On 15th of April, 2016, Norwegian Prime Minister and Co-chair of the UN SDG Advocates, H.E. Erna Solberg, visited the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea in Seoul to discuss the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with South Korean parliamentarians.
During the visit to the National Assembly, H.E. Solberg attended the “UN SDGs Forum for Achieving the SDGs to Eradicate Poverty in a Sustainable Way” to speak on importance of the SDGs in order to eradicate poverty. Also joining H.E. Solberg for the event were Ambassador Dho Young-shim, Chairperson of UNWTO ST-EP Foundation & UN SDG Advocate, and Mr. Thomas Gass, Assistant Secretary-General of UN DESA.
In her speech, H.E. Solberg highlighted that politicians around the globe have a major responsibility for ensuring that the SDGs are nationally owned. “Simply establishing goals will not lift people out of poverty. Unless national governments show the political will and resolve to make progress on a given goal, progress will be limited or non-existent”, the Prime Minister continued. The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of accompanying the goals by coherent strategies, policies and investments.