Secretary-General Stresses Upholding Commitment to Official Development Assistance at Economic and Social Council Forum on Financing for Development Follow-Up

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the third Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) forum on financing for development follow-up, being held in New York from 23 to 26 April:

I am pleased to greet this ECOSOC forum on financing for development follow-up.

Mobilizing financial resources is crucial for advancing human well-being and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.  But we cannot overcome the financing challenge in isolation.

We must uphold our commitments on official development assistance while promoting entrepreneurship and truly free and fair trade.  And we must broaden national resource mobilization through ensuring tax reform and good governance.

But for that to succeed, the international community needs to do much more to fight money laundering, tax evasion and illicit financial flows.  And Governments and business should work in partnership to unlock the capital we need.

In September, I will host a high-level meeting on finance.

I will count on world leaders and all of you to invest in a sustainable and prosperous future for all.

Thank you.