The UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) concluded with Member States strongly reaffirming their commitment to the 2030 Agenda, despite acknowledging that progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is lagging.
The forum ended with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration, passed by a vote of 154-2-2, with the United States and Israel voting against and Paraguay and Iran abstaining.
The declaration calls for urgent global action to get the SDGs back on track.
“We strongly reaffirm our commitment to effectively implement the 2030 Agenda [which]… remains our overarching roadmap for achieving sustainable development and overcoming the multiple crises we face,” the text stated.
Junhua Li, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, praised the declaration as a “powerful reaffirmation of multilateral resolve.”
This year’s forum marked the 15th HLPF and focused on five SDGs: good health and wellbeing, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, life below water and partnerships.
Negotiations were led by Czechia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“This year’s deliberations have held particular significance,” said Jakub Kulhánek of Czechia.
“A range of interlinked and persistent challenges continues to jeopardise the full realisation of the SDGs.”
Only 18% of the goals are on track, with the rest either stalled or progressing too slowly, according to a report released during the forum.
The declaration highlighted poverty and climate change as the most urgent global threats.
Member States also reaffirmed the link between peace and sustainable development, stating, “We recognise that sustainable development cannot be realised without peace and security and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development.”
ECOSOC President Bob Rae acknowledged the challenges ahead but urged the UN to lead not just as a platform for dialogue but as “a driver of solutions, of implementation and results.”
“Our task and our hearts and our minds, must always be with those who are living on the margins,” he said.
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