In a high-stakes assembly on Monday, global leaders convened at the United Nations headquarters in a concerted effort to rescue their ambitious pledges aimed at uplifting the world’s most impoverished populations. This critical summit, held on the eve of the annual UN General Assembly, faces the looming shadow of escalating geopolitical conflicts, epitomized by the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York.
In 2015, the United Nations member states jointly embraced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an array of 17 targets designed to catalyze transformative change worldwide by 2030. These objectives encompass eradicating extreme poverty entirely and ensuring that none of the planet’s eight billion inhabitants suffer from hunger.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres framed the summit’s objective as crafting a “global rescue plan” for these vital targets. He candidly acknowledged that only approximately 15 percent of the goals were progressing as planned, with some metrics regrettably regressing. Guterres underscored the profound significance of the SDGs, emphasizing that they represent the aspirations, rights, and well-being of people, as well as the ecological health of our planet. He described them as a means of rectifying historical injustices, healing global schisms, and steering our world towards enduring peace.
However, the pursuit of these noble aspirations has been beset by myriad setbacks, ranging from the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict to intensifying climate crises and surging living costs.
Abby Maxman, President of the anti-poverty advocacy organization Oxfam America, asserted that the UN summit serves as a pivotal forum for catalyzing change. She called upon leaders to be accountable, heed the voices of those on the front lines, and translate commitments into substantive action. Maxman underscored the importance of affluent nations supporting reforms of international economic institutions to alleviate the crushing debt burdens affecting many developing regions. She noted that the recent Group of 20 summit in New Delhi took initial strides toward addressing representation issues within the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
Nonetheless, Noam Unger, a development expert at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, expressed reservations about whether this SDG summit could rekindle a sense of “hope, optimism, and enthusiasm,” as it has been promoted. Unger highlighted the overshadowing concerns of rising authoritarianism, democratic erosion, geopolitical competition, and economic hardships, which may divert attention from fundamental issues related to climate change and global development.
With the world’s poorest nations placing their hopes in this gathering, leaders from developing countries are making a strong presence felt. The United States, having allocated substantial military aid to Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, aims to demonstrate its commitment to development efforts.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the United Nations, emphasized the profound stakes involved, citing the example of a young woman she met in Chad in September. This resilient individual had fled unimaginable violence in Sudan, leaving her family and education behind. Thomas-Greenfield underscored that the world’s most vulnerable individuals, like the young woman she encountered, are relying on the international community’s collective efforts during their times of dire need.
By AFP