Good afternoon colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Members of the media,
As we reflect on the urgency of the Secretary-General’s message, I’d like to highlight some critical aspects of The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 that underscore the demanding task ahead of us, particularly as we prepare for the upcoming deliberations at the High-level Political Forum.
The past year has witnessed unprecedented challenges that have strained our global commitments.
We’ve seen the highest number of refugees and forcibly displaced people ever recorded - a staggering 120 million individuals, compared to 80 million just 4 years ago. Civilian casualties in armed conflicts rose by 72% between 2022 and 2023, with women and children bearing a disproportionate burden of this violence.
Our planet’s health continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate. 2023 marked the warmest year on record, pushing us dangerously close to the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold of the Paris Agreement. Greenhouse gas emissions reached new heights, with no signs of abating.
The economic landscape for developing countries is particularly concerning. For the first time this century, per capita GDP growth in half of the world’s most vulnerable countries lags behind that of advanced economies. This trend threatens to reverse decades of progress towards income equality among nations.
However, amidst these challenges, we’ve seen remarkable progress that should inspire our continued efforts. The report highlights some encouraging advancements.
Over the past three decades, increased access to life-saving HIV treatments has averted 20.8 million AIDS-related deaths.
In education, girls have achieved parity and even surpassed boys in completing schooling at all levels in most regions.
The digital divide is narrowing, with two-thirds of the world's population now having access to the Internet, nearly 70% more than in 2015.
Colleagues,
As we move forward, our focus must be on translating commitments into concrete actions. Areas of focus include:
? Prioritizing peace-building and conflict-resolution efforts.
? Reforming international financial architecture and global economic governance to facilitate far greater investment in the SDGs and give developing countries a more equitable voice.
? Accelerating the just climate transition to address the triple planetary crisis.
? Increasing investments in food, education, health, energy and social protection; and
? Leveraging technological innovations like AI for sustainable development.
In the next six years, building on success while avoiding complacency will be crucial to getting the SDGs past the finish line.
The path ahead is challenging, but not insurmountable. By working together, harnessing our collective ingenuity, and focusing on targeted, impactful actions, we can still achieve the vision of the 2030 Agenda.
Thank you for your attention.