SDG Moment 2025

Excellencies, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, a very warm welcome to you all. My name is Shervin Bryspees. I'm a correspondent for the South African Broadcasting Corporation here at the United Nations, and I will be your master of ceremonies for the Sustainable Development Goals Moment 2025, taking place here in the Echo Stock Chamber during the 80th UN General Assembly High-Level Week. And I think Just by virtue of that introduction, let's give that moment a round of applause. Interpretation for the event is available in six official UN languages, as well as international sign language. We also have a scribe, Ms. Marsha Dunn, capturing today's discussion in a visual, which you will see later in this event at the closing. The Secretary-General will have to depart the event shortly after his intervention due to his hectic schedule during the General Assembly high-level week, but I assure you that I will remain for the duration of the event. Today's SDG moment marks a critical juncture. It is the midpoint of the Decade of Action, the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, and marks five years until 2030. Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015, sustainable development has seen both progress and setbacks. Most SDG targets are not on track. Today, we will be hearing from world leaders, civil society, women, youth groups, business, and persons with disabilities, who will speak about what we all need to do to keep the promise and share winning solutions to the challenges of sustainable development. A lot can happen in five years. If we act together, right, better together, we can build a more just, peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable world. It is now my pleasure to welcome on stage Ms. Salome Agbaroji. Salome is a Nigerian-American poet and youth activist and was the 2023 National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States of America. We are honored to have Salome here today to commence the 2025 SDG Moment, and you now get to welcome Salome.

It's the year 2030. The children are gleeful and free, finding fun in planting trees. They shovel to make way for the seeds, and then the metal strikes something beneath, reserves of an unknown present, a time capsule, memories of modern day reverence. And on the container it says, The hurt we hold, let's let the land carry. Bury our burdens, let time determine and adjust us. Let our doubts collect dust in the pursuit of justice. And as they're tucked deep in places that the sun can't reach, thus can never grow. Today, I want to make a time capsule that the children of the 30 will not understand. I hope hate speech reads like an ancient script that folks cannot decipher or decrypt. I hope that they see a picture of our bleached coral reefs and think that it must be a black and white photo. Let's make a time capsule that they couldn't understand. I hope they're perplexed by the sight of a bullet, that they see a gun's trigger and not even know to pull it. I hope they see a child's prosthetic and search for the rest of the doll. That they see protest less of an aesthetic and more like a call. I hope they will come across disease and trust the means to cure it and not drown in the now as we live in the current. I hope that they never understand. The process of casing your hope in salt to increase its shelf life, to preserve it for generations I hope they never understand. The pulse of desperation to keep going and to carry on. In fact, let's tape a note to the front of the time capsule that says, "Open me when the people are confused as to how our world's resources are wasted and overused. Open me when the people are stumped as to how our luscious forests can be reduced to stumps. Open me when the people are finished with the tireless fighting and dividing and violence inciting. They will open this time capsule in the year 2030, and their confusion will be a testimony, not to ignorance, but to progress. And they will lower this capsule, which holds nothing of their interest, back into the ground and say, the hurt that they held, let's let the land carry. Bury their burdens, because our actions today determine an injustice as our doubts collect dust in the pursuit of justice. And in the cavity of the soil, they'll plant their seeds in the place where the sun cannot reach, but still manages to grow. Thank you.

Thank you, Salome, for such poignant verses that capture both the urgency and hope. We really appreciate your intervention today. Next, it is my honor to welcome the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, to deliver his opening remarks.

Excellencies, honored guests, dear friends, we all know the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals, to build a fairer world where people and planet thrive, a world that leaves no one behind. But we also know that with just five years left, we still have a long way to go. Looking around the globe, it is not hard to see why. Conflicts reign destruction. Funding for development is drying up. And the climate crisis strikes blow after blow. And yet, even in this turbulent moment, we see signs of progress, hope, and opportunity. A record number of girls are in school, and graduation rates for all students are rising. Child mortality has declined, as has maternal mortality. HIV infections are falling. Electricity now reach 92% of the global population, with the Asia-Pacific region on track to universal energy access. None of this progress is by chance. It is the result of deliberate decisions. Those and many other examples show how investing in development pays. And now the work of so many in government, civil society, women's organizations, youth movements, and the private sector are making a concrete difference. The question before us is, how do we expand and speed up progress? And the answer lies in the goals themselves, their strengths in their interconnectedness. Education advances gender equality. Climate stability strengthens food security. Fighting famine paves the way for peace. These matters because the SDGs follow the law of increasing returns. The further we get on each goal, the easier it becomes to achieve others. And momentum is building. This year saw strong outcomes at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, the Financing for Development Conference in Seville, and the Food Systems Summit Stocktake in Addis Ababa. The coming World Summit for Social Development in Qatar and the UN Climate Conference in Brazil are opportunities for more speed and more scale. Dear friends, the SDGs there ask to imagine a better world. The exact path to reach it differs depending on national context. Small island developing states, landlocked developing countries, and least developed countries are all facing unique challenges and opportunities. But for all countries, some things remain the same. First, we must reform the global financial architecture. And that means delivering real debt relief, tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and ensuring developing countries have a greater influence in the institutions that govern their economic fate. Climate action must also take center stage. We must act immediately to keep the 1.5 degree goal within reach and harness the full potential of the renewables revolution. I look forward to all countries putting forward ambitious national climate plans and for developed countries to honor their pledges on the loss and damage and adaptation. We must also prepare for technological transformation. New digital tools have the potential to supercharge sustainable development. But we need guardrails to ensure safety and inclusion, as well as financing to bridge digital divides. Excellence.

Your Excellencies, and in everything that we do, we must make peace a priority. In 2024, Global military spending was 13 times official development assistance, and that is equivalent to the GDP of the entire African continent. In other words, this is not a question of resources. It's a question of choices, and that is why good governance is essential. The just and transparent institutions described in Goal 16 are vital to the 2030 agenda. and we must make strengthening them a priority. As the General Assembly commences this week, we will hear talk of targets and percentages. We must never forget that every percentage point, every fraction, every decimal point represents lives changed and lives saved. It's time to intensify our efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda. We must regroup, recommit, and refocus. We must keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals. Thank you.

Thank you, Secretary-General, for those remarks and for convening us today. Next, please join me in welcoming to the stage the President of the General Assembly, Her Excellency Annalena Baerbock.

Ten years ago, world leaders gathered here at the United Nations and made audacious commitment to transform our world through sustainable Development. 17 goals. Just a number, 1-7. But one promise, to leave no one behind, absolutely no one. Where do we stand with five years to go until 2030? As the Secretary General has said, certainly we made some progress. Child mortality has been halved compared to the start of the millennium. Clean energy now generates more than 40% of the world's electricity, part of an urgently needed shift to renewables. Nearly a billion people have gained access to safe drinking waters since 2015. Social protection now reaches over half of humanity, up from less than 43% a decade ago. These are not abstract gains. They matter. They matter to the children in sub-Saharan Africa who survive their fifth birthday, to the families in South Asia who drink from a tap instead of contaminated rivers, to parents in Latin America who can send their children to school because social protection spares them the choice between food and fees. Every life improved matters. Every life saved matters. However, we hear some people speaking about the goals as if they were just abstract numbers, one and seven, and not real lives. And this is why, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we should not wonder that we are not moving as fast as we should on the foundational promises of the Sustainable Development Goals. This is why we have to speak out to those who are trying to get rid of these numbers, the 17 goals. And this is why, in today's world, people are still being left behind. We are falling far short of our ambitions. And our stalled progress has yet to recover from the blow dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 35% of the SDGs are on track. Nearly half, 47%, are seeing insufficient progress. 18% have gone into even reverse. The financial picture is equally stark. At a moment of rising need, net official development assistance fell by 7.1% last year. Meanwhile, developing countries paid a record of $1.4 trillion just to service external debt in 2023. That had been funded for solar panels. This money could have been used for expanded health care, for schools. The gap towards 2030, our challenge is not a lack of solutions. It's a lack of political will, sometimes intentionally. It's a lack of resources. Achieving the SDGs requires investments, political and financial investments. And therefore, it was an important moment that member states reaffirmed in the Seville commitment last June that closing financing gaps is essential. Vulnerable countries must have access to concessional financing to build infrastructure and uphold the rights of their people. This includes not only least developed countries such as Mozambique, where much of the population still lacks clean water and struggles with basic necessities, but also nations deemed middle income by GDP despite their acute vulnerabilities. Small island developing states like the Maldives confronting rising seas that threaten their very territory. And landlocked nations like Mongolia, where harsh winters and advancing desertification undermine food security. All of them need the financial support required to secure their future. But they also need support to protect themselves from the climate crisis. Loss and damage must be addressed to those who lose their homes or livelihoods. who bear the costs alone. Energy transition must be fair, protecting both workers and towns as we move away from fossil fuels. And ecosystems must be restored, because without healthy forests, rivers, and reefs, there's no foundation for life. Development will only be fair and sustainable if it makes space for voices too often ignored. And if we combine our efforts and show solidarity with each other, let us act with the understanding that the 2030 agenda is not beyond reach. Let us generate the necessary political will and the financial resources. Yes, five years' time is not much time, but if we need, we can proceed with urgency and solidarity. If we can act with the conviction that we are truly better together, we can still shape a better future. Or as Salome has said in her wonderful poem, "Let us build the time capsule for our children, filled with dignity and justice, for every person in every community, in a world where no one is left behind." I thank you.

Thank you, Excellency. Thank you, Excellency. Allow me, before I continue, just to take a moment of personal privilege. Look around the room. Look around the room. It's packed. There's not a seat empty. Standing room, hardly standing room at the back there. And while the buzz in this building today is about a two-state solution conference, and I do not want to diminish the importance of that event, Development matters. It's evidenced by how packed this room is today. So congratulations to all of you for showing up for the SDGs and for development today. I think it speaks to its importance. Congrats. Now let's take a look at some key highlights from the SG's annual report on SDG progress. The 2025 report highlights how change is possible and areas that need decisive action from all of us to reach the 2030 goalpost on the screen.

As we mark a decade since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, we stand at a turning point in human history. With just five years remaining, we've made remarkable progress, but it's not enough. The 2025 SDG Report reveals that only 35% of SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress. with nearly half moving too slowly and 18% are regressing below 2015 baseline levels. The last decade proves that transformation is possible. Millions have gained access to essential services. For the first time, more than half of the world's population is now covered by at least one social protection benefit. Maternal and child mortality rates have fallen. More than 100 million children and youth have entered school, with rising completion rates at all levels. More young people, especially girls, are also completing school. Women's representation in parliaments has increased to 27%, up from 22% in 2015. 45 countries have achieved universal electricity access in the past decade, and access to clean cooking has expanded globally. Internet connectivity has increased by 70%, opening new avenues for young people, communities, civil society and local leaders to deliver on the SDGs. Despite these important gains, the convergence of conflicts, climate chaos, geopolitical tensions, and economic shocks continue to obstruct progress at the pace and scale needed to meet our 2030 commitment. Developing countries also face a $4 trillion financing gap annually. We face a global development emergency with unprecedented challenges across multiple fronts. Over 800 million people remain trapped in extreme poverty. Carbon dioxide levels have reached the highest point in over 2 million years, with 2024 being the hottest year on record, surpassing the 1.5-degree threshold. Peace and security have deteriorated significantly, with more than 120 million people forcibly displaced from their homes more than double the number in 2015. Debt servicing costs in low- and middle-income countries reached a record US$1.4 trillion, squeezing resources vital for sustainable development. The time to act is now, and the path forward lies in accelerating the six SDG transitions: food systems, energy, digital connectivity, education, jobs and social protection, and climate and biodiversity. Building on the momentum of the 2023 SDG Summit and the 2024 Pact for the Future, we must leverage the key milestones of 2025, including the Compromiso de Sevilla, agreed by member states at Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the outcomes of the High-Level Political Forum and the Second UN Food Systems Summit, StopTake, and looking ahead at the Beijing+30, the Second World Summit for Social Development, and the 30th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as COP30. The next five years will determine our future. The SDGs are within reach if we act with urgency and ambition. We need robust multilateralism, sustained investment, and unwavering political will. Because only if we act together can we keep the promise of the 2030 agenda.

Okay. With that update on the state of play, it is now my honor to invite the distinguished panel of world leaders who are turning the ambition and aspiration of the 2030 Agenda into action. And I want to welcome them onto the stage. Please help me welcome Her Excellency, Mrs. Ntembo Nandi Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia, who might be running a bit late, so I might have to introduce her again. His Excellency, Mr. Michael Martin, TD, Taoiseach of Ireland. and Her Excellency, Ms. Hilda Heine, the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. And please welcome, or she's already jumped the gun, please welcome Her Excellency, Ms. Amina Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, who will moderate today's SDG Moment high-level panel discussion. Over to you.

Okay, good afternoon, New York. I don't hear you. It's great to have everyone around, and thank you very much for joining us today. It is special. It's 80 years on, but it's also five years to the SDGs, and so a real pleasure to have the President of the Marshall Islands and the Teasock of Ireland with us. Of course, President of Namibia will join us. Thank you for being with us today. The Secretary General left, but not without saying and reminding us that progress never happens by chance. It happens because leaders make deliberate choices, and what we need to focus on today is just that. But he also reminded us that the SDGs are interconnected, and success in one goal really creates momentum across all the others. So if I'm a diehard for goal five and gender, without the investments in gender, all other 16 won't make it. So it really is an interconnected agenda. Today, we're gonna hear about the examples of this momentum and how governments are making those deliberate choices and how they're speeding up the progress towards the 2030 agenda. It is also a moment for leaders to speak honestly about the headwinds, and there certainly are a number of them. The political tensions that we feel in the world today are impacting everyone. But this is a storm, and we will navigate it, and we've got a pretty good compass in the SDGs, and that's where we're at. And we're really quite thrilled to have over 150 heads of state and government in the United Nations, and that means that this town hall is still working. Now let's turn to the leaders who are putting these choices into practice and hear how they're keeping the promise of the SDGs. And let me start with the President of the Marshall Islands. President Hilda Heine, thank you. The Marshall Islands are a powerful voice for showing the world how ocean, climate, and biodiversity are inseparable. In many ways, you've been the world's conscience on climate change, sounding the alarm for nations most at risk from rising sea levels and showing how the world of ocean, climate, and biodiversity are inseparable. Yet as we speak, these are among the goals lagging furtherest behind, especially in small island developing states. And so our question today is, how is the Marshall Islands turning the commitments that were made in Antigua and Barbuda agenda for SIDS, the ABASS? How are they making also the Nice Declaration into concrete actions to protect your people and build a resilient future?

Thank you. Thank you for the question, and thank you also for the opportunity to share in this panel this afternoon. I will address your question by speaking to the case of small island developing states and how we are dealing with some of these issues, some of the trying to meet the sustainable development goals. And I'll speak for us on ocean and how we're doing. I mean, that's a very important topic for small island developing states, as you know. For us, oceans are just another sector. They're a defining feature of our countries, economies, and cultures. For the Marshall Islands, we are more than 99% ocean. So that means we rely very closely on the ocean for food security, for economic growth, for our culture and identity. To translate this to SDG perspective, this isn't just relevant to SDG 8 on oceans, but oceans will impact many other targets and goals. Some of our key ocean goals include strengthening enforcement to reduce illegal fishing on our waters and surrounding high seas pockets. Another one is securing further arrangements or agreements with distant fishing nations on sustainable practices and limits. Another one is on championing support for small island developing states on boosting our marine management capacity for our vast EEZ. Here we are not only ensuring our food security, but as a major source of global tuna stocks, we are contributing to world food security. We need to return to the drawing board and build the political will necessary to end global plastic pollution. whether through a treaty or other means, and to implement the BBNJ treaty as it enters into force. Like oceans, climate change poses impacts and challenges across the development spectrum. But for small island developing state, and our case as an atoll nation with no higher ground, climate change remains an outsized challenge. This is why AOSIS and small island states have always strongly emphasized the need for a global spotlight on climate. One of the most important ongoing challenges to address is the need for more effectiveness and access from larger international finance sources. In parallel, we are advancing efforts at the IMO to drive a just and equitable transition in the transportation sector, linking this work directly to climate action through practical, inclusive solutions and reflect the realities of small island states. These efforts are guided by SV Juraini, our wind and solar power sustainable sea transport vessel. The Oceans Conference is vital in keeping and building international strategies where glad that we were able to participate in the last one in Nice. And it builds momentum towards sustainable strategies needed to better protect and sustainably use the world's primary common resource, which we all share. That's our ocean. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. And just reminding us that these agreements that we have, they're all about us trying to get our mitigation goal right. And so therefore, the conference that we will have of the parties in Brazil will be important for the nationally determined contributions, our NDCs, to really align with 1.5 degrees. The rising sea levels would then begin to be mitigated. But also to say it's also about plastics. It's about the way we are all consuming in this world and what it contributes to the pollution of the oceans. Tiso, Michelle Martin, over to you. Ireland knows what it means to build peace step by step. Around the world, conflict is eroding decades of SDG progress, and nations are spending more money on weapons today than in any point of history. So how is Ireland drawing on its own experience of reconciliation and advocate for peace, and why does its steadfast commitment to development cooperation matter in keeping the promise of the goals?

First of all, thank you very much indeed. And we have used an endeavor to apply the lessons of the Irish peace process. People may not recall, but we had about 25 years of violence, particularly in Northern Ireland. which overlapped into the Republic of Ireland and into the United Kingdom. Terrible atrocities were carried out. It was a lot of hate, a lot of bitterness, but we managed to develop a peace process. And the most fundamental aspect or ingredient for peace is political will on all parties at the table. And we have endeavoured to help other conflict areas around the world, building on the lessons that we have learned. And no one conflict situation is the same, and I would acknowledge that there are conflict areas that are perhaps more complex. But I would say to people, 26 years after the peace in Northern Ireland, We are still working on reconciliation. And only last week, the United Kingdom government and the Irish government agreed a framework to deal with the legacy of the conflict in a sustained way in terms of giving closure to the families of victims on all sides. So a peace process doesn't end with the signing of the agreement. It is enduring, and you have to keep working at it. And reconciliation takes a lot of hard, work day in and day out to build understanding. We've participated in the peace process in Mozambique. We have people in Colombia working with the Colombian government in terms of the peace process there. We're mainly peacekeepers, so we've been in Lebanon for quite a long time as part of UNIFIL, as part of the UN mission there. We've been in Chad and Liberia down through the decades. So we've been in many parts of the world as peacekeepers. But increasingly, we are there to try and help, if we can, to share our knowledge and experience in terms of conflict resolution. In terms of the sustainable development goals, the most fundamental problem we have right now, our challenge, is we need to reassert multilateralism. And I take your point that all the world-- the vast majority of leaders are here, which is a good thing. But we have alternatives beginning and developing around us. Let's be honest. We have seen very significant consistent attempts to undermine the multilateral order and the UN as well and UN bodies. So what we try and do in our own development program is to be a predictable source of finance to countries and to the UN agencies so that they can plan appropriately, so that we can avoid shocks in terms of funding allocation. so that the agencies within the UN have a fair idea what Ireland will be able to allocate to them next year and the year beyond and increase. Now, we've been in a position, thankfully, that we can increase our aid on an annual basis. But we've come around to the view that that predictability is very important so that people can plan and be more efficient then in how they do things. And we have worked with the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of development aid. Ireland experienced a famine in the middle of the 19th century, in 1845. It effectively halved our population. And it is only now, in 2025, that Ireland has recovered to its pre-famine population of 1845. That's how long it has taken. But that has had an impact in our approach to world hunger and famine. It's why Irish people are appalled at the man-made famine and catastrophe in Gaza right now. It's why we have a very strong, and if I dare say, sophisticated food system approach to enabling countries who are farthest behind to develop sustainable food systems. We were an agricultural country, we still are, but we've developed technology and so on. So we believe in the food area. in developing food systems that are sustainable for many communities around the world. Strategically, equality and equality for women and girls is a central part of our overall global development framework. And we work with people as opposed to trying to tell people how to do things. So we work with the small island developing states. We have developed a strategy in our development program for small island development states, but we did that in collaboration with the small island states, developing states, asking them, you identify for us what are the immediate needs and so forth. And then what lessons can we learn from our engagement with others? And I think that's the more sustainable approach, I think, to reaching the sustainable development goals. And we have that commitment because of our past experiences, particularly on the hunger side and education. We do a lot of good work, if I say so, on education, and you can see 100 million people have access to additional people have access to education. Why? Because in our own culture and history, there was times when Irish people couldn't access education. And the story of modern Ireland is education and mass participation in education. And it's been a transformation over 60 years, which has enabled us to be strong economically and societally. And so we are passionate about giving people access to education and doing what we can in that area, and health services as well. They're the kind of key thematic priorities. Sorry if I've gone a bit too long, but that's, we approach it thematically, strategically, we have clear goals, but we believe in predictability of funding and certainty, and so that people can plan accordingly.

Thank you very much for sharing that. I think we'll all remember that this institution was born out of a war, and that wars and conflicts just don't pay. What pays is to invest in development, and when we don't, and you shared that with us with the famine, it can have impacts on generations to come. And I think this is where our Pact for the Future really asked us to look about what we do today and the impact it has on future generations, so thank you for sharing that with us. President Hay, you're the first woman to lead a country in Micronesia and the first person to earn a doctorate in the Marshall Islands. You've not only been an educator, but also a climate activist. Why is activism so important in driving sustainable development and the SDGs forward? You've got a lot in the audience that are looking for some guide there as to how they leave these halls and we continue to bring activism to get those SDGs in the next five years.

Thank you. Thank you for that question. And I think just to go directly to why it is important to be activist. I mean, I didn't start out being an activist, but in the course of the work and trying to deal with the issue of climate change, you know, as you know, it's been a long road coming so many years to now, and we still haven't reached where we need to reach as far as climate change. And so for us, if we don't do it, who's going to do it? I mean, we're like two meters above sea level, and we're living the effects of climate change every day. And so for us, we made a commitment to go into the international community and advocate for our future. Otherwise, it's leaving it to chance and letting other people decide our future for us. And although we're not contributing to emission level, we still have to take part, to take leadership in making sure that we're going after our energy sources using renewable energy, turning our shipping fleet into ships that uses solar energy and wind. So we're doing the best we can do to show example that it can be done and that all of us need to take part to make changes in climate change, for example. So I think it's a matter of importance for us. We cannot leave it to chance. We have to take ownership of the solution as well as convincing the world about where we're at and the need for the world to commit.

Thank you so much. That's all about we the people, and that's certainly what the Charter espouses for us all. It isn't just about your advocacy for what the world needs to do, but everyone standing up to be counted. And we appreciate that the SDGs are that, we say that's our compass, that's our way forward. But turning to you, T. Sock, on a personal level, what motivates you to lead Ireland to use its voice and partnerships to defend multilateralism? but also to show that global solidarity is not just a principle of the past, but a pathway forward.

Well, I suppose at a very fundamental level, I became involved in politics at a young age to try and change things for the better in my own local community, then nationally, and as a national leader globally. And as a small island state, Ireland sees the multilateral system as our ultimate security guarantor. That's what guarantees our security. If might is right, and if big, large powers think they can invade your neighbor, then we don't have security. And so we're passionate about multilateralism. But we have also seen that multilateralism works and can work spectacularly in so many areas of human endeavor. And notwithstanding, at times we've become very pessimistic in terms of progress and so on, enormous progress has been made. On climate, we've come a long way. Not fast enough, maybe, but we have come a long way from where we were two or three decades ago. In terms of education participation, we've come a long way. And in terms of you know, food and so on, we've come a long way, but we have a lot more to do. But we made that progress because of multilateralism. People pooling resources, people working together will achieve a lot more. It's a very basic principle. It works. Challenges today that there's quite a number of significant powers who don't believe in multilateralism and are seeking to undermine it. So I think actually within the UN and within amongst ourselves here, we do have to think afresh as to how we counteract this growing sort of skepticism or undermining of multilateralism. There is an obligation on us to sort of cry halt. We believe in this. And we need to reassert ourselves in terms of the primacy of multilateralism in the world and not shrink back from articulating fundamental principles. in respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity, the dignity of every people, of every person, and the dignity of nations and peoples. And I think that's something at times we can drift into a certain fatalism or resignation. There's nothing we can do. But actually, there is a lot we can do, and we just need to keep at it.

Thank you. Fighting for the courage of our convictions, and it's a personal, but it's also collective for many of us. And I think that when we see the charter or multilateralism being undermined, it's not so much how much of the resources are being withdrawn from different pots, whether it's development or it is the UN itself. It really is about the principles, it's about the values, it's about the institutions that do help us to create the systems that are needed for health, for education, for jobs that are decent and that people can live a life of dignity. Thank you for sharing that. Well, we have got two ministers who would like to join this conversation. So if I may shout out for the minister, Jacques Assou, from Cote d'Ivoire.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As was recalled by all of the, both the panelists, less than 10 years after their adoption, fewer than 20% of the SDGs are on the right path to be reached. Extreme poverty continues to threaten many people, and many continue to suffer from hunger. In this context, this event, my country, Cote d'Ivoire, welcomes the holding of this flagship event on the SDGs organized on the margins of the 80th session of the General Assembly. Cote d'Ivoire is well aware of the difficulties that we face in meeting these goals. So what we've done is that we have reduced our poverty rate that has fallen from 51% in 2011 to less than 40% in 2019. We have provided access to electricity for more than around 80% of the population. We have set up compulsory schooling, improved school performance rates. and launched important projects such as solar panel parks and others. However, we continue to face challenges, youth and equality, youth unemployment, social inequality, climate change, among others. That's why we have taken a strategy to speed up our achievement of the SDGs in our development plan. This is focused on the energy transition, food security, water, sanitation, and mobilizing innovative financing. This is a struggle that is common to many. No country can meet these challenges alone. Cote d'Ivoire stands determined to continue on this path towards inclusive, lasting, resilient development. And we call on all states for a renewed global partnership to keep the promise that we made to our future generations. Thank you.

Excellence, thank you for sharing with us the advancements that Cote d'Ivoire has made. Of course, we still have to get to 2030, and we do need to accelerate on a number of issues in West Africa. We are pursuing much with you on the energy transitions and also the fight against climate change. Thank you. I do have another excellency, Honorable Kenya Barkley, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development for Sierra Leone.

Thank you and good afternoon. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, Sierra Leone stands with the international community to accelerate delivery on the 2030 agenda. At this SDG moment, I will briefly want to share four selected evidence-based results from our national efforts in four areas to leave no one behind. And these are the four areas that our president, who is unavoidably absent, Dr. Julius Madabio, would have presented. First, on nutrition education. Our national and partner-supported school feeding interventions have reached hundreds of thousands of children. In 2022, approximately 486,000 primary school children in Sierra Leone were receiving school meals, and primary enrollment was recorded at around 2.7 million pupils, an essential foundation for improving and retention in learning. The other area, access to justice. Our legal aid board has been scaled up as a government-funded frontline justice service. Independent analysis reports the board assisted some 150,000 people in 2023, two-thirds of whom were women and girls, demonstrating the practical reach and cost-effectiveness of nationally funded legal aid. These services have reduced catastrophic legal costs for vulnerable households. and have strengthened social inclusion. Thirdly, on domestic financing for SDGs, our integrated national financing framework and pilot initiatives in revenue mobilization have strengthened our tax administration and local revenue collection. The fourth area on accountability and recovery of public assets. Our anti-corruption commission has made recoveries that are publicly reported and being redirected to service delivery. Madam moderator, excellencies, these results in nutrition for children, legal protection, and for the vulnerable, strengthen domestic finance, and concrete asset recoveries amongst a range of others are not incidental. They are the product of policy choices, scaling domestic solutions, partnering strategically with UN and other development partners, the private sector, and civil society, and applying public financial reforms for the long term. Sierra Leone remains committed to using these hard-won gains to accelerate progress on education, gender equality, health, and governance. We call on partners to continue to support countries to scale proven solutions and to back national systems that mobilize domestic resources and deliver results for the people. I thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Minister, for sharing the importance of the focus on the policies that you need to take, but connecting them to domestic resources, and we hope creating that enabling environment for further investments. But focus on education is particular in Sierra Leone, and congratulations on thousands of girls that you have got back into school, and many of those dropouts that became, had a second chance. Incredible work. Before I turn to the lightning round with our two guests, is there anyone in civil society or a young person at the back there who has a reflection? So don't say we space. Okay, there's a lady standing up there. Please take the floor. We can hear you. What's your name?

My name is Alan Creta Dale, and I am one of the representatives in the UN Major Group for Children and Youth. And on behalf of youth, I just wanted to applaud and recognize all of the achievements that we've been able to accomplish over the last 10 years in terms of our SDG goals. And there's definitely so much more work that we need to accomplish now. And the fact that we have so many folks from different aspects of society, youth, civil society, UN delegates, governments, all together in this room right now is just an incredible feat that we can come together and have this conference and speak about all of these different topics and how they intersect with all our different aspects of society. So really appreciate that we have this session here today and that we have this whole week to be able to reflect and think about how can we further scale our accomplishments. So thank you on behalf of all of the youth.

Thank you very much for just demonstrating when your space is given, the youth fill it. So thank you for that. And I can see our youth envoy. Am I good? Am I good? Thank you very much. And as I turn to the lightning round on how we keep the promises of the SDGs, there's civil society. We said the SDGs leave no one behind. So perhaps I could turn to you, T-Soc, and ask, what's the message for this audience that they would amplify and take out of these halls and how we keep the promise of the SDGs?

I think the message is based on the progress that has been made in so many areas. It proves to us that we can actually do it, but we need to reassert and recommit with conviction to make strides in attaining the SDGs and the goals by 2030. So really, it's about political will, re-energizing ourselves to go out there and do it, because we do have the models, we do know how to do it. And perhaps, in terms of the timeline, the utilization of technology could be an accelerator. Towards the achievement. Quite off, quite a significant. significant number of goals, and that's something we should probably factor in to the next five years.

So advocate with your politicians. Courage of conviction for the activism that we need, but try using technology. And I know many of the young people in this room, day in, day out, use that, but let's also give a shout out for agencies like ITU, without which we wouldn't have the cell phones that we can go out and do that. To you, President Hine, same question. What do we need to do to keep the promise of the SDGs?

Well, we -- Thank you. I think we need to continue the commitments that we started and establish stronger partnership to move the SDGs forward. We've done great work, although we're not there yet, but I think with persistence and commitment, We will get there. So thank you, everyone.

So partnerships, don't give up. The journey's not done yet. And we can see the partial islands have been on that path for a long way and haven't given up. And I hope every one of you will go through this week harvesting what you can do, the partnerships that we can put together, the momentum that we can create, the collective action for trying to get the promise of the SDGs done by 2030. Thank you so much for joining us, and thank you for being such a great audience.

Thank you to the panelists. Thank you, Excellencies, DSG, for that compelling discussion. Your insights are very inspiring, and the examples here will inspire us to take this work forward. Let's bring the lectern back. It is now my distinct honor to introduce our next speaker. If I could ask the panelists to please take their seats. It is my distinct honor to introduce our next speaker, Her Majesty and SDG advocate, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, my field visits as SDG advocate to Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, and Costa Rica with HCR, UNICEF, WHO, supported by the Partnership Office, have all brought the same message home to me. The SDGs we are fighting for are essential to improve the lives of millions of human beings across the world. I can bear witness especially for the sectors I focus on: quality, inclusive, egalitarian education, the reduction of poverty, the promotion of women's and girls' rights, mental health, and the impact of climate change, such as rising sea levels in coastal zones. All those experiences have moved me and motivate me to lend my voice to all those who remain unheard. The work done by UN agencies as well as national authorities and civil society, is remarkable. None of this would exist without our shared determination to realize the 2030 Agenda. None of this would exist without the tireless efforts of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed. However, We must all acknowledge that, unfortunately, this is not enough. Crises are multiplying and dragging on. Multilateralism is under pressure. Finances are insufficient. Inequalities and poverty keep on increasing. But we cannot afford to be defeatist. It is all the more crucial at a critical time like this, to take responsibility, to pool our efforts so as to realize the goals and values we signed up to in 2015. The needs and the goals are clear. The UN's commitment is stronger than ever. Our determination is renewed by the approaching target date of 2030. Let us keep those 17 SDGs at the heart of all our actions and decision-making, for it is only their realization which will enable us to make our world a better place, more egalitarian, more inclusive, more just, more peaceful, with no one left behind. Thank you.

Thank you, Queen Mathilde, for your remarks and for being here with us today. Now we will move towards our next segment. But before that, let us watch a short video on parallel realities by the UN SDG Action Campaign, which is a global initiative by the Secretary-General aimed at promoting the SDGs through advocacy, engagement, and creative action.

When you look at the world around us, what do you see? Do you focus on hope, love, equality, and abundance? Or do you only see inequality, insecurity, hate, and decay?

Prayer Gerçeklikleri, aynı anda birçok gerçeğin var olabildiği bir dünyada yaşadığımızı göstermek için yarattım. Sınan bir gezegen ve gelişen bir doğa, kirli bir hava ve tertemiz gökyüzü, baskı ve fırsat, kırık kalpler ve sevişle dolu yürekler. Sanat bize hem dünyanın olduğu haliyle hem de olmasını istediğimiz haliyle nasıl görünebileceğini, birbirinden yalnızca bir kareyle ayrılan paralel gerçekleri gösterebilir.

Transformation is possible. Let's focus on the world we want, and let's build it together.

And applaud. All right, for those standing at the back, we've got some empty seats down at the bottom. If you can find a seat and would like to come down, I encourage you to do that now as I introduce our next segment. Feel free, if you like, if you prefer to stand. That's up to you. All right, the United Nations Secretary-General's vision is a networked multilateralism, where all stakeholders contribute to the SDGs. We are 10 years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We just heard from heads of states on government efforts towards achieving the SDGs. At the same time, achieving the SDGs is also about engagement with the whole of society, individual efforts, civil society action, and private sector investment. We will hear examples from our panelists on initiatives driving the agenda forward and how we can keep the promise of sustainable development. It is my great pleasure to introduce our speakers today. We welcome Ms. Daphne Frias, youth activist, community organizer, and founder of Box the Ballot. Ms. Roya Mahboob, can you please come up if you've heard your name, founder and chief executive officer of the Digital Citizen Fund. Mr. John Denton, secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce. You can applaud to encourage them. It's too quiet in this room. Mr. Hungbo Gilbert, director general of the United Nations International Labor Organization. and Mr. Hou Ling Shu, Acting Administrator and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Program. Please join me. Welcome to you all. The overarching theme of this year's SDG Moment, and this first question goes to you, Daphne. The overarching theme of this year's SDG Moment is keeping the promise of the SDGs, what the DSG was just asking the heads of state and government. Ms. Frias, as a young person engaging with communities, what do you think is needed to keep the promise of the SDGs and ensure that no one is left behind?

Thank you so much for this question, and I'm so honored to be here with you all in this chamber. I've had many moving conversations towards achieving the SDGs in this very room. And I really want to start off by saying, while the promise of the SDGs is making progress, it is also fractured in many ways. As we gather here today, Gaza faces level five famine. Only five days ago, an independent commission established by the UN Human Rights Council declared that Israel is committing genocide. I only have to say the names Sudan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, for you around the room to know that the world is bending towards darkness and destruction. Goal three strives for zero hunger, yet we see food being restricted systematically by those imposing their rule. How are we supposed to achieve good health and well-being while hospitals crumble under the attacks of drones with patients still inside? I often hear complaints about how my generation is too disillusioned with politics. This generalization is not only apathetic, but convenient. It is easier to blame the next generation for not assimilating to the status quo than to admit it has never served our unified interest. The antiquated utopian metaphors used to describe peace do not stir feelings of hope. How could they? Unlike any generation before us, catastrophe, death, anguish are streamed right to our hands. While social media contains cautions, it has allowed us to see the collapse of democracy in real time. It cannot be ignored. In 2024, loss of lives amid armed conflict surged 40% and casualties among children and women quadrupled in just two years alone. The truth is, maybe my generation is not disillusioned, but just deeply distraught, having watched lives treated as pawns on a chessboard, all in the name of peace. This very institution that we sit in today was created in the wake of conditions not dissimilar to the ones I just highlighted. It was through these tumultuous times that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created, proof that when progress outweighs ego and we can prioritize our shared interests and humanity, unity prevails over divisiveness. When we are committed to asking the right questions, change is possible. Now, asking these questions will prove uncomfortable, as any good introspection should. As a young person navigating the bureaucracy and unspoken rules of the UN, I often have questions of my own. Thoughts such as, what does modern peacekeeping look like? And are the promises to uphold democracy actually promoting neocolonialism? Why are some communities disposable in an effort to reduce inequalities? If the UN does uphold rules based on international systems, who's listening and who benefits? If the same voices keep coming up with ineffective solutions, why do they get a platform? With only five years left towards the way forward, the only way we can proceed is through radical action. Now, I know when words like radical are said, some of you might disengage. Some of you might think of revolutionaries, of challenge, of revolts. But I would remind you, as my friend Theo recently did, that the word radical comes from the root radic, meaning root. To be radical is to go to the root of the problem. It means being wholly committed to fixing what is broken, even through unconventional methods. We need to invest in small farmers and fisherfolk to close the food gap. We must commit to gender equality, not just in rhetoric, but in practice. Nature and indigenous peoples have shown us the way forward in repairing our planet. We must deprioritize our penchant for fossil fuel lined pockets and choose our planet instead. Time is not to be wasted. While the SDGs have made headway, there is still much more to be done. It is easy to take the accomplishments of the SDGs as a win. And let me be clear, I am not undermining the progress that we have made. but instead turning our focus to what still needs to be done. In a time where fascism is on the rise, refugees are being incriminated, and the health of our people is slipping away, we must commit to pragmatic delivery of the SDGs. We must co-create and ensure that the solutions we implement are the ones that people actually want. The average person's life is not governed by 17 goals. but the real hardships they face day-to-day. The same people know the way forward. So let us become better listeners. Peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet can only happen if we return to our roots. Thank you.

Thank you. I agree. I really appreciate your explanation of roots, but I would argue that to be radical sometimes is to uproot the problem, right? If you talk about fossil fuels, for example, we need to uproot the problem and invest more in renewables. So I love that. Yeah, let's uproot more, right?

We have to realize our roots, but also take stock of what roots are not working and uproot them.

Absolutely. Thank you so much for that. All right. Yeah, please. Roya Mahboob. Ms. Mahboob, you have been working on the ground to empower thousands of women and girls in some of the world's most fragile contexts through the Digital Citizen Fund and other initiatives. Tell us more about your work. How do you keep the promise of the goals in fragile contexts, particularly in support of women and girls? Goal 5, right, of the SDGs. We all know them off by heart, don't we? Yes? All 17? I'm coming for you.

First of all, thank you very much for your question. And, Excellency, leaders, and ladies and gentlemen, it's absolutely a pleasure to be here today. We are now over 1,270 days that Afghan women are being banned from the secondary school. Four years into the Taliban rule, we are facing the first generation of the girls unable to complete their education. The World Bank estimated this cost Afghanistan about $1.4 billion each year. But beyond economic is the human cost. More child marriage, rising abuse, and maternal mortality projected to be 50% higher by 2026. For millions of the girls, education remain closed. Their future are stolen, and their voices are silenced. But I remembered the first time I sat in front of the computer in any cafe in Herat. That moment changed everything. It's opened a window to the world. When everything's outside said no, it whispered yes. I realized that access to knowledge is not a luxury. It's survival. Education is the seed and technology is the water, and together they can change the lives for generation. That experience shaped my work lives. I started at Fund Digital Citizen Fund, an organization. Through this organization, we provide training for 24,000 of the girls to learn about the financial literacy, to learn about digital literacy, to learn about coding and robotics before August of 2021. But after the Taliban took over, We have to adopt it, shifting from the public labs to encrypted apps, from coding boot camps to lesson hiding in accepted subject. Our teacher used VPNs and the students learned in shifts to stay safe. And still, our students wants to learn, studying underground education classes to start small businesses and to keep hope to life. This is the promise of the quality of education and gender equality, even in the face of restriction. Our visible outcome of our work is the Afghan Girls Robotic Team. These young women started in our small workshops, learning the basic things about science and technology. And despite the challenges and the barrier and social barriers, they went and compete globally, they winning awards and shattering the story type of the Afghan women in STEM and engineering. Today, Thousands of them are studying at the top universities, including MIT. This has proved that when the girls are given the opportunity, they can rise to highest level. Creating role models within local communities is just as important. From this experience, I see four essential if we want to keep the promise of the goals in the fragile context. Safety and trust. In fragile countries, even learning can be dangerous. This is why we needed to create a safe space for the women. We also need technology that protected while it teach offline capable platform, encrypted tools, and payment system that don't require banks. For many, a smartphone has already become a classroom. Access to STEM education. By 2030, 85 million jobs could go unfulfilled because young people lack of the digital and technical skills. If the girls are excluded from STEM, they are excluded from the future of the work. Financial agency, nearly 750 million women, they are have lack of access to the formal banking. Mobile money becomes freedom, independence, survival when banks shut women out. With the right digital tools, women can save and send money and support their families safely. Community ownership. Real change must come within network of trust already exists. One woman teaching five neighbors who teach five more. Technology can amplify this safely. What helps most secure tools like VPN and mobile access. The greatest untapped resources in fragile country is not only aid or infrastructure, it is resilient imagination and leadership of the people. If 24,000 of the girls can gain digital and financial skills and a robotic team can change how the world can see Afghan women, imagine what million could do and achieve with a real investment. Closing the digital divide could add $1.5 trillion to the global economy by 2030. But real measure is not in the number. It's in dignity, in choices, and in hope. The time for promise actually has passed. The time for action is now. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Mr. Denton, through your work with the International Chamber of Commerce and your roles across the UN and global advisory bodies, you've championed private sector engagement in advancing the SDGs. What are the challenges and opportunities for the private sector support to the SDGs in the current global context? And before you answer, can I just ask members of the audience to please not have private conversations while we are having a panel discussion up here? Excuse me, Your Excellency, could we have your attention at the front here, please? That conversation is really a distraction. I'm sorry. Mr. Denton, please.

Thanks very much. And first of all, big shout out to you, Daphne. I mean, I think the hope and aspiration that you share with us today is really important. And I just want to say to you, we do not want to let you down. And I think that's something really important to understand. But I also have to be really frank. I mean, there's a habit in these discussions to have happy conversations, which are very nice, but let's be very honest. I mean, there is a kind of dark mood which is about the place. Things are a bit topsy-turvy. Think about the trading environment. Think about just the intensity of climate-related events. think about the challenges in economic opportunity and growth, and think about the loss of trust of citizens in their governments and their institutions. I mean, these are uncertain times, if I can put it that way. These are also disorderly times. When I look at it, and when I actually address the question you ask, I mean, the ICC, the ICC, look, we are... We've been around for 100 years. We were founded in the ashes of the First World War. In a way, we talked about this a little bit before, we were founded on the basis that where governments could not act, the private sector needed to stand up and act. Our job is to actually put certainty where there is uncertainty, to put order where there is disorder. And when I think about the world and I think about the calls that are made here, friends, I've got to be really frank with you. We don't rely on politicians to get the SDGs done. and that might sound too brutal or too Frank, but we do not I mean We know that our job in a way is to enable and find the space that allow them to act because left to their own devices They have not not at the scale we require and certainly not with the intensity require because we are not actually in a transformational moment Let's be clear about that. And so when we think about engagement here. My job is to knit together the private sector in the 170 countries we're in. 70% by the way is in the global south. So we're very inclusive. We also enable $17.5 trillion worth of economic activity. The reason I say all that is that we actually have agency to act. So we do not wait for politicians. We do not wait for the institutions. In order to deliver digital infrastructure, we founded Digital Standards Initiative, which is taking the whole of trade from analog to digital. That is a scale play. We did not wait to look at what can be done on climate. We have linked up through our sustainable trade framework, trade finance market, which is $10 trillion with sustainable principles. We didn't ask permission, we are just doing it, and we'll take the next iteration of that. The trading system is a danger of collapse, and the biggest losers, my friends, will be developing and emerging economies. It will be Africa, it will be South Asia, it will be Latin America, it will be small island states. So what are we supposed to do, wait around for the WTO to reform itself? No. So we have launched a global project to stabilize and revitalize the system. We didn't ask permission to do that. The reason I say that is in order to deliver the sustainable development goals, Too many people have been waiting around too long for someone else to do something, and there are lots of reasons why they haven't been done. Frankly, we've moved on. We are just doing it. We will get to a point where we need to think beyond the Sustainable Development Goals. And please do not call them the SDGs, because going to communication, nobody knows what that means. People don't respond to acronyms, but they do respond when I say, we want to help people get access to water, access to food, access to energy, access to education. Let's start talking about this in terms that can be understood, and let's never forget that we all have agency ourselves. So let's act. Do not wait for the politicians. They'll have to catch up with us.

I mean, I'd give a round of applause for that. So, John, let me stick with you just for a second. Now, you're essentially saying, you know, we often hear the refrain, oh, we need political will, we need political will. They bang away about political will. You're saying ****** that.

Yeah, that's why I said ****** that.

be frank about these, but there's too much happy talk in these rooms. The problem I always find with the UN is despite the fact that, you know, I really appreciate the town hall that is here, you can have endlessly interesting conversations with endlessly interesting people about endlessly, endlessly interesting subjects, but not much happens. So what we're trying to do is get, ensure we're not in the bubble, we are out the bubble, outside the bubble, pushing and pushing and doing.

Thank you. That's amazing. Thank you so much for that intervention. Director General of the ILO, Gilbert Hongbo, let me come to you, sir. The ILO has, of course, been central to the preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development with its mandate on decent work and social justice pivotal to the global social development agenda. How is the ILO advancing multilateral action across governments, workers, employers, and other partners to ensure that no one is left behind?

First of all, thank you for having us here today. Let's even pick it up from where you, Koli, from the International Chamber just put it. First of all, I want to underscore the fact that let's not talk about SDG because nobody understands the acronym and talk about the real thing, access to water, access to food, access to health. gender equality and energy, et cetera. But at the center of that, I'll talk about decent work, right? Job, job, and job. But when you think about it, the way I see it, when you talk about the WSSD, first of all, congratulating all the stakeholders, the member states that have gone through the whole negotiation process of what we have. So if we want to make sure that action should be the one that we are all looking forward, that it's not time for the action, I'm looking at it in a context where we do know that the geopolitical are a little bit tricky these days, where what we talk about is really what I would call the social, where there's other access to water, access to food, and et cetera, the social. I could see we moving to Doha in November for the WSSD2, and even if you look at the financing for development in Seville at the end of November, all of that is driving us to really reaffirm the social at the center of our development strategy. It doesn't matter which route we decide to take. A government, a society, a community may take different approach, as we say in French,, may take different approach, but it's going to be essential for us in order to ensure that nobody is left behind. The critical thing for us is to ensure that that social remain at the center of our objectives. And if we want to not to simply do the talk, but to also walk that talk. And I will really hope that in Doha, most of the attention, now that we have a political declaration, most of the attention will really focus on the day after Doha. how do we implement the Doha Declaration in a way to maximize the five years that we have to go until 2030, and also to start thinking about beyond the Agenda 2030. So the point that I believe there's one takeaway for me is despite the adversity, despite the geopolitical, despite the tension, And the way the society see the way forward is important to ensure that it is pointless to talk about the economic growth. It is pointless to talk about wealth if that does not translate in a better social, in a fight against inequalities, in reducing the level of inequalities by improving the social agenda for us all.

Last but not least, Hao-Ling Hsu, Mr. Hsu of the UNDP. The upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development will be followed by the Climate Change Conference. As UNDP continues to support countries in navigating complex development challenges, what bold shifts in climate policy, financing, and partnerships do you believe are essential to keep the promise of the SDGs?

Thank you. Thank you very much. First, I would like to defend the SDGs, not that we don't share the view. I think I know we all support SDGs. SDGs is a framework that's adopted by all member states. If our DS were here today, she would be very upset. She was a coordinator of government effort to come up with this very ambitious and complex frameworks. It is unfortunate that after 10 years, there's still not enough. momentum, because only 35% of SDGs are on track or having moderate, modest progress. But I think SDG Agenda 2030 and SDG framework represents the best international framework we have. So I think, you know, at this SDG moment, we need to really double down on that, but be practical, but I guess stick to the framework. This is one. The second thing is that tomorrow, I understand there will be a talk by the US State Secretary, Mr. Rubio, about US engagement in international organizations. And the title of the talk is "Back to Basics." So I would borrow that title for this discussion. Let's get back to basics. What are the basics? In my view, the basics are simply to align the vision, which we have in SDGs, and with financing and with governance, supported by partnerships. Because the vision, what definitely, and the lawyer we're talking about, should have been reflected in the SDGs, in national development visions, national plans. But to have this vision materialized, you need to achieve economic growth. You need to create jobs. You need to develop the industry. You need to develop tourism. So everything is in the plan. But the plans don't work if it's not financed properly. And we know that public finance is not enough. This is why we need private sector, private capital to come in. And we do have an instrument called integrated national financing frameworks, and 86 countries in the world are implementing this framework. This framework has the power to bring all sources of financing together from public to domestic, from international to private, to domestic, international, and the private and the public sector. So we have this framework. in the genre. I share your frustration in a way that-- I mean, it's also-- and appreciate your-- admire your action, that you have taken steps without waiting. But imagine if governments and private sector are together, how much more effective the private investment could have been in a way. So we needed to make sure that systems work. That comes to the question of governance. Effective governance is-- Enshrined in a resolution that ECOSOC passed years ago, there's this committee of experts on public administration that passed these 11 principles of good governance under the headings of effectiveness, accountability, and inclusiveness. So it essentially says that you need to get things done with accountability, with no corruption, with people's involvement in the decision-making process. So if we get back to these basics, look at the planning, right? Because then if you don't have plans, you don't have goal posts, right? We have goal posts. Then you move towards goal posts every cycle of your planning. Then with financing, right, from domestic tax revenue, we maximize that, right? From aligning private investment to your national development goals, right? For every private sector investment, let's find a place in the national development plans, where they create jobs, develop new industry, AI, and so forth, but really backed by national commitment to quality and effective governance. Let's get back to basics. And supported by partnerships, because multilateralism works. We have countless examples that multilateralism works. Climate action is one example. In Paris, the first generation of NDCs, what have given us 3.5 degree world. In Glasgow, the second generation of NDCs would have given us, gave us 2.5 degree world. In Berlin, we want the new generation of NDCs to give us still the 1.5 degree world we want. We cannot give up that. So multilateralism provides this framework and the possibilities of collaboration to achieve our shared goals, right? So SDG moment, in my view, is a time to really reflect on all what has happened in the last 10 years, but perhaps let's get back to, to basics, thank you very much.

Before I go to a lighting around, let me stick with you on multilateralism working. No one disagrees with you that multilateralism works. The question is, it's not working right now. What do we need to do now to make sure that we can get back to the examples you mentioned? I think I attended a press conference with you recently. You talked about how multilateralism worked in terms of protecting the ozone layer. It worked in terms of the HIV, TB response, right?

So how do we get back to those? Multilateralism is working every day. It's not working in all areas where we want it to work, but the military literally is working every day.

It's not working on the SDGs.

It is working, because without invest in peace, we, Secretary General, issued a report a week ago on military expenditure, $2.7 trillion a year, 2024 military expenditure, right? But I said in several media interviews that investing in military expenditure and investing in development is not mutually exclusive. It's not a zero-sum game. For example, in Iraq, UN worked together with multiple partners through investment in infrastructure development, in local development, have brought back 6 million displaced people to their homes. That strengthened significantly peace and stability in the country and in the region. It is not military expenditure, but it is multilateral action in development that resulted in a better world for us. And I can give you countless more examples. In Lake Chad, for example, the UN action has brought 500,000 people back to their homes in the last two, three years because of investment in local infrastructure, community resilience, and so forth. So I think we need to maximize what works and try to resolve areas where things are not working as well. Now, that is in the hands of our member states. The UN is committed, and you can count on the UN to deliver. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. Let's do a last round, a quick fire round. I'm going to start with you, Daphne, and this is the question. I'm going to ask all of you the same question. Please share your words of inspiration for all of us. What is your message of hope to keep the promise of the SDGs alive?

I think, well, as the resident young person on this panel, I think what gives me hope is my generation and the promise that young people have to hold systems like the UN accountable. We have our youth SG right over there, Felipe, and I've seen over the past year how The Youth 2030 agenda and the voices of youth are continuing to be prioritized within the UN space. But something that I do want to highlight for young people listening online and in this room is that your lived experience is your expertise, and you do not have to wait for someone to give you permission to use your voice. When I first started working within these hallowed halls, I was 19 years old. I didn't know what SDG stood for. I didn't know if there were 17, if there were 27, if there were seven. I didn't know anything about them. But what I do know now is that within these 17 goals is a course for us to take control of our future. And I think what's incredibly powerful about the SDGs is that the through line amongst them is this effort to uphold public health and public peace. And we all get to decide what peace looks like for each of us, right? It is an individualized destiny. It is an individualized mission with a common goal, right? And peace looks like in this country is not what peace looks like in South Sudan, is not what peace looks like in Palestine, is not what peace looks like in Haiti. But as we were talking about multilateralism, we can understand that in order to create unified peace, we all have to work together. And I think that that is where youth have a really strong proponent going for them. We understand that we are the most globalized generation to date because of the use of social media, because of the use of the internet. We're not being confined by national We're seeing ourselves as global citizens, really able to tackle issues all across the world. And I think that's what makes us incredibly powerful. So what gives me hope, my generation and the work that we're doing to make the SDGs a reality, and not waiting again for someone to pass the baton, taking these seats at the table because we know that we belong there. And instead of waiting for someone to say, now's your time, we're understanding that the time for us is actually at this very moment.

Daphne, you give me hope. Thank you. Roya Mahboob, what's your message of hope to keep the promise of the SDGs?

Well, I think that we should never underestimate the power of one spark. I was once a girl in Afghanistan that I thought that the world all closed all door on me until I saw a computer screen. That small light change my lives and become a window of possibility for me. Since then, I have seen that thousands of the girls, you know, attach the same light. They have learned digital and financial literacy. We have robotic teams that they prove to the world that what the women are capable. If you're giving the opportunity, they can become the next inventor, designer, and creators. But the tragedy is not the absence of the talent. It's a denial of the opportunities that well, with the loss of the next generation. I totally agree with you with the younger generation. And I think that if you dare to give them the opportunity and real pathway, they can be raised. And they will, once they're raised, I'm sure that they will take their nations with them left as well.

Thank you very much. John Denton.

Thanks very much. And again, I want to shout out to you, Daphne, when I said in my opening comments that we don't want to let you down. But I think the really interesting thing about your intervention, also given where we are in this trajectory on the sustainable development goals, is in many respects your inexperience is actually your strength. because you don't have to accept the status quo. Because the danger with where we are is the inertia of the status quo. The only way we can shift the dial, in particular on the Sustainable Development Goals that really we must make more progress on, is by actually changing the trajectory. That's why when I was talking in my intervention, I'm not waiting for politicians, I'm not waiting for institutions. We act where we can, we use the institutional authority that we have, but we also use, I think it's just really important, the reality that business does want better communities for families, for the places where they live, for the next generation. And so we talk about sustainable development goals in those terms. And what I would like to do is share the next stage with you, with your team, because we do want to shake the place up, because we want to get as close as we can. But we also want to have an eye to the future. We want to get through this darker moment we're in now, as I said before. We want to find the certainty and the order that we can actually bring to the environment to enable the investment, to enable the engagement, and enable, importantly, economic activity.

Right. I'm going to leave the ILO DG for last. I'm going to go to the UNDP acting administrator. Sir, what is your message of hope to keep the promise of the SDGs?

We're in this together. I think that's about it, right? Because if we don't work together with everyone in society, and then, you know, nobody will be in a safe place, in a way, right, for this world. So we needed to work really together on this.

And Gilbert Hangbo, the DG of ILO, final word to you.

Well, I mean, listening to all colleagues in the panel and the previous panel discussion, I couldn't help it, two years ago in ILO, we were really discussing the social justice in the world. And we decided to put a flagship report on the state of social justice report, which we will be launching tomorrow. And despite the fact that we all know that we need to reform the multilateralism, let's just remind ourself, since 2000, school completion rate which has improved by 10% at the primary level, 22% at the secondary level. The work-related mortality has gone down by 10% since 2000. The annual output per worker has improved 78% since 95%, and even 215% in upper middle income countries. Child labor since 1995 has gone down 8%. Extreme poverty, we all know, four in 10 in '95, one in 10 in 2023. The working poverty, and what do we talk about working poverty is people, despite the fact that they have a job, they're still unable to pay their regular bills. And working poverty that ILO estimated 27.9% in 2000, now is 7% in 2024. Since 2023, 50% of the global population at least has one protection, social protection. My point is that despite all the effort we need to go, despite the fact that we are late in SDGs, globally, We are making progress. So let's keep the fact that we are making progress, reform the multilateralism, but always continue looking at the glass half full, not half empty. Thank you.

Allow me to thank you all for your interactions and interventions. Thank you so very much. Daphne Frias, Gilbert Hongbo, John Denton, Roya Mahboob, Hao-Liang Shu, thank you all very much for your inspiration. and inspiring messages today. I'm going to allow you to clear the stage. And while we do that, why don't we bring up our scribe on the big screen, and maybe we can give you a bit of a description on what she's been working on. And can we bring the lectern to the front again, please? OK, there we go. World leaders at the center. I need my glasses. Multi-stakeholder discussions, co-create, Leave no one behind, that's an important one. Transformation is possible. Oh, you want me out of the way? Re-energize, courage, leverage, technology, stronger partnerships, commitment, political will and investment required. I think you get the idea. Thank you so much for that intervention. And now, last but not least, Our moderator from earlier, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, to wrap us. Thank you. DSG, please.

Thank you very much, and it's great to see that you're all still in the room, excellencies, our colleagues and friends. For 10 years now, we've carried out the philosophy of the SDGs, the vision, the ideas, and the policies. And many of you here were around as we took over four years to shape that so that when each and every one of you looked at that framework of SDGs, you recognized yourselves in it. And I was writing very quickly down the takeaways from our incredible panelists that we had. And what I took away from Daphne was your lived experience is your expertise. And it's true, it's your power, it's your inner power. You get up on stage, if you've lived it, you know it, you don't need a speech. So thank you for reminding us that every day it is about our lived experience. And Roya, it was very powerful to hear when you talked about the small light from the computer screen that changed your life. I know that because I was in Afghanistan and it seemed impossible, but you've made it happen and you are now showing and sharing with the world that it isn't. You perhaps could be the first nation of girls that is online. Humboldt, my colleague and brother, you explained to us with a lot of statistics how progress has been made, and so there is, as we saw in the scribing, hope, and that we really ought to talk about and see the glass half full and not just half empty. And all I would say is that it's probably some full and very empty, but let's concentrate on what we do to fill the rest of it because we know it's possible, so thank you for the hope message there. And in UNDP, Hao Yang is always telling us about doing things together. And I think the whole message from the UN this year has been better together. But it is better together, but it means working really hard together. And that's hard in itself, bringing different constituencies, different ways of doing things, different contexts, really hard. Thank you for that message, Hao Yang. And John, last but not least, the inertia of the status quo. That's what I took away, because that's a really difficult one. It breeds cynicism. It doesn't breed hope. And if you have to break through that, again, the partnerships are going to be key. And so thank you for what you do. Today, we've heard what all of this looks like in practice, from small islands that are fighting survival to countries that are really pushing the green, the blue, the turquoise transitions, and to communities that are holding on to peace. Different contexts, but still one purpose. And we know what works, we know what doesn't. That, I think, we have hammered out in these halls as we have churned out resolution after resolution. So we're not suffering from a scarcity of ideas, nor are we short of strategies or policies. But we are short of time. And so when we pass messages on from the UN, we really have to know that where they land are people that can't see tomorrow. A sense of urgency is really what we need. So let's be clear that the word that we do need to leave this room with today is implementation, and so much more of it at scale with a sense of urgency. That has to be our mantra. The philosophy is already here. The people are waiting for results, results that they can feel in their daily lives, numbers that show hunger going down, but in fact, numbers also show women and girls not only in classrooms, and there are different kinds of classrooms today, but also at the tables of power, numbers that show the emissions falling and opportunities rising. And we will be holding fire under the feet of member states as they come into our halls for the climate meeting which looks to see how many NDCs, particularly from 35 countries that hold 83% of the emissions, where are you on aligning yourself to a 1.5 degree world? It certainly is not about doing more of the same. We do have to do things differently, faster, bolder, with courage to break old habits and make room for new ways of working. That's really hard. So the intergenerational conversation, collaboration, co-creation needs to happen for real. So it's not just young people at the table, but how are we designing the implementation plans and strategies to get the work done, how are we having a division of labor about who does what, when, and how. And we've only got five years. So it's both a warning, but it's also an opportunity. Five years to show that global cooperation, it still delivers. Five years to prove that the SDGs are not just ideals, but they can live and make impact in people's lives. History certainly will judge us by the impact. So let's be guided by that vision. It is one that we all put together. And let's be remembered for the results in people's lives. And today I'm going to end, perhaps not verbatim, but with a quote from Daphne. "We all get to decide what peace looks like. Different context, but one peace." Thank you very much, Daphne. Thank you, everyone. Thank you.

Excellencies, colleagues and friends, let us leave this chamber with a renewed determination to transform ambition into action and to keep our collective promise. As the DSG said, we need a sense of urgency right now to implement these SDGs and create momentum. Take that momentum into your high-level week, and thank you so much for being with us today. Thank you.