(10th meeting) High-Level Political Forum 2026

The tenth meeting of the high level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council at its 2026 session is called to order.
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I invite the forum to continue its consideration of agenda item two, transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions for the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and its sustainable development goals for a sustainable future for all.
The forum shall first hear the main messages of the United Nations Environment Assembly and its contributions to the debates of the high level political forum.
I now invite His Excellency Matthew muda, President of the United Nations Environment Assembly at its eighth session and Minister of Water Environment and Climate Change of Jamaica to make a statement.
You have the floor, Mr.
President.
His Excellency Lohaur Thea, President of the Economic and Social Council, Excellency, distinguished delegates.
I am honored to deliver the messages from the United Nations Environmental Assembly to the 2026 high level political forum.
Progress across the SDGs under review is uneven.
UNA has acknowledged the threats posed to sustainable development by the global environmental challenges and crises, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, as well as desertification, land and soil degradation, drought and deforestation, and their impacts on human health and the environment, which are further aggravated by persistent levels of poverty, inequality, and food insecurity.
These environmental challenges and the SDGs need to be addressed as an interconnected whole if we want to realize advancing transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions for the 2030 agenda and its sustainable development goals for a sustainable future for all.
Today, approximately 2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and roughly half of the world's population experiences severe water scarcity at least part of the year.
While there are positive signals on energy, such as rising global share of renewables and international clean energy finance reaching US dollar 21.6 billion, the human deficit remains staggering.
666 million people still lack basic electricity access, and 2.1 billion remain reliant on polluting cooking fuels.
Overall gains in energy efficiency remain slow and progress is insufficient to meet our 2030 targets.
These systemic gaps in water and energy are also clear in our rapidly expanding cities.
Today, more than 4.5 billion people live in urban centers.
While cities represent hubs of innovation and opportunities for transformative action, their rapid growth creates significant environmental, socioeconomic, and spatial challenges.
Urban areas consume 80% of global energy and generate 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
While notable progress has been made since 2015 in expanding infrastructure, fostering industrial growth, and boosting innovation, our success remains constrained by gaps infrastructure development, limited access to finance, and insufficient institutional capacities.
Sustainable industry and digital innovations, including artificial intelligence, offer powerful tools to increase societal resilience and address the crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
However, we must harness these technologies responsibly to minimize their own lifecycle environmental footprints while urgently scaling up cleaner production across all traditional industries to safeguard human and ecosystem health.
Ultimately, we cannot overcome these intersecting crises without coordinated action.
This demands that we treat the 2030 agenda as a single continuous roadmap powered by coordinated global action.
Partnerships remain the absolute bedrock of our collective success.
We simply cannot close the staggering financing gaps, constraining our urban infrastructure, energy, and water goals without scaled up financing, capacity building, technology transfer, and a comprehensive reform of the international financial architecture.
Excellence is, the diagnosis is clear.
While the 2030 agenda serves as our guiding compass, ambition alone is no longer sufficient.
Decisive action is what this moment demands.
Allow me to convey to you some recommendations from the Environmental Assembly to advance the environmental dimension of sustainable development.
First, on water, UNA recognizes that water from terrestrial, coastal, and marine sources is essential for human health, well being and livelihoods, ecosystem functioning, and services, and the survival of all living species.
Implementation of integrated water resources management at all levels, including through strengthened transboundary cooperation, needs to be accelerated.
This requires sustainable management of aquatic infrastructure, ecosystems rather, increased investment in climate resilient water and sanitation infrastructure and nature based solutions, and urgent action to safeguard glaciers and the cryosphere.
It also calls for improved collection and use of reliable water related data, including on water quality and quantity, and the sustainable management of the protection of lakes.
Second, to achieve an energy secure future for all.
We call for strengthened international cooperation among governments, international organizations, and the scientific community, civil society, and the private sector to advance sustainable and equitable energy solutions.
This includes the widespread deployment of renewable, low emission, and efficient energy technologies, enhanced cooperation on their deployment, transfer on mutually agreed terms and accessibility, as well as ensuring equitable access to clean energy.
We also emphasize the importance of a just sustainable energy transition and the environmentally sound management of critical minerals and metals in support of that transition.
Third, on sustainable infrastructure, industrialization and pollution prevention, we call for a shift towards circularity, resource efficiency, and sustainable consumption and the production, including improved product design and waste minimization.
We stress the need for sustainable climate resilient infrastructure and systemic transition in high impact sectors, including through the work under the ten year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production patterns and other international, regional and national initiatives.
We also underlined the importance of advancing the implementation of the global framework on chemicals and strengthening the science policy interface, including through the new intergovernmental science policy Panel on chemicals, waste and pollution.
We reaffirm our commitment to conclude an ambitious international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution and to promote cooperation on the sustainability of artificial intelligence.
Fourth, for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities, we call for cross sectoral action to reduce all forms of air pollution, including through national air quality standards and programs, bearing in mind the World Health Organization air quality guidelines.
We also stress the need to enhance coordination and integration between early warning systems and disaster risk reduction frameworks to strengthen preparedness, response and recovery, and advance climate resilient development in the face of climate and human made disasters.
Finally, on SDG 17, we call for enhanced efforts to ensure adequate, predictable, and timely means of implementation, including financing, capacity building, and technology transfer on mutually agreed terms to enable developing countries to advance sustainable development pathways.
We underscore the importance of coherent policy and regulatory frameworks to align public and private financial flows with the 2030 agenda and call for the continued reform of the international financial architecture.
We also highlight the need to strengthen synergies across multilateral environmental agreements and enhance their effective implementation.
Excellence is, the outcomes of the United Nations Environment Assembly offer politically grounded pathways for accelerating the implementation of the SDGs.
The resolutions and decisions adopted at UA carry a collective mandate, a mandate that must now be translated into concrete action at every level of governance.
With only four years remaining to 2030, the environment cannot be treated as a peripheral concern.
It is the very foundation upon which sustainable development rests and progress on water, energy, cities, and industry depends on confronting the three planetary crises head on.
I strongly encourage member states to reflect the urgency, ambition, and practical solutions emerging from the Environment Assembly into the work of the 2026 high level political forum and in the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
While UNA advances in environmental governance, this forum must accelerate through integrated hall of agenda implementation.
Together, we can secure a resilient and sustainable future for all.
I thank you.
I thank the President of the United Nations Environment Assembly for his statement.
I now briefly past the meeting to allow the podium to be rearranged and I invite the chairs of the regional forums to take their seats on the podium.
Thank you.
I Distinguished delegates, the forum will now proceed to the panel on regional perspectives on SDG implementation.
This session provides a unique opportunity to consolidate and elevate regional perspectives, showcase concrete solutions emerging from the regional forums on sustainable development, and demonstrate how regional frameworks and cooperation can be leveraged to support national acceleration efforts.
I first invite the forum to view a video titled from Dialog to Delivery, Regional Action Accelerating the SDGs that provides snapshots from regional stakeholders on regional trends and solutions to advance SDG implementation.
Please play the video.
Four years, five regions, one shared goal across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Asia and Europe.
Regional cooperation is translating global commitments into national results, but progress is not fast enough.
The time to deliver is now.
Four years, five regions, one shared goal across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Asia and Europe.
Regional cooperation is translating global commitments into national results, but progress is not fast enough.
The time to deliver is now.
Africa is at a defining moment.
Digital innovations and artificial intelligence is paving way for the African continent to accelerate achieving the sustainable development goals.
If we truly want to achieve Africa future digital potential, we must make sure it stays inclusive.
We bridge the digital gender divide.
Let us make sure every girl and every woman is not left behind.
We partnered with the Economic Commission for Africa to organize the African Girls Coded camp here in Tanzania.
We were the first ones in the African continent to make sure that in our girls coding camp, we included girls with visual impairment.
I've been able to mobilize more than 40 members of parliament for more than 30 African countries to unlock Africa's future digital potential and to act is now.
I'm Eggers Vildsl the mayor of City of Heidelberg and Chair of the Forum of Mayors from the UN.
It is absolutely crucial that cities which are really taking a lead in the implementation of the SDGs, if it's about sustainable and social housing, if it's about the implementation of adaptation and resilience strategy in the field of climate adaptation plans, if it's about biodiversity, it's always about the local implementation of this strategy.
I would be very pleased if this session will also lead to very concrete new strategy plan, how we set up a new frame for the implementation of the SEGs, a new frame of cooperation, a new frame of a stronger related dialogue between cities, regional and national and international leaders.
To Hi, let me see if, online.
Let's see as.
We twos Ia My name is ita Santautra.
I am the co founder of Youth for energy Southeast Asia, a youth led regional platform connecting young people working on the energy transition.
Young people have a direct stake in decisions being made today, not in the distant future.
Across Asia and the Pacific, we are actively contributing as researchers, entrepreneurs, advocates, educators, and community leaders.
Too often young people are excluded in the policy and design implementation.
Meaningful youth participation therefore requires skills, mentorship, finance, and genuine opportunities and trust in young people.
UN SCAP plays an important role by connecting youth organizations across borders, supporting knowledge exchange, and enabling dialogues with governments, businesses, and international organizations.
A just energy transition must be created with young people as partners.
Let's do it together.
Fewer than four years remain to 2030.
Regional forums for sustainable development are not just platforms for dialogue, they are engines of delivery from the water energy nexus to digital transformation, from innovative financing to localizing the SDGs, the regions are moving, the regional commissions are acting, and the Regional Commission's New York Office is connecting us to the global stage.
Now is the moment to scale, to accelerate, and to deliver together.
I'm now pleased to welcome the distinguished chairs of the regional forums, the lead discussant, as well as our moderator, Mel Mia Hussein, Director of the Regional Commission's New York Office.
I now hand over the conduct of the discussion to the moderator.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Excellencies, distinguished delegates.
On behalf of the United Nations Regional Commissions and Regional Commission's New York Office, I welcome you to this session on regional perspectives on SDG implementation.
We just heard with fewer than four years remaining until 2030, the urgency could not be greater.
It is easy to focus on what is not working, but yet the stories we just heard you just watched reminded us that solutions are emerging every day in communities, in cities, and countries across every region.
Those stories leave us with one clear message.
Solutions exist, innovation is happening, people are acting.
They remind us that while every region faces different challenges, every region is generating solutions.
Countries are testing new approaches, learning from one another and building partnerships that are accelerating implementation in ways that no one country could achieve alone.
Today, we have the privilege of hearing from the chairs of the five regional forums of Sustainable Development.
They will share the priorities, lessons, and innovations emerging from their respective regions as we enter the final stretch towards 2030.
A gentle reminder to all speakers that we have 4 minutes each so that we can preserve time for discussion.
Our first speaker is the Honorable Lord Fkfanua Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, Chair of Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development.
Honorable Prime Minister, the video concluded with a powerful call from a young leader to trust young people as partners in shaping the future.
It reminded us that partnerships are not only between countries, but also between generations.
Prime Minister, what is the central message emerging from Asia Pacific Forum and how is regional cooperation helping turn that spirit of partnership into more resilient and sustainable development? The floor is yours, honorable Prime Minister.
Honorable Chair, distinguished delegates, moderator, it's an honor to be here this morning.
Good morning to everyone in Mao Lie.
The central message from the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development convened by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific in Bangkok is very clear.
Accelerating SEGs cannot rely on economic growth alone.
Asia in the Pacific is home to 60% of the global population and generates half of global GDP.
Our region has made significant impact on social gains, yet these gains remain vulnerable, undermined by persistent inequality, environmental degradation, climate shocks, infrastructure gaps and financing constraints.
The message to the high level political forum is clear, acceleration must be resilient, must be inclusive and coordinated.
These overlapping challenges cannot be solved in isolation.
Strengthening the multilateral system is essential to bridge national action with global policy frameworks, ensuring support reaches communities and countries and sub regions facing the greatest risk.
This is especially evident in the Pacific.
For Pacific small and developing states, resilience is not a separate climate agenda, is the foundation for our survival and development.
Resilient infrastructure is our first line defense against disasters and necessary investment for long term stability.
The 2050 strategy for Blue Pacific Continent demonstrates how regional solidarity and coordinated action can transform vulnerability into resilience.
Resilience is not a cost competing with economic transformation.
It is the condition that makes economic transformation possible.
Across the regions, practical examples show how resilience and development reinforce each other.
One example is the nexus of energy security and community resilience.
In small on developing states, energy security and climate resilience are inseparable from poverty alleviation.
Energy transitions must be community led and designed to protect the most vulnerable from high costs and disruptions.
Across the Pacific, solar and hybrid mini grids are improving digital connectivity, enabling remote communities to access education, health care services, and economic opportunities, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, strengthening resilience and creating space for local innovation.
The second example is water.
Climate and livelihoods.
The forum underscores that water must not only be treated as a service, but as a public good, a source of resilience and a foundation for prosperity.
Rights based water governance, circular water systems, wastewater reuse, and community participation improved water sanitation initiatives all demonstrate that water security is essential to climate resilience, economic stability, and healthy lifestyles.
In north and central Asia, transboundary water corporation has turned shared water risks into platforms for regional corporation.
A third example, moderator is inclusion on cities and communities where SDG localization is key to improving moving analysis into action.
Cities are using voluntary local reviews, peer learning, and city to city cooperation to translate national SDGs commitments into local implementation.
This is urgent.
697 million people in the region live in slums or informal settlements, lacking essential services and secure tenure.
Regional cooperation can help scale practical solutions.
I'm sorry.
Resilient housing, transportation, urban data, waste management, and finance, but only if these solutions reach informal workers, women, youth, and older persons with disabilities, migrants, indigenous peoples, and climate affected communities.
At the same time, investments in resilient infrastructure should expand equitable access to quality education, essential health services, and digital connectivity, ensuring that communities are equipped to participate and benefit from sustainable development.
This is why meaningful participation, civic spaces, and accountability matters.
The Asia Pacific People's Forum and the APFSD Youth Forum brought forward the lived realities behind SDG gaps, the inequality, climate risks, debt pressures, informality, and shrinking civic spaces.
They also demonstrate that communities and young people are not just beneficiaries, they are partners, they're innovators and co creators of solutions.
These examples highlight the practical value of regional cooperation, aligning strategy, shared evidence, scaling community led solutions, strengthening data and financing, and connecting regional and national commitments with local action.
Ultimately, accelerating implementation of SDGs in Asia and the Pacific requires resilience, inclusion, and economic transformation to advance together.
Through stronger regional cooperation, greater investment connectivity, healthcare, quality education, resilient infrastructure, enhanced data systems, scaled financing, and ensuring partnerships that reach all communities, we can ensure that no one is left behind.
Thank you, moderator.
Thank you, Honorable Prime Minister.
I do come from a small island state in the Asia Pacific region, the Maldives.
So thank you for reminding us that regional solidarity can indeed turn vulnerability into resilience.
We now turn to Arab Region.
It is my pleasure to welcome His Excellency, Samir Abdel Khafi, Minister of Economy of Planning of Tunisia, Chair of Arab Forum of Sustainable Development.
Your Excellency, Minister Abdel Khafib.
The video also reminded us that collaboration creates opportunities.
What are the key messages from the Arab region? And where do you see the greatest opportunity for the regional cooperation to strengthen resilience and accelerate sustainable development? Elon, Ma.
Thank you very much.
Your Excellency, President of the Ecosok Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, at the outset, I wish to begin with a uniting and clear message from the Arab region, there can be no sustainable development without peace and no sustainable peace without respect for international law and upholding of human rights.
When rights are violated, when civilians and infrastructures are targeted, development not only lags behind, but rather is undermined.
The end of the occupation, the recovery of peace, the protection of civilians and the maintenance of vital infrastructure and institutions must remain at the heart of development efforts in the region.
These were amongst the main messages of the Arab Summit for Sustainable Development held in 2026, which I had the pleasure of chairing.
This forum was organized by ESCA in partnership with the League of Arab States and United Nations organizations operating in the region.
These messages carried the vision of the region that is faced with mounting pressure, however, still believes in regional cooperation and still holds on to multilateralism.
This region still believes in the need to make headway in the implementation of the 2030 sustainable development agenda, leaving no one behind.
It reiterated that regional cooperation is no longer a political choice that can be delayed, but rather an urgent strategy.
Or rather a strategic urgency.
There can be no long term resilience without effective cooperation in cross border water management, no energy security without regional integration and coordination, and no stable trade without integrated logistical and transportation networks.
All participants have agreed that energy and water security are at the heart of resilience in our region.
Water is not a marginal sectoral issue, but rather a strategic priority to address climate change and strengthen food security.
This requires the protection of water infrastructure as well as evidence and science based integrated water resource management.
The transition towards decentralized renewable energy systems as a cynic one on to strengthen energy security and ensure continuity of basic services.
The forum called upon us to make the most out of the United Nations Water Conference to be held in the UAE this year to build a common Arab vision on water security and to take stock of the expertise of the Arab region and water desalination, the use of wastewater, and adaptation to aridity.
In line with the civilian commitment on financing for development, all participants have agreed that bridging the funding gap requires wider resource mobilization, blended financing, as well as stronger partnership between the public and private sector and an increase in concessional climate financing, one that is aligned with national priorities.
All participants have also agreed on the importance of capacity building for the public sector, the guarantor for human rights.
As for sustainable cities and communities, I wish to stress that adequate and affordable housing is a basic right and a fundamental pillar for social integration.
Arab cities have been confronted with mounting pressures due to displacement, climate change, rapid urbanization, and high living costs.
This requires evidence based integrated urban planning and an empowerment of local governments and municipalities to uphold rights, ensure justice, and prevent exclusion A.
We once again reiterated our commitment to the outcome of the Second World Summit on social development, as well as our commitment to leaving no one behind as a norm that guides our policies.
The forum called for just and equitable access to water and energy and stronger social protection in context of prolonged crises, as well as the integration of the needs of women, persons with disabilities, displaced persons, low income and low income households.
In transportation, housing and employment policies.
It also called for stronger financial inclusion and the supporting of women entrepreneurship.
The forum also reiterated the need to track digital technologies, including AI and its policies to ensure their abidance by human rights and to ensure that they are geared towards justice for all.
The message of our region is clear.
Amid interconnected crises, we require innovative, coordinated and just measures.
We require further interlinkages between development peace and humanitarian action.
We require further regional cooperation in strategic arenas.
Confidence in international law and multilaterlism is necessary.
This is the cynic qu noon for progress and resilience.
Tunisia stands ready to work with all partners to make headway on this track and to turn our priorities into tangible measures.
I thank you.
I thank Minister Abdul Hafi chair of the Arab Regional Forum.
We now turn to UN ECE region represented jointly by the two co chairs of the regional Forum.
It is my pleasure to welcome His Excellency, Mr.
Zoran Dimitroski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Foreign Trade of the Republic of North Macedonia, as co chair of the UN ECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development.
I kindly remind the chairs to please keep 4 minutes.
Your Excellency.
Many of the stories we just saw show the global goals become real through local action.
What are the key messages emerging from this year's regional forum? The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Moderator, Mr.
Chair, Excellencies, distinguish participants.
Member states of the 2026 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UC region, recognize that the 2030 agenda remains as relevant today as when it was adopted.
We are in a context marked by multiple and overlapping crises at global and local levels.
Participants stressed that these challenges do not diminish the relevance of the sustainable development goals.
Rather, they reinforce the need for the 2030 agenda for advancing sustainable development.
The forum also emphasized that the goals remain achievable.
At the same time, with fewer than five years remaining until 2030, there was a clear call for accelerating implementation and delivery.
Participants highlighted that leadership must now focus on policy coherence, implementation, capacity, and delivery.
Across discussions, a common message emerged.
Progress requires stronger partnerships, adequate financing, reliable data, innovation, and effective regional cooperation.
The forum highlighted the need to move from fragmented approaches to more integrated and coordinated action.
If I were to identify the single most important message from the forum, it would be this, our greatest challenge is no longer identifying solutions, but having the political courage to bring them to scale.
Success will depend on our collective ability to accelerate implementation through inclusive partnerships and effective multilateral cooperation.
The regional forum reaffirmed that sustainable development excellencies, dear colleagues.
Building on the conclusions of our regional forum, I would highlight three transformations that could accelerate delivery of the sustainable development goals in the UNIC region.
First, we need to strengthen localization.
The forgum clearly recognized that cities and local communities are critical again us for implementing the 2030 agenda, empowering local authorities and strengthening coordination between national and local level can help translate global ambitions into concrete results for people and communities.
Second, we must capitalize on the opportunities offered by digital transformation.
Digitization is a powerful enabler of sustainable development.
Digital technologies can improve public services, support data driven, decision making, and strengthen resilience.
To achieve this potential, digital transformation must remain human centered, inclusive, and accountable.
Supported by investment in digital skills, connectivity, data governance, and interoperable digital infrastructure.
Third, we must use partnerships to scale up innovation and accelerate implementation.
The forum highlighted that multi stakeholder cooperation is essential for mobilizing resources, disseminating good practices, and reducing duplication.
Strong partnership among governments, local authorities, international organizations, the private sector, academia, civil society, and youth can help generate greater impact.
In conclusion, the regional forum demonstrated that many effective solutions already exist across our region.
The transformative shift we need now is to connect local action, digital innovation, and partnerships so that these solutions can be scaled up and translated into lasting progress towards the sustainable development goals.
It depends on us to be the change makers for a more sustainable world.
Let's do it.
Thank you.
I thank His Excellency, Mr.
Bobby.
Let us now turn to Africa, another small island state we have here.
It is my pleasure to welcome His Excellency, Gilles Fabrice David, Junior Minister at the Ministry of Agro Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries of Mauritius, Chair of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development.
The story we have just seen reminds us that investing in people, especially young people, is one of the smartest investments we can make for sustainable development.
Excellency, what are the key messages from the Africa Regional Forum and the greatest opportunities to scale investment through partnership and financing? Deloss.
Thank you, Madam Moderator, Your Excellency, the President of the Economic and Social Council, Excellencies, and distinguished delegates.
Allow me to begin with one observation that makes Africa unique.
Africa is the only region implementing two complementary sustainable development agendas, the 2030 agenda with 17 sustainable development goals and the African Union Agenda 2063 built around seven aspirations and successive ten year implementation plans.
If you would allow me a word on the sustainable development performance of Africa in regard to the two agendas, I would like to share with you that the first two year Continental progress report of the second ten year implementation plan of Agenda 2063, which is for year 2024 and 2025, recorded an overall continental performance score of 53%.
And in regard to the 2030 agenda, as a date, Out of 17 SDGs, Africa needs to accelerate progress on 12 and reverse the trend on the remaining five SDGs to achieve target.
But yet Africa remains fully committed and during this high level political forum, out of 36 countries presenting voluntary national reviews, 19 are African countries and out of those 19, 12 countries from Africa are presenting their third VNO demonstrating our strong commitment to accountability and continuous improvement.
But as a matter of fact, despite commitment and efforts by African countries, progress towards the SDGs remains challenging.
As chair of the 12th session of Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, which took place in Adis Ababa in April 2026, I would like to share very briefly the key messages that emerged from our deliberations.
The Adis Ababa Declaration and the key messages adopted by our forum identified four priority areas for action.
First, accelerate the integrated implementation of Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063 by aligning national development plans, budgets, and institutions, strengthening local governments and ensuring the meaningful participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
Second, mobilize significantly greater financing through stronger domestic resource mobilization, innovative financing, climate finance, and reform of international financial architecture.
Third, create more decent jobs by investing in skills, employment opportunities, and inclusive social protection, particularly for young people and women.
Fourth, scale up transformative investment in water, energy, infrastructure, innovation, and sustainable cities while leveraging the African continental free trade area, which is transforming 54 national markets into one continental market.
As Africa moderator has a vision, Africa has a roadmap, and what we need now is accelerated implementation, stronger partnerships and financing that matches our ambition.
Before I conclude, if you allow, Madam Moderator, I would like to invite you all to join us tomorrow for a special event, our annual Africa Day at the HLPF, which is an important forum to amplify African voices for accelerated actions on sustainable development.
Thank you.
I thank His Excellency Fabrice David.
Thank you for keeping the time, Minister.
Our final regional perspective comes from Latin America and Caribbean and it is my pleasure to invite His Excellency, Felix Rubio, Director General for Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru, as chair of Latin America and Caribbean Regional Forum on Sustainable Development.
Director, we heard a powerful reminder around protecting biodiversity from your region.
Please share with us, Excellency, key messages emerging from the forum of the countries of Latin America and Caribbean on sustainable development and which regional initiative offers the greatest promise for accelerating progress while leaving no one behind.
Thank you very much, Madam Moderator, Mr.
President.
Distinguished authorities, executive secretaries of the regional commissions, distinguished delegations, Peru, as president of the ninth meeting of the Forum for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean on sustainable development, which was held in ECLTS headquarters from the 13th to the 16th of April of this year.
It's honor to share some of the main messages that came out of our debates and different consensus that we reached in the region.
We would also like to greet countries of Latin America and the Caribbean that this year are presenting their VNRs, Brazil, Jamaica, San itinivs and Uruguay.
The forum brought together governments, international organizations, civil society, academia, and the private sector in a broad based multi actor dialogue on the implementation of Agenda 2030, and it reaffirmed the need to strengthen coherence between the results of the main UN conferences held in 2025 and the achievement of the SDGs.
Debates showcase that Latin America and the Caribbean is facing Agenda 2030 implementation in a context of growing international uncertainty as well as geopolitical fragmentation, restrictions to financing for development, a weakening of multilateralism, the persistence of inequality, and a worsening of the climate crisis.
In this scenario, ECLc's ninth report warns that the region will not fully reach the goals set out in Agenda 2030 if it does not significantly increase the pace of implementation.
If current trends hold We would only reach 19% of the targets of the SDGs by 2030, while 42% is trending as forecast, although the pace is insufficient and 39% is stuck or has actually worsened.
This is why our countries agreed on five priorities, strengthening water security, accelerating the energy transition, pushing forward the productive transformation through technological development and industry, promoting inclusive and sustainable communities in cities and broadening access to finance and international development cooperation.
The form also highlighted the growing potential of AI and digital technologies in order to improve public policies and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.
As a result of its work, We were able to reaffirm that eradicating poverty continues to be the region's greatest challenge and that accelerating our achievement of the SDGs means improving resource mobilization, improving governance, making investments more dynamic, and strengthening our economic resiliency in an international scenario that is increasingly complex.
President, I would like to highlight paragraph 118 of the final report where countries reaffirm Eclec' role as an essential component of the UN system for development given its convening power, its contribution to the design of public policies, and its technical cooperation and capacity building role.
I would also like to recognize the valuable contribution of civil society as the engine of sustainable development in our region.
Allow me to conclude by reaffirming that Latin America and the Caribbean has shown once again that multilateralism and regional cooperation continue to be indispensable instruments to accelerate the achievement of Agenda 2030.
With that spirit, Peru will continue to promote dialogue, consensus, and regional cooperation in order to move towards a development that is more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.
I thank you.
I thank you Excellency Felix Rubio.
Distinguished chairs, thank you for really bringing the energy from the regional forums to New York.
Today's discussion also reminds us that sustainable development is a shared endeavor.
Governments have a central role, but so do young people, parliamentarians, mayors, civil society.
The most durable solutions are those built together.
It is therefore my pleasure to invite our lead discussant, miss Rosario Diaz Gravito, representing the millennial movement and the major groups and other stakeholders regional mechanism for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Thank you.
Miss Gravita de Flosios.
Thank you.
No Eli.
We are meeting today in geopolitically complex context for the future of multilateralism, the credibility of our collective commitments, and our capacity to move towards a just transition after 2030.
Today, conflicts and violence have reached devastating levels.
Meanwhile, inequality continues to deepen.
It is unacceptable that according to UN estimates, less than 4% of military spending for 2024 would be enough to eradicate hunger by 2030.
This sharp contrast reminds us that the greatest challenge is not a lack of resources, but rather a lack of political will to prioritize people.
Peace, and the planet.
We need more policy consistency in all of the dimensions of sustainable development.
We need to accelerate and implement Agenda 2030.
We do this in one region, but we can't do this at the expense of another.
Moreover, development should avoid reproducing existing and future patterns of dependence and instead promote equity, resiliency, shared prosperity, and the capacity for action and agency in each region so they can be leaders in sustainable development in their own territories and so that they respond to current and future contexts and crisis.
What does this demand? Significant participation from civil society.
That is why regional processes should ensure that we strengthen SDG 17 with safe and inclusive spaces that are intergenerational and intercultural to ensure that communities can participate and be recognized in this process.
This participation should be supported with adequate and predictable resources.
This includes specific financing to strengthen regional participation processes and strengthen the regional commissions.
In this context, we must prioritize strengthening interregional cooperation to consolidate regional fora on sustainable development as critical platforms for shared learning, accountability, collective and strategic action, and Solid preparedness for the HLPF, the SDG Summit, and upcoming negotiation processes.
Last, Sustainable development cannot be achieved without structural reforms.
We advocate for fiscal justice and progressive tax reform and a deep reform of the international financial architecture.
Whatever decisions we make today will determine whether the post 2030 period will be characterized by solidarity or fragmentation.
Civil society is ready to collaborate with member states and the United Nations, especially the regional commissions in order to revive the spirit of we the people and to build a multilateral system that is more democratic, just, and equitable, that can materialize sustainable development for all people.
Our call is to not give up.
I thank you.
Cs Gravito for those thoughtful reflections.
I was trying to find you in the room.
I see you there at the corner now.
Our session has shown that every region has ideas, every region has experience, and every region has solutions to share.
The message is simple.
When regions work together, countries move faster.
So our task now is to scale what works, strengthen partnerships, and turn regional momentum into global progress towards 2030.
With that, I have the pleasure of handing the floor back to President of Ecosoc to continue the interactive discussion, Mr.
President, back to you.
I thank the moderators, miss Tilmja Hussain, for conducting this panel discussion.
Excellencies, we will now proceed to the interactive discussion.
Delegations wishing to intervene are invited to request the floor by pressing the microphone button.
Colleague says you know that we have the time constraint, we have exactly 28 minutes for these interactive discussions and time limit for the interventions from the floor is 1.5 minutes and countdown clock is visible on the screen to alert the speaker when it is time to conclude your statement.
In case speakers exceeds their time limit, the microphone will automatically be deactivated.
Ensure proper interpretation, delegations are asked to speak at a normal pace and to provide a written copy of your statements by email to statements at un.org.
With this, now I would like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe to be followed by Costa Rica and Panama.
Thank you, Chair.
Zimbabwe welcomes this important discussion on the role of regional cooperation in accelerating the implementation of the sustainable development goals.
This cooperation is particularly vital in Africa where many development challenges and opportunities transcend national borders and require collective solutions.
Regional bodies such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa provide valuable platforms for advancing sustainable development and reinforcing national efforts towards the achievement of the SDGs.
Notwithstanding the progress achieved, significant challenges persist, including climate induced extreme weather events, food insecurity, infrastructure deficits, delt vulnerabilities, and substantial financing gaps to mobilize regional action and accelerate progress towards the SDGs, MAA proposes the following.
First, we must strengthen regional value chains and fully operationalize the African continental free trade area to expand intra African trade, promote industrialization and create decent employment.
Second, greater investment is required in transport, energy, and digital infrastructure, which are essential enablers of progress across multiple sustainable development goals.
Third, regional cooperation on climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction.
I thank the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe and now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Costa Rica recognizes the strategic role of the UN regional commissions as a bridge between multilateral commitments and their implementation at the national level.
Regional commissions should continue to consolidate as spaces for regional articulation capable of translating technical knowledge into public policies to promote the exchange of good practices and strengthen institutional capacities of states.
Costa Rica considers that it is a priority to strengthen their role as catalysts for mobilizing financing for development.
By innovative mechanisms, more cooperation with IFIs and evidence to guide investments toward the SDGs.
Second, they should consolidate their leadership to promote integrated solutions in areas such as water, energy, agri food systems, climate resilience, and digital transformation.
It is also critical to reinforce their role as regional knowledge hubs by promoting technology transfer, innovation, and the strengthening of institutional capacities as well as the exchange of best practices.
Finally, it is indispensable to deepen coordination between the regional commissions, the UN development system, and national governments in order to ensure that regional priorities complement national development strategies.
I thank you.
I thank the Distinguished representative of Costa Rica.
Now I give the floor to the Distinguished representative of Panama to be followed by Cambodia and NGMth group.
Thank you very much, President.
Panama would like to refer to the third guiding question, how can we operationalize the nexus between water energy and food? In Panama.
This nexus is not an analytical framework.
It is a basin the same rain in Panama that feeds our rivers, does three essential functions.
It provides drinking water for our population, creates hydropower, and supports energy production, and it also allows for the transport of ships that connect global trade.
Water, food, and trade compete for the same drops of water.
In 2023, the driest year of this basin, with a precipitation deficit of 30%, Panama had to make a choice in real time about how we would distribute that resource.
This next is water, energy, and food.
It's not just a concept.
It is a government decision that we must make.
Allow me to briefly share three lessons that we have learned.
First, we govern the basin, not sectors.
The basin is managed as a single ecosystem including communities rather than fragmenting it into institutions that work on a siloed approach.
Second, we integrate our national framework in the packed Panama for nature that unified our strategies for nature, climate change, and soil degradation into one roadmap.
Third, we made sure that the financing was standing.
Panama ensures therefore long term financing.
The challenges pointed out by the regional commissions the microphone is cut off.
I thank the District representative of Panama.
Now I give the floor to the Digital representative of Cambodia.
Mr.
President, distinguished delegates, the high level political forum remain an important platform for governizing global actions to accelerate SDG implementation amid the widespread and systemic risks facing the world.
Cambodia reaffirm our commitment to 2030 agenda, having anchored this agenda within our national development strategy, the so called pentagonal strategy phase one.
To navigate the current global uncertainty, collective actions are proven to produce greater result than the sum of individual efforts.
In this regard, Cambodia attached the great importance to the Asean centrality.
Within the block, the member states collectively promote synergies between Asean community visions and the global 2030 agenda.
This represents our firm commitment to a greener, more resilient and more inclusive community.
The Asean Regional framework is complemented by South South cooperation, the triangular cooperation, and alongside with the multi stakeholder partnerships.
These multilateral approaches facilitate the sharing of knowledge, expertise, the best practices, and promote innovative solution for sustainable development.
In light of a fiscal constraint public private partnership and other innovative models, constitute effective mechanism to bridge SDG funding gap by mobilizing long term private investment and public investment services.
Cambodia reaffirmed to deepen regional and international cooperation to a more sustainable.
I thank the distinguished representative of Cambodia.
Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative, Pop and Gomez the group to be followed by Vietnam, Venezuela, and Thailand.
Distinguished Chair, Excellencies, and fellow advocates for sustainable development.
I'm Marko Sakamoto, a 17-year-old youth advocate and member of the Japan Youth platform for sustainability, and I'm honored to speak today on behalf of the NGO NG.
Now, two key factors, public engagement and cross border cooperation.
To strengthen public support in the long term, it is always crucial to increase awareness and engagement in policymaking, particularly for their use.
My organization participates in the regional processes of the HLPF NEA and APFSD, but always with a constant consciousness that we are never fully representative of all you and must continue to strive to become so.
These negotiations mean nothing without public engagement, without action on the ground and I urge for the institutionalization of mechanisms inclusive of civil society, particularly with post 2030 in mind.
For cross border cooperation, there lies immense potential in advancing practical action grounded in science through regional cooperation.
Now, Elnoor Roosevelt, the mother of Human Rights, tells us the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Let us always have the face and perseverance to make our high hopes and ideals into reality.
Thank you.
Okay.
I thank the distinguished representative of NGO and the group.
Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Vietnam.
Mr.
President, Vietnam believes regional Framework provides an enabling environment to translate global commitments into particular regions.
Asean offers a valuable example.
Asean has allied regional integration with the SDGs while tracking progress through the Asean SG Indicators Progreive port.
Vietnam is proud to contribute to this collective effort, including through the Asean Future Forum which connects regional perspective with global dialogue and sustainable development.
The success Mum sub region mechanism is also a strong example of how integrated cross border cooperation can operationalize with energy footnesss, solutions at scale while advancing SAIC and improving the resilience and who of millions of people.
We call for stronger South Sau and triangular cooperation anchor in regional frameworks, supported by enhanced capacity building, technology transfer, and innovative financing.
Spnerships should be loships leverage the competitive strengths of countries in the global south and complement broader international efforts to accelerate implementation of the 2030 agenda.
I thank you, Mr.
President.
I thank the Distinguished representative of Vietnam.
Now, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bolivarian Republic of Israel.
Venezuela deems that the existence of synergies between regional and global processes to overcome the challenges of implementing Agenda 30 is very important.
In this context, our country decidedly supports the regional forum for Latin America and the Caribbean as a structure that supports national efforts in the new agenda for development, especially at the technical level and in the follow up of its implementation.
Constantly searching to avoid duplicating processes and relevant agencies in a scenario where national capacities to host meetings is severely limited.
This is why we would like to reiterate as Venezuela that we are completely willing to continue supporting this high level forum that should send to the world clear messages on what we as the Latin American and Caribbean region, aspire in terms of the implementation of the Venezuelan synergies with regional processes and bearing in mind that states are responsible for their own development.
I thank you, President.
I thank the district representative of Bolivaria Republic of Venezuela.
Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand.
For the first time since I came here.
Mr.
President, Thailand views that regional action can accelerate SDG implementation in the following ways.
First, it can help scale what works.
This is where regional commissions have a clear comparative advantage.
They provide platforms for peer learning, policy dialogue, technical cooperation, and multi stakeholder cooperation, helping countries translate global commitments into practical support for national implementation, including in VNR processes.
Regional forums on sustainable development play a critical role to this effort.
They also provide a platform for dialogue on locally driven development approaches that support SDG's implementation.
Second, regional frameworks can help align priorities and turn them into practical cooperation.
As Asean coordinator for Sustainable Development Cooperation, Thailand has been working with Asean member states, the Asean Secretariat, and partners to align Asean community building with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Mr.
Chair, setting priorities alone will not deliver results.
Countries need financing, technology, data, capacity building, and partnerships to turn priorities into action.
Regional cooperation can help connect these resources with national needs.
Thank you.
I thank the districted representative of Thailand.
I now give the floor to the Districtte representative of the United Republic of Tanzania to be followed by people of African descent in particular group, Malawi, Indonesia.
Transna views integration through the East African communities, Sadc and the African Union as central to accelerating implementation of the Agenda 2030.
Within East Africa, we are advancing trade facilitation, digital integration, and transport corridor to boost interregional trade.
Through Sadec, we are strengthening regional energy cooperation, infrastructure, connectivity, and climate change resilience.
At the EU level, the African continental free trade area remains key for expanding markets industrialization and value addition across Africa.
We are operationalizing the water energy food nexus through investment in igation, renewable energy, and integrated natural resource management, including cross border water cooperation.
We emphasize blended finance, PPP, climate finance to unlock investment in infrastructure and energy, supported by regional and continental financial institutions.
Going forward, we prioritize strengthening regional value chains, accelerating digital transformation, expanding resilient infrastructure, and deepening climate adaptation efforts.
I submit.
I thank the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of people of African descent, particular group.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Latin America and Caribbean are facing a political struggle over the many of sustainable development.
Al truly I speak from live in every region.
The realities, contributions, and solutions must be visible through SDG's implementation.
Two majority, we need disaggregate data by race.
The rise of far right and authoritarial movements is undermining the third agenda.
Attacks on democratic constitution, civil society, quality policies, and reliable information weaken states capacity to deliver sustainable development.
These setbacks are reflected in violence against women and feminist sites as well as public security policies based on militarization, institutional violence, and decrement analization of poverty.
These policies disproportionately affect people of Afghanistan, indigenous peoples, migrants and marginalized communities.
There can be no sustainable development without women safety ratio equality, democracy, accountable institution, and men full participation.
We also call for a strong regional forum on sustainable development as we mark the 25th anniversary of Durban Declaration and P of action.
Racial just must be recognized as essential.
I thank the distingu representative of people of African descent and stakeholder group.
Now I give the floor to the distinguished Spemann representative of Malawi.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Malawi's SDG acceleration is anchored in strong regional integration.
Malawi Vision 2063 is aligned with the African Union's Agenda 2063, evidence that national and regional agendas can and must reinforce one another.
To mobilize regional action, we propose four strategies.
First, all countries must deepen alignment between national plans and instruments such as Sxy regional Indicative strategic development plan and vision 2050, and the AUZ Agenda 2063.
Second, strengthen peer learning and review platforms to share good practices, benchmark, progress, and troubleshoot common bottlenecks.
Third, harmonize regional statistical systems and joint monitoring frameworks, strengthening compartiity of SDG data across member states and closing indicator level reporting gaps.
Fourth, pool resources and risk investment through regional blended financing mechanisms, cross border infrastructure, and the African continental free trade area, converting regional integration into tangible alation on the ground.
Mr.
President Mala, we call for stronger regional national linkages, sustained peer accountability, I think that this representative of Malawi at national level.
Indonesia the strategies are mainstreamed into long and medium term development plans, mandatory regional action plan, and voluntary local reviews.
We are favoring this planning tool with targeted financing and capacity building so provincis and cities can deliver integrated services where people live.
Second, we need to scale integrated policy models for an tealgic climate vulnerable country like Indonesia operationalizing the water energy put nexus at triple basin and landscape scale, aligned food security, clean energy, water resilience, and ecosystem protection.
Third, we need to mobilize practical instrument for finance data and inclusive innovation.
Indonesia is scaling ended finance and sparge SDG, green and blown bluebonne instrument through platforms such as SDG Indonesia one to the complex project and attract private and philanthropic capital.
The same time, we invest in digital access and localized scale training for micro, small and medium enterprises, technological advances, exp opportunity.
I think microphone is cut off.
I thank the Dal representative of Indonesia.
Now I give the floor to the dismal representative of Central African Republic to be followed by Asia Pacific Regional CSO engagement mechanism.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
The Centr African Republic implementation from the five regional forum sent a clear message, despite different regional reality, the challenges facing SDGs, I will maaly similar.
Financial gaps, climate vulnerability, inequality, limited implementation capacity, and growing development needs needs continue to slow progress towards sustainable development goals.
For the Cental African Republic, the key list is that regional cooperation must be beyond dialogue and deliver concrete support for implementation.
We therefore wish to make three recommendations.
First, strengthen access to sustainable financing by accelerating reforms of the international financing financial architecture and expanding support for countries facing high burden and limited fiscal space.
Second, invest in local implementation by empowering local authorities, communities, women, and youth who are often the first responders and most effective partners in advancing sub development.
Third, expand technology transfer, digital connectivity, a regional knowledge sharing platform to ensure that successful solutions developed in one region can be adapted and replicated in others.
As we approach 2030, we must we must focus shift our focus must shift from I thank the district representative of Central African Republic.
Now I give the floor to our last speaker in the sessions, Asia District representative of Asia Pacific Regional Engagement mechanism.
Thank you, Chair.
As we gathered in the last mile of the 2030 agenda, grassroot communities remind this forum that transformative action is not measured by promises made in New York, but by tangible realities in our communities.
In this critical time for systemic changes, we demand that member states to mobilize political will and leadership to deliver genuine sustainable development.
First, strengthen accountability of duty barriers by strengthening SDG 17 right based, people centered, and accountable approach, including institutionalizing right holders meaningful engagement in the process.
Second, address major gaps in collection and accessibility of disaggregated data through public financing for data systems to support evidence based and inclusive policy making and systematically integrate citizen generated data in decision making.
Lastly, ensure policy coherence across multilateral processes to leverage synergies for holistic outcomes and ensure regional process outcomes to inform global policy processes through defined tracks.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of Asia Pacific Regional CSO engagement mechanisms.
And Excellencies, district delegates, we have just heard from the last speaker in the interactive discussions.
I now invite the executive Secretaries of Regional Commissions to share their reflections within the agreed time limit of 2 minutes for its response.
With this, I first give the floor to Mr.
Clever Gate, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa and coordinator of the UN Regional Commissions Excellency U of Florida.
Thank you, Chair.
Excellencies, regional commissions help member states turn SDDG commitments into action by scaling delivery, mobilizing finance, and applying region specific solutions.
They convene governments, partners, financial institutions, civil society, and the private sector to align priorities, promote peer learning, and strengthen regional voices globally.
What Africa's SDG experience tells us is that Africa's SDG challenge is implementation at scale, requiring integrated policies, stronger institutions, adequate financing, and deeper regional cooperation to address economic, climate, and geopolitical shocks.
What member states are telling us is that they want practical results oriented support, and the ECA is therefore focusing its technical assistance on capacity, implementation, delivery, and institutional strengthening across key priority areas.
On post 2030 agenda and looking forward, Africa must shape the post 2030 framework with a unified voice rooted in Agenda 2063, SDG lessons, and key development priorities.
Future SDG implementation should be transformative, partnership led and focused on resilience, inclusion, sustainability, financing, equity, regional cooperation, and the capacity to leave no one behind.
Closing, if there is one lesson from Africa's experience, it is that development progress accelerates when evidence, implementation capacity, financing, and regional cooperation come together.
That is the unique value that regional commissioners bring to the SEDA agenda.
I thank you very much.
I thank the Executive Sectary of the Economic Commission for Africa.
I now give the floor to miss Amida Salsa Alibana, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
Excellencies, distinguished delegates.
In Asia Pacific, our resolve is to build resilience, protect development gains, and translate shared commitments into accelerated action for sustainable development.
On SDGs under review this year, encouraging signals are emerging for goal six on clean water and sanitation.
Pacific countries are advancing climate resilient water systems and community based water management.
While North and Central Asia is deepening transboundary water cooperation.
The next step is to scale wastewater reuse, circular water solution, and innovative financing and to empower women and youth in managing shared water resources.
To support goal seven, the energy transition must move faster and be fairer.
We are supporting countries in expanding renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, strengthening regional power connectivity, and using evidence based planning to scale practical solutions across border.
On affordable and clean energy, our SDG seven roadmaps are helping accelerate progress towards the goal.
Green industrialization and digital transformation are powerful accelerators for goal nine on industry, innovation and infrastructure.
Our work on digitalization and climate resilience of small ports in Pacific cities, including new physical AI application for climate resilient port development are prominent examples.
For goal 11, cities are becoming platforms for SDG acceleration.
Asian Pacific must ensure that urbanization drives equality, resilience, and opportunity.
At the same time, rising disaster related economic losses and infrastructure damage underscore the need for stronger urban resilience.
The Asia Pacific region is not short of solution.
Our collective results must now be to scale them.
Thank you very much.
Thank the Executive Secretary of SAP.
Now I give the floor to Mr.
Jose Manuel Salazar Sirs Executive Secretary of Economy Commission for Latin America and Caribbean.
Thank you, Chair.
Chairs of the Regional Forum of Sustainable Development, Excellencies, colleagues.
It is an honor to address you today.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, only 19% of SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030.
Progress is being made on 42%, but at an insufficient pace and 39% are stagnant or even reversing compared to 2015.
These are sovereign figures, but the reasons for this unsatisfactory progress will be well understood.
The launch of the 2030 agenda coincided with ELAC what EcLAC has called the second lost decade for this region.
From 2014 2023, average annual economic growth was only 0.9%.
It is therefore not surprising that while in the 12 years 2002-2014, poverty in the region declined by an impressive 17 percentage points.
In the 12 years since 2014 to today, It has declined only 2.6 percentage points.
Then we had the headwinds of the pandemic shock, the Ukraine war shock, and now the economic impacts of the hostilities in the Middle East.
So my first message is this, if we are to accelerate SDG achievement, we must strengthen the economic foundations for development, higher growth, more accelerated productive transformation, and more dynamic labor markets.
My second message is that we should resist pessimistic narratives.
Progress is being made in most SDGs, although in the aggregate, it might appear as very little.
Each step forward improves the lives of thousands, if not millions of people, as we have heard during this round of comments today.
The regional level provides a unique space for member states to promote joint agendas grounded in regional realities.
ECLAQ supports countries through its convening power, intellectual leadership and data ecosystems.
In 2025 alone, we responded to 167 requests for technical assistance.
ELAC stands ready to continue supporting your efforts.
Thank you very much.
I thank the Executive Secretary of ECLC.
Now I give the floor to miss Tatiana Mulcan Executive Secretary of Economic Commission for Ira.
Thank you, Chair.
Excellence, dear colleagues.
As we have heard from the co chairs for the regional forum, the latest assessment of SDG progress from our region shows that the results are quite mixed.
We have seen setbacks in some areas with too many targets still remaining off track, but at the same time, 80% of measurable SDG targets are still moving in the right direction.
Let me tell you, during this very challenging time, this shows and reflects resilience.
This also shows that there is a sustained policy efforts and the ambitions of the 2030 agenda itself.
While we speak about acceleration, we have also to recognize that progress is being made.
But the question before us today is, how do we move forward? I think from all that we have seen during this session today, that there are three essential points.
First, that we have to strengthen partnerships.
Many of the speakers mentioned that we have to work together.
Governments cannot deliver the 2030 agenda alone.
Private sector, international financial institution, academia, civil society, young people, and as we've heard from also the chair of the form of mayors, local authorities, cities, have all an essential and critical role to play.
The ideas, expertise, and engagements are really essential to finding and scaling effective solutions.
The second aspect, we really have to focus on the major structural trends shaping our future.
I would like to highlight some of them in particular, climate change.
This is not optional.
Extreme weather events are no longer distant, so we have to act together.
The second is demographic change.
Aging populations are transforming labor markets, social protection system, and care structures.
These trends present challenges, but they also present opportunities.
Technological transformation, digitalization, but the fourth and most important is peace and cooperation.
We cannot all achieve sustainable development without peace and peace without sustainable development.
UNIC together with all the Regional Commission stands ready to continue to support all of its member states to achieve this goals.
Thank you.
I thank the Executive Secretary of ECE.
Now, I give the floor to miss Ranya Al Massad, Executive Secretary of Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.
Excellencies, as affirmed at the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development and reiterated today by His Excellency Minister Abdel Hahafiz, the recent conflicts brought regional cooperation to the forefront as a strategic necessity for long term resilience and prosperity of all Arab countries.
The region has a lot to gain from interconnected physical infrastructure, including energy, energy grids, transport networks, as well as soft infrastructure and institutions like pooled markets, hydrological data, sharing and scientific climate collaborations.
Importantly, regional cooperation makes the infeasible feasible.
But we need an important shift in the mindset.
The words regional cooperation and infrastructure are in many instances complex, and this is why we are pushing at ESCA, insisting that people at all dignity and rights and needs and aspirations are at the heart of the conversation on regional cooperation and building resilience.
Our region has the highest share of youth unemployment in education and training globally, one in three young people, which translates into 25 million individuals.
For all those as groups and as individuals, collaborating regional cooperation across sectors and investing in regional assets and infrastructure can bring solutions, create jobs, protect from the worst impacts of climate change and natural disasters, as well as facilitate access to health care, education, and provide security.
We are supporting as a regional commission this integration in multiple ways across sectors.
For instance, on AI, we are using our convening power to set the regional digital development agenda to build consensus among different stakeholders and connect the voice of the region to ongoing global dialogues on AI governance.
Energy, we are also building common data capacities.
In financing, we are convening the Arab debt Management Group in cooperation with Anetad and in trade, we also offer easy use of tools to evaluate economic trade.
I echo my colleagues, other commissioners to say that only through partnerships we will be able to push together.
Thank you.
I thank the Executive Secretary of square, and I also thank all the executive Secretaries for sticking to their time.
Excellencies distinguished colleagues, this concludes the first part of the program of the work for this morning.
I now briefly pause the meeting to allow the podium to be rearranged and I invite the VienR presenters of Alvena, Civas and Uruguay to approach the podium and take their seats.
Please remain seated for the next part of the program.
Excellency.
Excellencies, good afternoon.
Excellencies, distinguished delegates.
I invite the forum to resume its consideration of sub item C of agenda item two, voluntary National Reviews and to hear three panel presentations.
I am pleased to welcome the distinguished presenters from Albania, Kirbai and Uruguay.
Please, I kindly ask you to be silent and to take your seats and please close the door to the room.
Before we end with presentations, I would like to appeal to the presenting countries to adhere to the agreed 10 minutes per presentation so as to allow sufficient time for all presenters, as well as engagement with other states and participants.
I apologize in advance if I have to interrupt speakers, but I trust that with your cooperation, that won't be necessary.
Once again, I would please ask you to be silent in the room.
Given the number of countries making VNA presentations at this year's HLPF, I believe that we all understand the need to be disciplined in terms of time management to allow that we have ample time for presentations as well as interaction from the floor.
The forum will first hear the Voluntary National Review by Albania.
I invite His Excellency, Mr.
Anaya Karaci Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania, to make a presentation.
You have the floor.
Dear President, dear distinguished delegates, it is quite an honor for me to be able to present Albania second Voluntary National Review, which I must say it is at a decisive moment with only five years remaining until 2030, our focus has shifted from planning to implementation, delivery, and measurable impact.
The review demonstrates how the SDGs and the EU accession are advancing together as part of one reform agenda.
I must say that Albania in five years to 2030, for sure we see European integration and national delivery of the SDGs as interlinked because the roadmap provides a clear results framework with national targets and indicators that will guide implementation during the final phase of Agenda 2030.
As I said, for Albania, the agenda 2030 and European integration are not separate agendas.
They reinforce one another and provide a common framework for transformation.
As such, I have to mention that implementation of the reforms are delivering tangible results for all Albanian citizens.
For sure the focus on the implementation is resilience and leaving no one behind.
I would like to set a bit on the gender equality.
For sure, key achievements that Albania has already taken into consideration is that, first of all, women in leadership.
We are proud to say that 35% of members of parliament are women and seven women ministers are already in place as ministers in the current government.
42% of municipal council members are women.
Gender equality we remains a cross cutting priority of Albania sustainable development agenda.
We have strengthened women's representation in decision making, institutionalized gender responsive budgeting, and expanded support services for survivors of violence.
At the same time, we recognize that significant challenges for sure, remain still.
Women's economic participation, access to finance, and entrepreneurship opportunities continue to lag behind while vulnerable groups of women face multiple forms of disadvantage.
Our focus is therefore increasingly on translating policy commitments into tangible improvements in the daily lives of women and girls across the country.
Next slide, clean water and sanitization.
Albania has achieved, as you will.
Can you see from the slide, significant progress in improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation through sustained investments in water infrastructure sector modernization.
Urban water coverage now exceeds 90% while access to basic drinking water services remains very high.
Looking ahead, priorities include expanding wastewater treatment, reducing water losses, strengthening utility performance, and ensuring climate resilient and efficient water surfaces across all regions.
Advancing the green agenda.
Next slide, please.
Well, Albania has made substantial progress toward SDG seven, universal access to electricity has been achieved and maintained while the country continues to benefit from one of the highest share of renewable energy in Europe.
We must say that Albania is, I guess, one of two or three countries in the world where energy production is 100% renewable.
And so on that merit, for sure, diversification is one of the key elements of our energy policies where now Almost 85% of energy is produced by hydropower plants and the rest is produced by solar and wind.
For sure the part of the solar and wind is our aim to increase in the next five years.
Decent work and economic growth.
Albania has made progress in promoting decent work and economic growth.
Unemployment has fallen significantly over the last decade, as you can see from the slide, while youth inclusion has improved through investments in education, vocational training, digital skills, and active labor market programs.
The youth guarantee represents a flagship reform that is helping young people transition from education to employment and will be rolled out nationwide from 2026.
Innovation, entrepreneurship, and the economy of the future.
Albania has made substantial progress in strengthening the foundations of an innovation driven economy.
Digital connectivity now reaches almost all households while new institution and policies are supporting research, entrepreneurship, and technological development.
The launch of Startup Albania has created a national platform for innovation and entrepreneurship, providing access to financing, support services, digital applications, and network opportunities.
Through two national startup schemes, 960 applications were received and 170 innovative businesses were supported helping strengthen Albania's innovation ecosystem.
Through startup Albania, the smart specialization strategy and innovation for Albania, we are building stronger links between research, business, and technology.
Peace, justice, and strong institutions.
Strong institutions are at the heart of Albania's sustainable development journey.
Through justice reform, digital transformation, and public administration modernization, we are building a more transparent, accountable, and citizen centered state.
More than 95% of public services are now available only online while justice sector reforms continue to strengthen the rule of law and institutional integrity.
Next slide, please.
SDG 17 Partnership for the Goals is the enabling goal that supports progress across the entire 2030 agenda for Albania.
Albania has strengthened domestic resources, mobilization, expanded digital connectivity, modernized its statistical system, and reinforced partnerships with the European Union, the United Nations, international financial institutions, and development partners.
The EU accession process remains the most important framework for advancing reforms and sustainable development.
At the same time, investments in data and digital transformation are helping ensure that policies are evidence based, resources are better targeted and progress is effectively monitored.
Next slide, please.
The principle of leaving no one behind remains at the center of Albania sustainable development agenda.
Inclusion is not a single policy.
It is the lens through which Albania designs reforms, allocates resources and measures, progress towards 2030.
For sure, as you may see from the report, we understand and we acknowledge where we do lag behind, such as inclusion of Roma and Egyptian communities or more work should be done on women and girls.
Next slide, please.
As Albania enters the final five years to 2030, our focus shifts decisively from policy alignment to implementation and impact.
Six strategic accelerators will guide our efforts, EU accession and institutional transformation, investment in people and demographic resilience, social inclusion and territorial cohesion, competitiveness and innovation, the green transition and digital transformation, financing and partnership.
Together, these priorities reflect the reform agenda and the Growth Plan and the national SDG Roadmap, 2025, 2030.
They will help ensure that sustainable development translates into stronger institutions, better services, greater opportunities, and improved quality of life for all citizens.
Albania, as I mentioned, enters the final five years to 2030 with confidence and determination, guided by the sustainable development goals and driven by the European Union accession process.
We remain committed to building a more prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for all.
Thank you.
I thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania, as well as his team for the presentation.
The forum will now hear the voluntary National Review of Kurbas, and I invite His Excellency, Mr.
Ruki Takara, Minister of Education of Kurbas, to make a presentation.
You have the floor.
President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Mary and warm greetings from the Republic of Cis.
It is my honor to represent Cs Second warranty in National Review under the theme transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions for sustainable future follow.
This review reflects our country's continued commitment to the 2030 agenda and demonstrate how sustainable de codes have been integrated into our national de planning.
Despite the unique vulnerabilities faced by small island deriving state, KivS remains committed to leaving no one behind through strengthened partnerships, resilience, and inclusive government.
Excellency, today's presentation will provide an overview of lib contexts and demonstrates how we are advancing the implementation of SDGs to the Glibs KDB.
I will briefly present our national context, highlight progress across our six key priorities areas, KBAs, discuss the key challenges we continue to face, and conclude with our priorities for accelerating SDG implementation to strengthen national ownership and international partnership.
The SDGs have been fully integrated into CIS national Planning framework through the KDB 2024 to 2027.
Rather than implementing the SDGs as separate initiatives, we have aligned national priorities, sector strategies, budgeting processes, and monitoring systems in the 2030 agenda.
This integrated approach enables us to better coordinate government policies, strengthen accountability, and ensure that relevant interventions contribute directly to both national aspiration and global commitments.
Excellencies, Ks is a small island turbing state comprising 33 low lying cordos spread across an exclusive economic zone of more than 3.5 million square kilometers.
While our ocean provide tremendous opportunities, our geographic dispersion present significant challenges in delivering services, infrastructure, and economic opportunities across all islands.
Climate change remains our great determent challenge, threatening livelihood, food security, freshwater supplies, and critical infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, KS continue to pursue resilient, inclusive and sustainable development.
The key priority area one of our KDB, education continues to be a central pillar of national development in the line with pillar one of our 20 year national framework that gave you 20.
This underscores our strong commitment to realizing SDG four quality education.
Overall, Clius has recorded positive progress across most SDG four indicators, reflecting continued investment in quality education.
Net enrollment has reached 100% while TVT technical and vocational educational training, participation stands at 58% Ecuban more young people with practical skills for employment.
Reading proficiency has reached 50%.
The proportion of trained teachers steadily reached 8% and access to electricity in schools slowly improved to 6%, creating Pederan enrollment.
However, challenges remained.
External financing for scholarships has declined sharply, highlighting the need for more sustainable funding for higher education.
Education in qualities also persist at 1%, particularly across our geographically displaced islands, making equitable access to quality education a continuing government priority.
Key priority area two, economic growth and hardship elevation aligns with SDG one, two, eight and ten by promoting a resilience and inclusive economy.
Government is strengthening social protection, investing in fisheries and infrastructure, supporting private sector development, expanding livelihoods opportunities, and reinforcing fiscal management to drive sustainable growth and reduce vulnerability.
Overall, SDG one shows a mixed strategy while four of the six indicators improved.
The overall assessment is a recresion due to declines in two key indicators over the 2015 to 2025 review period.
Positive national poverty is at its maximum, progress fell 21-5 0.1%.
International poverty showed strong progress, a reduction from 1.6 to 0.04% and a positive but modest progress stands at 17% in accessing pace qu and validation.
Under KBA three, health, which aligns with SDG three, improving the health and well being of our people remains a national priority.
The government country will do university in health care infrastructure, essential health services, and nationwide health programs.
The newly established B hospital to demonstrate our commitment to delivering quality health care and building a more resilient health system.
On the positive side, CivS has achieved significant improvement in maternal and child health with strong reduction in newborn babies, achieving accelerated progress of 77%, while children under five mortality has worsened with a desgate progress of 39%.
Let see these controls as a major regress of 84%.
Road traffic death regresses at its maximum and unintentional puioning the slightly progress by 12%.
Suicide rates also remain a persistent public health concern.
Climate res is a key priority under KTB.
Through KBA for environment and resilience, the government is strengthening climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable resource management.
These investments protect our ocean, ecosystem, and communities while supporting progress across SDGs 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Give us very positive progress across all climate resilience indicators.
We have achieved 100% in disaster related indicators, including zero theft and missing persons attributed to disasters through adoption and implementation of national disaster risk reduction strategies and complete legal frameworks to support disaster preparedness.
At the local level, the proportion of government adopting DRA strategies as a steady progress of 35%, demonstrating continued progress in strengthening community resilience.
Under the key priority area five, governance aligned with SDG five and 16, the government continues to advance legislative reforms, strengthen public sector accountability, modernize outdated laws to meet current national priorities and international standards, and promote women leadership and equal participation in decision making.
Overall, both SDG five indicators show positive progress.
The proportion of women in managerial position reached 98%, while women representation in parliament and local governments has a very slow progress of 6%.
Under the key priority area six, infrastructure and sustainable energy which aligns with SDT six and nine.
The government continues to invest in resilient infrastructure, sustainable energy, water and sanitation, transport, digital connectivity, and innovation to improve service delivery and support sustainable development.
Overall, both SDG show encouraging progress under SDG six oh four indicators are proving with OTA for water and sanitation at 100% while slow progresses as observed for access to safe drinking water 17%, sanitation 10%, and safe treated wastewater 7%.
Under SDG 93 of the five indicators improved with manufacturing value added increasing by 19%, passenger and freight volumes by 10%, and mobile network coverage trading to an overall progress rate of 85%.
However, manufacturing employment declined by 98% and overseas during froze for infrastructure collapsing at its maximum target, underscoring the need for sustained investment in infrastructure and productive sector.
While CVS has made encouraging progress, significant challenges remain climate change limited financial and institutional capacity.
Geographical dispersion and data caps continue to constrain SDG implementation.
ODA trends should be interpreted with caution as annual fluctuation often afflict multi year project disbursement cycles rather than reduced partner support.
In addition, health and education analysis are based largely on 2023 data.
As verified, 2024 to 2025 data were not yet available during preparation of the VNAA.
Continued access to sustainable financing and technical support remains essential.
Looking ahead, S will focus on strengthening national status quo system, improving policy coordination, mobilizing sustainable financing, enhancing institutional capacity, and deepening partnerships.
Together through strong national leadership, evidence based decision making and international cooperation, we can accelerate SDT implementation and ensure that no one is left behind.
Comb, thank you.
I thank the Ministry of Education of Kirbas and his team for the presentation.
And now the forum will hear the Voluntary National Review of Uruguay.
I now invite Her Excellency, miss Elizabeth Bgshin, Director General of International Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay to make presentation.
You have the floor.
Thank you very much.
Mr.
Vice President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to have the Vice President of the Republic here and the intendent of Canons along with civil society in the national delegation that is supporting the presentation of this VNR, which is proof of the country's commitment with this process and the intrinsic value of this multi sectorial and multi actor shared exercise.
The five SDGs considered this year allow us to observe some of the main areas of transformation in the country, sustainable management of water resources, the second energy transition, infrastructure for productive development, urban and local sustainability, and the creation of national and international partnerships to accelerate results.
Our 2026 VNR is a second generation report.
Uruguay has important assets, solid democratic institutions, recognize progress when it comes to social protection, Coverage for basic services are energy transition statistical capacities and interagency cooperation, but these achievements do not take away from the need to continue pressing forward.
Today, the challenge is not just to broaden coverage, it is to ensure quality, continuity, sustainability, climate resilience, and social equity throughout the country.
Therefore, the principle of not leaving anyone behind continues to be a fundamental point of reference.
This report reflects a process that unfolded collectively, and we drafted it in three stages.
The methodological design, a technical work, SDG by SDG with sectorial focal points, and a consultation and validation phase with institutional and social sector representatives.
To this, we added subnational governments, civil society organizations, academia, the business sector, social economy, and other national actors, and this country wide dialogue was critical Public policies gain in legitimacy and effectiveness when they incorporate the experiences, the knowledge, and proposals coming from our different regions and from all of society, statistical support was equally relevant.
Uruguay used 372 indicators to monitor the 17 SDGs, of which 242 are main follow up indicators.
We also have an SDG visualizer, which offers over 300 graphs and around 1,000 variables that are linked to global targets.
For Uruguay Agenda 2030 is not just an international reporting framework, it is one more tool for planning, follow up, and improving our public policies.
A specific example of this focus is our national budget 2025, 2029, which was passed by our national Parliament.
In this exercise, we're moving towards results based budgeting, where public organizations craft goals, indicators, and targets for the mandate, and they link resource assignment with the results that are expected for our population.
This contributes to organizing our priorities, improving the traceability between programs and investments, and strengthening the evaluation of our public policies.
In other words, to go from just reporting progress to really guiding decisions.
When it comes to SDG six and seven, Uruguay is going from the mere coverage of public services to ensuring their quality, affordability, resiliency, and sustainability.
When it comes to clean water and sanitation, Uruguay has a sustained trajectory in terms of access to drinking water and sanitation, which is grounded in a constitutional framework that recognizes access to drinking water and sanitation as fundamental human rights.
One of the initiatives is our new reserve and purification plan to strengthen the metropolitan water supply system in our capital, which will ensure security in supply when we have droughts, such as in 2022 and 2023.
Nevertheless, the challenges are clear.
Broadening safe sanitation, improving wastewater management, sustaining public trust, and having a better response capacity to extreme events, droughts, and scenarios where we would have water shortages.
When it comes to energy, Uruguay has consolidated a structural transformation for its energy matrix.
The country has practically universal access to electricity with coverage oscillating around 99.97% in 2024 and an energy matrix that has a high percentage of renewables.
The National Plan for Energy Efficiency 2025, 2035, which was approved by our executive branch in 2026, shows that it's no longer about having a renewable energy matrix, but rather better managing demand, reducing emissions, optimizing costs, improving competitiveness, and elevating the living standard of our citizens and families.
In parallel, Uruguay is electrifying urban public transportation with the goal of reaching a sustainable share of electric public buses by 2030.
When it comes to SDG nine, Uruguay has moved towards policies of innovation, productive development, and logistical infrastructure.
The challenge is to make the most of the digital and technological revolution through a long term approach by establishing a dialogue between government workers, business people, academia, and civil society.
Nevertheless, there are some significant challenges.
Improving technological uptake in businesses, technical training, financing for micro, small and medium sized enterprises, territorial integration, and green jobs.
Innovation should be a tool for productive inclusion.
When it comes to SDG 11, we have gradually incorporated urban sustainability in our housing and habitat policies as well as land use movement and urban resiliency.
The challenge is to deepen this with geo reference data, integrated planning, as well as attention for poor neighborhoods, small areas and rural areas, as well as a greater response capacity in the face of climate risks.
The common message is that the productive technological and urban agenda should consider All of the country and not just national averages.
SDG 17 is the means of implementation for the rest of the SDGs.
Uruguay has consolidated mechanisms for international cooperation, institutional coordination, and articulation with multilateral organizations.
It participates actively in South, South, and triangular cooperation arrangements as a recipient, but also as a provider of cooperation.
From the perspective of international corporation, the report has one main message.
Partnerships should be aligned with specific priorities and offer verifiable results.
Uruguay promotes moreover, a vision of development that recognizes its multidimensional character and that broadens access to sustainable financing under the criteria of inclusion, co responsibility, and equity.
The country officially reports the measurement of multidimensional poverty, and this complements traditional monetary measurements.
This strengthens guidance for our public policies.
It improves our identification of gaps and ensures that cooperation and financing are guided towards those who need them the most.
This participatory process turned voices into priorities, public consultations to draft this report, contributions from the business sector, the social economy, academia, civil society, and sub national governments enriched the state's perspective and allowed us to identify points of convergence, legitimate tensions, and proposals to accelerate Agenda 2030.
We heard about recurring challenges, nevertheless, the need to have useful data, coordination between institutions, better access In our territories, being closer to people and a broader appropriation of the agenda.
We also heard of the proposals, country platforms, incentives for innovation and effectiveness, capacity building, financing mechanisms, and making local knowledge systematic, which confirms a democratic conviction.
Sustainable development is not built from the state.
It requires listening, dialogue, evidence and co responsibility between institutions, regions, and society.
The report identifies five main findings for this final stretch to 2030.
First year, we must go from coverage to quality in terms of public services.
Second, localizing Agenda 2030 is indispensable.
We must disaggregate data, create multi level governance and local capacities.
Third, in order to accelerate results, the country must comprehensively manage several transitions in terms of demography, declmate technology, and energy, as well as development of urban zones and production.
Fourth, implementation requires data, institutional capacities, observatories, and more robust evaluation systems.
Five, Partnerships and financing should be geared towards specific national and local priorities.
In short, not leaving anyone behind means turning national averages into effective improvements for peoples, families, communities, and territories that face the greatest obstacles when it comes to fully exercising their rights.
Now, thinking about 20:30, Uruguay has identified a clear roadmap in terms of SDG number six, closing gaps in terms of state sanitation, strengthening the sustainable management of water, improving traceability, and improving resiliency in the face of droughts and extreme events, SDG number seven, consolidating the second energy transition, emphasizing transportation and industry, energy efficiency, energy poverty, and climate resiliency, SDG nine, boosting inclusive industrialization by supporting SMEs as well as technology uptake for product development and green jobs, SDG 11, improving habitats and urban resiliency with focus on housing, mobility, waste management, territorial data, and the management of climate risk and SDG number 17, strengthening the means of implementation.
Mr.
Vice President Uruguay affirms its commitment with a sustainable human development with a democracy that plans, listens and is accountable and with international participation on the basis of cooperation, multilaterlim, and shared responsibility, this report recognizes with transparency and honesty the Director General for International Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay and her team for the presentation.
We will now hear comments and questions from states and other participants.
Delegations who wish to intervene in their interactive discussion, including those who previously expressed their interests through the group of friends of the VNRs to ask questions to any of our VNR presenters that we just heard, they are invited to press the microphone button on the console.
Before I give the floor to the first speaker, I would like to remind delegations to kindly limit their interventions to 2 minutes each.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia.
Okay.
Thank you very much Chair and I'd like to ask a question of iras Honorable Minister Reki.
Thank you very much for the presentation on Kira Bus second VNR.
Can I congratulate you and Kirbas on a thorough and insightful review.
Australia remains a committed partner in Kira Bus sustainable development journey, and we're very pleased to see progress in strengthening access to education and health services, the advancing climate resilience agenda, and improving water security.
So I'd like to pose the following question just based on your presentation.
The VNR highlights the importance of strong partnerships in accelerating progress towards the SDGs.
We saw some of the regressions, I think, also in the diagrams.
So how can development partners work more effectively with Cira bus to ensure development assistance aligns with national priorities, strengthens country systems, and delivers sustainable results for communities across all the islands of Cuus.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Australia and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Norway.
Thank you so much, Sir.
Thank you for giving Norway the floor.
My question will go to Albania.
Your Excellency, thank you so much for a thorough and very good VNR presentation and we congratulate Albania on the VNR submitted to the HLPF this year.
The report highlights Albania strong commitment to the SDGs and to the 2030 agenda.
While we were talking, you also highlighted progress in renewable energy and your commitment to climate action.
Could you elaborate on the concrete measures Albania is taking to diversify its energy mix beyond hydropower, while ensuring energy security and resilience to climate change and how these efforts contribute to a just and inclusive energy transition.
Thank you so much.
I thank the distinguished representative of Norway and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Spain.
Thank you very much, Mr.
President.
Excellency, Spain has two questions for Albania and for Uruguay.
First, for Albania.
Thank you very much for your presentation and our question would be the following.
Could you explain in greater detail how you are making the most of digitalization to accelerate progress in the framework of the SDGs, specifically regarding improving public services? I would also like to thank Uruguay for their presentation.
Uruguay is known for important progress achieved in transforming its energy matrix and a rise in the share of renewables in this matrix.
Could you share what were some of the main factors that made it possible to carry out this transition and what lessons do you think could be useful for other countries that would like to accelerate the implementation of SDG number seven? I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Spain and I now give the floor to stakeholder number one, communities discriminated by work.
We Used Civil Society Organization of Albania welcome the opportunity to contribute to this voluntary national Review at the United Nations.
We acknowledge the progress achieved by Albania in advancing the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and its continued engagement with the sustained development goals.
These efforts demonstrate an important commitment to reform and international cooperation.
At the same time, we wish to emphasize that implementation gaps remain significant and continue to affect the most vulnerable groups in the society.
Structural change persist across key areas, including poverty reduction, quality education, gender equality, decent work, reduced inequalities and strong institution.
Limited institutional coordination and even air source allocation, particularly at local level and weaknesses in enforcement and accountability continue to constrain the full realization of SDGs.
Violence against student and women, including online exploitation remains a serious concern, requiring stronger prevention systems and enhances interinstitutional coordination.
Albania's evolving role as a destination country for human trafficking further highlights the urgent needs to strengthen identification protection and referral mechanism, including a full functional and victim national referral mechanism.
Roma communities continue to face structural exclusion, including poverty, inadequate housing, limited access to quality education, and employment restricted access to essential services.
The persistent discrimination, including discrimination based on market descent.
These realities requires sustained political commitment and adequate financing and effective implementation of inclusion policies to ensure equal opportunities and dignity for all.
Achieving SDGs required to commitment to partnership, human rights and equality.
On through inclusive coordinating action can we ensure that no one is left behind and that promise for 2030 agenda becomes a lived reality for all people in Albania.
Question to Albanian government.
What concrete measures, timelines, budget, Albanian government Andrés I thank the distinguished representative of stakeholder group one.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.
Thank you very much, Mr.
President.
We would like to welcome the different presentations that we heard from Albania, Cubas, and Uruguay.
Thank you for these presentations.
They were excellent.
We would also like to thank the distinguished delegation of Albania for presenting their VNR.
And we have the following question.
In recognition of the importance of having disaggregated data, in order to materialize the principle of leaving no one behind, we would be very grateful if the distinguished delegation of Albania could provide greater detail on how they are evaluating the results of their implementation of Agenda 2030 on a national basis among minority communities and how do you use that information to guide the creation and implementation of policies related to the SDGs and specifically those that are currently under consideration this year.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Finland.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
Finland warmly congratulates Albania, Kuri Bj, and Uruguay for presenting their VNRs and for their continued efforts to advance sustainable development.
This time we have a question to Kuri Bas.
Honorable Minister, Kuri Bas has taken significant efforts to integrate the SDTs international policy planning and budgeting.
Finland sees this as very important and strives to do the same.
For example, all Finnish ministries described in the state budget how their spending contributes to the SDT implementation.
Multi stakeholder partnerships are also recognized as key, both in Kiri Bach's VNR and in Finland's SDG implementation.
In our case, the National Commission on Sustainable Development convened civil society national and local government, youth, research, and the private sector to work together for the SDTs.
Finland would like to ask how will Kerry Busch ensure that the findings of your VNR are translated into concrete actions through national planning and budgeting and how can development partners and national multi stakeholder partnerships best support this process? I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Finland and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tuvalu.
Thanks, President.
I join others congrating Albania, Kuri Bassi and Uruguay for presenting the VNR.
My question is posed to Cribs.
As fellow Pacific toation Gas and Tuvalu share many common challenges, including climate change, geographic isolation and high cost of delivering essential services.
What key lessons has Cri Bas learned in ensuring that sustainable development efforts reach vulnerable communities, particularly those living on remote out islands.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Tuvalu.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Indigenous peoples Group.
Excellencies and distinguished delegates.
I speak on behalf of the civil society in Curia.
Inaraz we bestow to each other the traditional placing of the Mo and more good health, peace and prosperity.
These are the reason we owe to each other, of our communities, especially our most vulnerable youth, women and girls, persons with disabilities, people with diverse sex orientation and gender identity and elderly.
Civil Society in Curia acknowledges the Kuriaz government's progress towards implementing the 2030 agenda as reflected in its second VanA report.
We particularly welcome the government's targeted focus on expanding access to safe water and basements South Taua.
Large chosen states like Kbusri remains one of our defining vulnerability intensified by rising sea levels, frequenting tide and prolonged drought driven by climate change.
We call for greater investment in community managed solutions, including solar water distillation systems and rainwater harvesting, co designed with implementation led by village leaders and community.
We also commit ongoing investment in infrastructure and coastal protection.
However, rapid urbanization and population pressures continue to strain housing, sanitation, and waste management systems with direct consequences to public health.
We urge that future infrastructure development embraces nature based solutions and meaningfully involve youth and indigenous communities in planning and decision making.
Finally, sustainable development cannot be achieved while women continue to face violence behind closed doors.
Domestic violence remains a serious challenge in Kiva sustained by a culture of silence that too often denies victims justice.
We call for immediate and stronger access to break science, breaking women, empower communities and no one is left behind.
Achieving the SET requires genuine participation between the government, civil society and communities.
Together, we can build a yb where the Modi are not merely blessings.
We just talk on one another, but lived reality of every citizen.
I thank you I thank the distinguished representative of the Indigenous peoples group.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bulgaria.
Thank you, Chair.
We commend all three countries for their respective presentations today and I would like to focus on the one made by Albania.
I also want to acknowledge the presence of our deputy foreign minister head of delegation for the HOPF which is witness to our interests for the VNR.
We thank Albania for its comprehensive voluntary national review and commend the efforts undertaking to advance the implementation of the 2030 agenda.
Given that we presented our VNR last year, Bulgaria recognizes the importance of continuously adapting national policies and the importance of building resilience into the SDG implementation in in this multiple and overlapping crisis world.
Against this backdrop, we appreciate Albania's emphasis on resilience and integrated policymaking and would like to ask what new or renewed challenges is your government confronted with when responding to multi layered crisis and to what extent do you expect adjustment to be required in your SDGs implementation agenda.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Bulgaria and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
We congratulate the three countries presenting VNRs and we specially commend Uruguay for the participatory approach adopted in preparing the report, including the public consultation, open to citizens, civil society, academia, the private and cooperative sectors, trade unions, subnational governments, and public institutions.
In this context, we would like Uruguay to elaborate further on the contributions received from different stakeholders, particularly from groups and territories facing greater barriers to participation were incorporated into the final VNR.
And how this participatory approach will be sustained in the implementation and follow up of the SEGs beyond the reporting exercise.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Brazil representative of Workers and Trade Union by your group.
Social organizations in Uruguay value efforts made to achieve Agenda 2030 and the social dialogue recently convened for this, despite this, we would like to warn that there's still structural challenges when it comes to child poverty, the informal sector migration, gender gaps, inequalities within regions, and recognition of our indigenous peoples.
Therefore, we urge the government to deepen the work required in order to address the impact of new technologies, reduce the workweek and reducing contributions for poor populations, we must reduce the gender gap and strengthen care systems.
How will you promote decent work for youth, women, and people living in rural areas and advance in our care system too.
Ensuring universal access to housing and broadening social protection to fight against child poverty.
We propose a tax reform grounded in solidarity by contributing through the 1%.
Third, ensuring a just transition in the face of climate change by using a tripartite focus and an energy matrix that is respectful of the environment and ensuring drinking water as a constitutional right.
And chosen as a priority by the state.
How will you implement state policies that safeguard aquifers in the face of the advance of monocultures and other pollutants to assign 1% of the national budget to science, technology and innovation, and to regulate trade agreements in order to make sure they guarantee national interests? How will you ensure that the national development strategy, trade agreements and Agenda 2030 are aligned with a sustainable and inclusive development model? With the human rights focus and social participation and effective participation from unions, the microphone is cut off.
Representative of Workers and Trade Union May I now invite presenters to briefly respond to the questions that we heard from the floor.
They have 5 minutes each.
I will now give the floor to His Excellency, Mr.
I Karagai Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania.
President, thank you, everyone, thanks for all the interventions and for the dedication to the report of Albania specifically.
I will try to answer one by one on each intervention.
As regard the renewable energy and the measures that Albania is doing on diversification, I would like to proudly reiterate that again that Albania is producing 100% from renewable sources.
For sure, it's general base for production was hydropower plants.
In the last five years, we have taken tremendous work in trying to diversify that source of production.
We are now more than 15% coming from other forms of renewable energy such as solar and wind.
That has been done through, let's say, aggressive reforms in doing auctions and including all the investments needed for renewable energy.
As regards the question by the delegate of Spain for the digitalization, I would like briefly to reiterate that 95% of all services granted from Albanian institutions are done, through digitalization and are done online.
That is because 97 more than 97% of families do have access to Internet.
However, there is a very important, detail to share that for sure, we know that there are old people or people that can't access Internet.
And let's say digitalized the services.
In each municipality, there are defined and specific offices in order to assist elderly people or people who cannot use, let's say, online services.
As I heard with very much attention intervention from the member of the civil society.
For sure as it is reflected in the report, we do acknowledge that there are issues that we are working on issues on treating minorities such as Roma and Egyptian minorities and also, let's say gender equality.
However, I would like to reiterate the fact dimension that Albania treaty says DG is connected very well to European Union next session.
We are a country who has opened 27 chapters on European Union and are working simultaneously on all chapters with EU in order to mitigate all the bottlenecks that we do have in certain areas.
I highly appreciate any efforts from civil society and I reiterate the fact that Albania government is very open to discuss and to keep working with civil society.
As regards the Cuba delegation intervention, about the data and disintegrated data, we use data from Istat which is the National Institute of Statistics and all those data that do cover almost all areas of, let's say that are part of the SDGs.
Are then reflected through a working group headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and we let's say monitor those data and we use those data for all the policy measures.
Finally, about the intervention of Bulgaria, about the resilience and challenges and multi layer crisis.
Yes, it is true.
We have had crises that have been international such as COVID in 2020 or energy crisis in 2022 or the recent energy crisis, but we have had also an earthquake, a very tremendous earthquake in 2019.
Which has put us on tremendous pressure to tackle or to create, let's say, a way how to mitigate these crisis through an institutional framework.
I might mention, for example, the crisis that we already had just now in 2026 about the state of Hormuz and the energy crisis.
We use all let's lessons learned from the previous different crises and through institutionalization of different areas so we are better prepared for any, let's say unfortunate event that can happen in the near future.
Thank you.
Va Gras I thank His Excellency, Mr.
Ea Karaci, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania.
I'll give the floor to His Excellency, Mr.
Rutki Tekiaa, Minister of Education of Kirbas.
Thank you, Chair.
I will hand over to my colleague, Secretary of Finance to response to the question because you know why? The woman voice is very attractive and unforgettable.
Thank you.
I thank His Excellency, Mr.
Waki Tkia Minister of Education of Keras Honorable Minister for the opportunity.
I wish to thank our dear friends from Australia, Finland, and Sv for showing their interest in our VNR.
In response to Australia's question, I would like to start by saying that partnerships like ours are central to everything we are trying to achieve for our development.
Through our VNR, we have learned that the most effective support is one that is country led and genuinely aligned with our national priorities.
Particularly in those areas that require more attention and investment as presented in our VNR findings.
We encourage partners to work with us through our own planning and budgeting systems to reduce fragmentation and ensure that every dollar goes further.
Given our widely dispersed geography, we also asked for flexibility.
Delivering services to our outer islands is very expensive and logically challenging.
Predictable and long term support helps us plan better and reach every community.
We also need continued assistance to strengthen our data systems and monitoring capacities so we can track results and make evidence based decisions.
So Finland, thank you for your question.
For Guitaest, the VNR is much more than a report.
It is a practical tool that guides how we plan and budget.
Similarly, we have an integrated system where all government ministries must demonstrate how their budget proposals connect to our national development priorities.
We monitor progress of these national priorities, and we report directly to cabinet.
In this way, VNR findings directly influence budget decisions.
As alluded earlier, Um, what we need from our development partners is predictable, coordinated support that strengthens our own systems rather than creating parallel processes.
Ultimately, strong national ownership is essential, but so are genuine international partnerships that truly understand the unique challenges facing small islands like Kipz.
Pacific brothers from Tuvalu we share so many of the same challenges, climate change, isolation, and high cost of delivering services across vast distances.
Our VNR has reinforced that development must be tailored to our geography, not the other way around.
One of the biggest lessons we have learned in this is the importance of connecting national planning with what is happening in our communities.
We need to listen to our people, coordinate better across government and ensure that our island needs are reflected in our fiscal planning.
We also learned that climate resilience cannot be treated as a separate issue.
Every investments we make, whether in water, security, or infrastructure must all strengthen our community resilience.
Finally, partnerships must be adapted to our specific realities, leaving no one behind requires not just a national commitment, but developments across But a development approach that genuinely reach every island and every community.
Finally, to our CSO partners, thank you for your intervention.
We acknowledge your concerns and reaffirm that the government's commitment to addressing these ongoing issues which we are all facing and experiencing.
We also recognize the civil society's perspectives are essential to the Vienar process and to leaving no one behind.
We value our partnership and look forward to working more closely together.
Thank you, Chair.
I thank the team from Kirbas.
I now give the floor to Her Excellency, miss Elizabeth Bogoshe, Director General of International Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
I would like to thank the honorable representative of Spain for his question with regards to SDG number seven.
Our country actually went from a situation where we were highly vulnerable from an energy standpoint, and that was in the 19th century.
Finally, in 2008 in international context where fuel prices increased substantially and created difficulties for our national energy sector really made it clear that we needed a state energy policy, and that is why in 2005, we drafted a long term energy policy with a time horizon of 2030.
It was supported by all political parties with parliamentary representation, and it has become a state policy now.
Our national energy policy is structured around four strategic axes, institutional strengthening, diversifying the energy matrix by using local or national renewables.
We can say that we now have a coverage that is around 97 98% in terms of renewables in our energy mix and Also promoting energy efficiency as well as access and affordability when it comes to energy.
This is why we've registered important progress today and we've been able to achieve targets that were defined 20 years ago in this National Plan for Energy Efficiency.
Of course, this has also had downstream effects in terms of capacity building and research when it comes to energy issues.
Now, to respond to the question from the representative of Brazil who was so kind Participation in public consultations were a very important component of our VNR.
As I mentioned during my presentation, the process combined technical reviews, SDG by SDG, in person workshops, and a digital platform for citizen feedback.
The contributions received were made systematic with support to and from our academic sector and also guidelines with information that were incorporated into our VNR where we have proposals as well as suggestions to work on that VNR as really a public policy management tool when it comes to the national government.
Now I'll continue to respond to the very kind question that we heard from the representative of One of our stakeholder groups in the room.
Oh, yes, civil society.
I would like to greet her as well because she was present in our public consultations.
Now your question was very broad and touched upon a series of issues, but I wanted to speak about child poverty, which is one of the main priorities of this administration.
That's been proven not just through our budget, but now also through our accountability law with greater budgeting for this issue.
As well as an initiative to unify our system of financial transfers to support some of our poorest families with children.
On another topic, Uruguay has a national care system that is gender equal in terms of its focus.
Of course, it needs to be improved, but it is a good basis for work that we have and it's been highly useful.
When it comes to trade agreements and access to markets, obviously to create greater opportunities for our population, both when it comes to employment, as well as to improve and reduce the cost of living.
Focusing, of course, on how we can support SMEs.
As we have a draft bill on competitiveness and improving the cost of living and there our focus is really to improve the functionality of our state and thus to contribute to supporting small and medium businesses in our country which are the backbone of our economic fabric nationally.
When it comes to human rights, Uruguay is a country that is committed to human rights and that perspective informs all of our public policies.
Our country is part of all human rights treaties and the main ILO conventions, and we can show that we have successfully integrated our migrant populations and Taking into account the contribution from a social and economic standpoint that these populations make to the well being of all our population.
Thank you very much and of course, we are happy to provide additional inputs in writing.
I thank her Excellency, miss Elizabeth Bogojin, Director General of the International Cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.
Now I would like to thank all our presenters for their responses.
I would also like to thank delegations for their valuable contributions.
Before we conclude, I would like to recall that GA Resolution 75 slash 290b stipulates that countries conducting VNRs may provide written answers after the high level political forum if they wish to do so in case the time during the forum was too short for them to provide detailed answers.
We have completed our program of work for this meeting.
This afternoon, the forum will hold parallel meetings at 3:00 P.M.
With the voluntary national reviews being held here in conference room four while the resumption of the general debate will take place in the trusteeship council.
You may consult detailed information on the program on Gov and the HLPF website.
The meeting is adjourned.
Thank you.