach the targets of Agenda 2030. Securing these jobs will require more efforts to engage youth, migrants, and in particular women in the labour market.
The World Bank estimates that countries are currently facing losses estimated at $160 trillion, due to differences in income between men and women. The OECD has also worked to promote equal opportunities and pay for both men and women in the workplace to ensure shared results for all. This is something that we should all do.
I trust that moving forward we will each keep gender equality to the fore of our actions.
Excellencies,
No country, whether developed or developing, is free from the economic and political consequences of illicit financial flows. Corruption and criminal activity are two challenges that must be addressed urgently to close the resource drain caused by illicit flows.
It is equally important to address tax evasion, which siphons money away from sustainable development and into tax havens. The challenge facing us is to match the pace of technological change and proliferation of channels for transfer of illicit funds.
The collaboration between the OECD and the UN Development Program, namely Tax Inspectors Without Borders, is doing great work to address this issue, but much more can be done.
I believe that the banks and the private sector more generally can play an important contributing role in designing and implementing the changes needed given their understanding of the complex and interrelated issues raised by illicit financial flows.
On the other side of that coin, technology and innovation have the potential to catalyze finance if we harness these innnovations via an ecosystem approach. For example, by building upon an increased mobile phone penetration in Africa we can utilise innovative smartphone applications.
This allows us to leverage the power of data and mobile technology to reach overlooked—or “invisible”— customers.
In the development context, it is fundamental in answering the call for solutions that are: resilient to economic shocks; build upon community support; and address regulations that empower the costumer while stemming abusive business practices. Lawmakers and business leaders are well placed to lead on building ecosystems to align incentives and expand opportunities for those who have been marginalised previously.
As we take action on all of these issues, we cannot ignore the existential threat facing everyone, everywhere: the climate emergency. The preservation of the environment and climate is at the forefront of all of the issues of global concern, including migration, for example. They present the ultimate test for international cooperation, but also the ideal opportunity to demonstrate the results of effective cooperation among all stakeholders.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that if we take collective action now, global warming can be limited to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
We need global leadership, and each one of us must uphold our duty to shoulder shared responsibilities. Climate action and socio-economic progress are mutually reinforcing, with the World Commission on the Economy and Climate Change estimating gains of $26 trillion by 2030. In this regard, collaboration with the OECD can strengthen investment in green jobs and measures taken under the Paris Agreement.
I commend companies that are raising their level of ambition in climate action by setting science-based and realistic targets for their emissions. The UN Global Compact is playing a key role in this area, signing up over 100 companies to make their commitment public. These commitments will bolster government efforts on climate action.
The SDGs need to be an aspiration for the investment community, enabled through policy conditions that are conducive to private investment in sustainable development. By strengthening efforts in connecting global capital to specific projects that can deliver transformative and inclusive change, we all stand to gain.
Mobilizing long-term private investment for sustainable development is fundamental for financing the 2030 Agenda. Some firms are shifting the paradigm to consider impacts on all stakeholders – not just shareholders.
The business case for investment in sustainable development is growing; and private sector actors, as well as regulators, need to enhance impacts and move to scale.
Public-private partnerships can generate profit while supporting SDG progress in developing countries through new business approaches and alternative investment decisions.
Of course, Member States agreed on Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the ultimate responsibility for implementation lies with governments; however, these are our Goals. All of us, we all own shares in our future.
I hope that I have provided you with food for thought as we enter the Decade of Delivery on the SDGs. Together, we have the capacity and the resources to ensure a better world for all. You can count on me as your partner as we move forward enhancing global partnerships for sustainable development.
I thank you.
