Guterres urges governments to meet Sustainable Development Goals

“ OsDGs are ambitious because the challenges we face are immense. But commitments must be accompanied by transforming actions. That's the promise the governments made. Keeping that promise is an obligation. It is also our greatest opportunity to build a fairer, safer and more sustainable world,” said António Guterres.

Guterres' appeals were launched at the opening of the “Moment of Sustainable Development Goals”, the inaugural event of the High Level Week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Global and national transformative initiatives will be discussed at the event, as well as ways to accelerate the progress of SDGs, even in the face of increasing global challenges.

The SDGs are a set of 17 global development targets set by the United Nations General Assembly which must be achieved by 2030.

Guterres recalled today that the SDGs are a promise forged by the Member States and adopted by all governments in 2015, with the aspirations of building healthier, safer and prosperous societies; eradicating poverty and hunger; combating inequality and exclusion; eradicating diseases; protecting the planet; and leaving no one behind.

Since 2015, child and maternal mortality has been reduced, access to education, social protection, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, renewable energy and the internet has been extended, but over the past few years great setbacks have also been recorded, lamented the UN leader.

“ Mainly, a global pandemic that erased years of progress and exposed deep vulnerabilities ", pointed out the Secretary-General, referring to the pandemic of covid-19.

“ In every crisis, we adapted. We learned. And we keep moving. Progress has never been automatic. It was conquered by the determination of people, communities and countries,” he said.

António Guterres, who will leave the UN leadership at the end of the year, stressed that development faces strong obstacles today, such as conflicts, divisions and mistrust that weaken international cooperation.

“ The crises in the Middle East and other regions continue to generate economic insecurity and disrupt food, energy and trade flows. The climate crisis is accelerating, dangerously approaching the 1.5 degree limit. The rights of women and girls are under attack ", listed.

In addition, he pointed out that developing countries remain tied to debt, limited fiscal space and inadequate investment, and the world continues to spend record sums in wars, while development suffers from lack of resources.

“ The promises made by governments in adopting the Goals are not being fulfilled. It is time to fulfill them”, he insisted.

In this sense, Guterres indicated four areas for rapid action: combating inequality; caring for the planet; financing sustainable development; and accelerating progress with the available tools.

“And above all renewed efforts to forge peace, which is both the foundation and a facilitator of lasting, sustainable and resilient development,” he said before the UN General Assembly in New York.

The message of this year's ODS Moment is clear: no country, institution, company or community can achieve the Goals alone, especially in a world marked by successive and complex crises.

According to the UN, progress depends on shared responsibility and collective action.