Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Philemon Yang,
at the SDG Moment
24 September 2024
[As Delivered]
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In 2015, the General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the blueprint for global transformation – laying out commitments to end poverty and hunger, realize human rights, and ensure protection of the planet, for everyone, everywhere.
Last year, at its midpoint, we learned that progress on nearly all the Sustainable Development Goals has either regressed below the 2015 baseline – or is moving much too slowly.
Armed with this knowledge, world leaders at the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Summit adopted a strong political declaration, launching a new phase of accelerated action to achieve the Goals by 2030.
The challenge before us today is to keep this focus.
Success is born from determined action.
And this is a moment for ambition.
A moment for commitment to bold and just transitions that will
- Advance food systems;
- Broaden access to, and affordability of, renewable energy;
- Expand digital connectivity; and
- Scale up opportunities for education and decent work, especially for women and girls.
Together, these transitions offer a powerful “to-do” list to help us reduce the myriad inequalities that are leaving far too many people behind.
As President of the General Assembly, I vow to prioritize them, with the aim of unlocking the full potential of everyone, everywhere.
The Pact for the Future and its annexes, just adopted, offer a dynamic framework for strengthening international cooperation to this end.
As we mobilize to implement the Pact’s commitments, there will be critical moments ahead – including at COP29, where we need all hands-on deck to invigorate climate action.
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development offers a key opportunity for reform – to deliver long-term financing at scale and orient the global financial system towards a future that is prosperous and fair.
Meanwhile, the Second World Summit for Social Development will set a new way forward for bolstering the solidarity needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Smooth seas never made a skilled sailor, as the saying goes.
Let us harness the storm.
Thank you.
Media Contacts:
Sharon Birch, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, Tel: 1 646-342-5873, email: birchs@un.org
Mariam Shaikh, Dr. Advisor, Media and Communications, Office of the President of the General Assembly, Tel: 1 9173614990, email: mariam.shaikh@un.org
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