Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,

H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis,

at the closing of the SDG Summit

[As Delivered]

19 September 2023

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I thank you once again for your active participation in the 2023 SDG Summit.

Our discussions over the last two days have sharpened our understanding of the challenges, as well as the available opportunities to ignite our renewed commitment to achieving the SDGs.

As I reflect on the discussions over the past days, one thing is clear: We need to ACT. We need ambition. We need collaboration. We need to be timely.

In terms of ambition, I welcome new commitments that have been announced, as well as dynamic new modalities for cooperation. It is recognized that we must use the latest in data, science, and technology to create innovative solutions, and these tools must be available to all.

But ambition alone is not enough. It must be backed and butressed by action.

We need to mobilize the necessary financial resources, ensuring that they are accessible, timely, and on reasonable terms, especially for countries that are already in debt distress and those experiencing multidimensional vulnerabilities.

In that respect, we need to ensure that the international financial system serves all countries, responding to today’s needs and flexible enough to respond to tomorrow’s challenges. 

And we must ensure that our public institutions are supporting effective policies and accelerating progress toward the SDGs.

In terms of collaboration, participants echoed – over and over – that individual ambition on its own will only get us so far.

We need all stakeholders to actively contribute to achieving the SDGs, including the active involvement of affected local communities.

I welcome and feel encouraged by the signals of new and stronger partnerships, which are critical to our success.

In the corporate and business sector, they say time is money – and I am sure that there is no one in this hall who is not familiar with the adage attributed to Edward Young that procrastination is the thief of time.

Let us therefore commit that the outcomes reached at this SDG Summit will be implemented in a timely manner, lest they be overtaken by event.

Excellencies,

With seven years remaining in SDGs implementation, time is simply not on our side – and we must embrace therefore a timely plan of action.

With each day, new issues are arising – whether it be another intense climate disaster, increasing food insecurity, or global health emergency.

It will be impossible for us to keep up with future challenges if we have not found ways to ingrain sustainable development in all its forms into the policies and practices today.

I urge us all in this room today – and those joining us from afar through remote means – to ACT with a sense of urgency to deliver on the promise we made in 2015 and its renewal in the last two days.

Let us carry these conversations forward throughout the remainder of the High-Level Week, particularly in discussions around Financing for Development and the three health-related meetings.

Excellencies and dear friends, my sincere thanks to our co-chairs, once again.

And my profound appreciation to each one of you for the invaluable insights.

As I stated at the opening yesterday – and I repeat once again here today – we have made a commitment to the peoples of this world to work toward delivering the SDGs by 2030.

As I have also repeatedly said, for me my every morning starts with a reminder of the preamble to the UN Charter – We the Peoples.

The peoples do not want our excuses. What they want is decisive action and meaningful progress.

So let us step up, rise to the occasion, and do our utmost best for the sake of the Peoples of the United Nations.

Let us deliver – for them – on our word and our commitments.

Thank you.