Dear colleagues, we're about to start.
I call to order the 36th meeting of the Economic and Social Council and its 2026 session.
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I invite the council to conclude its consideration of agenda item five sub item A to continue the general debate of its high level segment, which also serves as the general debate of the high level political forum on sustainable development.
Before I give the floor to the first speaker on my list, I would like to remind delegates that the time limit for intervention is 5 minutes for statements made on behalf of groups and 3 minutes for statements by the individual delegations.
The time limit for statements by other speakers is 1 minute and 30 seconds.
In order to keep track of time, countdown clock is visible on the screen to alert speakers when it is a time to conclude their statements.
In case speakers exceed the time limit, the microphone will be automatically deactivated.
I apologize in advance for that.
The measures being taken to ensure that as many speakers as possible can deliver their statements in the limited time available.
Full version of longer statements can always be submitted to the Secretariat.
As this is the final meeting of the general debate for this session, any statement not delivered during this meeting should be submitted in writing to e statements at un.org for electronic posting.
Thank you in advance for your understanding.
I now give the floor to Mr.
Branco Pacic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets of Croatia.
You have the floor.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Excellencies.
Ten years ago, we made that shared commitment to advance humankind by adopting an ambitious vision for sustainable development, one built on our collective determination to ensure that no one is left behind.
Driven by armed conflicts, climate change, rising debt burdens, only 36% of the SDG targets are on track.
Yet the 2030 agenda remains our single most comprehensive framework for systemic transformation.
For Croatia, a nation that has transitioned from being a victim of aggression to Euro Atlantic integration, we understand deeply that sustainable development cannot be achieved in isolation from security, the rule of law, good governance, human rights, and institutional resilience.
This year's focus on the high level political forum on energy, water, and infrastructure highlights critical vulnerabilities.
Allow me to share Croatia's perspective in this regard.
First, our own history reinforces our conviction that strong institutions, international cooperation, and lasting peace are the absolute foundation for any development.
Second, to protect the peace and build critical infrastructure, we need robust financial architecture.
We must urgently bridge the staggering $4 trillion annual SDG financing gap.
Our focus within SDG 17 must be on translating the civil commitment into operational resources on the ground, ensuring financial transparency and mitigating debt crisis in the most vulnerable states.
Croatia stands ready to contribute to this effort through targeted development cooperation, knowledge sharing, and strategic partnership that translate global commitments into the tangible result on the ground.
Third, we must recognize that true resilience is the result of the long term commitment, sound institutions, and investment that enables societies not only to recovering from crisis, but to emerge stronger and better prepared for the future.
This requires strengthening the humanitarian development piece nexus.
Excellencies, Croatia remains an unwavering partner in defending the rules based multilateral system under the UN.
Let us act with pragmatic urgency to ensure that we leave not behind.
Thank you.
I thank Deputy Prime Minister for his statements and now give the floor to Deputy Permanent representative of the Republic of Cyprus, miss Gabriela Mikhai Liu, on behalf of Group of Friends of culture.
Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
The Group of Friends of Culture welcomes the review of Sustainable Development Goal 11 and wishes to highlight the importance of target 11.4, which calls for the protection and safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage.
This target is an important entry point, yet culture's contribution goes far beyond it.
Culture is not a luxury.
It is a strategic asset for building resilient, inclusive and sustainable societies and a powerful driver of progress across the 2030 agenda.
Culture strengthens social cohesion.
It fosters dialogue and mutual understanding.
It helps build peaceful and inclusive communities while reinforcing identity and a sense of belonging.
At the same time, cultural and creative industries are powerful engines of sustainable growth, innovation, and decent work, creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, especially for women and young people and contributing to vibrant cities and resilient local economies.
Yet culture remains underrepresented in policies and financing.
Public investment is still below 0.6% of global GDP and international development assistance for culture remains limited.
This must change through stronger investment, better data, and more systematic integration of culture into development strategies, including voluntary national reviews.
At the same time, digital technologies and artificial intelligence are transforming how culture is created, shared, and preserved, offering new opportunities, but also raising important challenges related to diversity, visibility, intellectual property, and equitable access.
In this context, robust evidence is essential.
UNESCO's revised framework for cultural Statistics and the culture 2030 indicators provide a strong basis for demonstrating culture's contribution across the SDGs.
As we advance the implementation of the 2030 agenda, culture must be recognized not only through target 11.4, but as a cross cutting enabler of sustainable development.
Integrating culture across policies, financing, and implementation will strengthen our collective efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals and ensure that no one is left behind.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Cyprus and now give the floor to Ambassador Nat era Osman, permanent representative of Malaysia.
Excellencies and distinguished delegates.
Good morning.
Malaysia monitors its SDG performance closely since its inception.
Building on the outcomes and recommendations of the third Malaysia's VNR presented during last year's HLPF, we continue to strengthen SDG delivery through improved policy coordination, enhanced collaboration across all levels of government and closer partnerships with the private sector, civil society, and local communities.
In 2025, the government of Malaysia published its 13 Malaysia Plan, a national development policy framework for the period 2026 to 2013.
Outlining sustainable development strategies to advance the implementation of the 2030 agenda.
The plan seeks to advance economic transformation, enhance the well being of the people, strengthen governance, and promote sustainable development.
The plan is anchored by four pillars, advancing economic complexity, enhancing social mobility, accelerating the implementation of the public service reform agenda, and enhancing well being of the people.
For an effective SDG governance, Malaysia has established the National SDG Council chaired by the Prime Minister, which serves as the highest decision making body to set the national direction, priorities, and milestones for SDG implementation, and oversees the progress at all levels.
This ensures that sustainable development translates into tangible local benefits for citizens and communities across the country, emphasizing the importance of SDG localization during implementation.
Accelerating progress also requires stronger engagement from the private sector.
Malaysia's soon to be launched national ESG Strategic Plan is a strategic framework that provides a phased transition pathway to guide businesses, particularly SMEs in adopting ESG principles.
Achieving the SDGs also requires stronger international cooperation and partnerships.
Malaysia calls for greater collaboration in sustainable financing, digital transformation, energy transition, technology transfer, and capacity building.
Focusing on HLPF 2026 themes, we welcome cooperation in sustainable infrastructure, food security, expanding halal economy, and sustainable tourism practices.
Malisia believes that sustainable development cannot flourish amid conflict, instability, and human suffering.
Peace and inclusive progress need to be mutually reinforced, creating equitable opportunities for all and ensuring that no one is left behind.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador.
Now, I give the floor to Ambassador Roberto Ampueo permanent representative of Chile.
Or Chair, Excellencies, as highlighted by the Secretary-General report, progress towards the fulfillment of the 2030 agenda remains insufficient and imbalanced.
Thus, we must deal with the persistent financing gap for development, which is estimated at $4 billion per year.
Thus, Chile values the progress made in the civil commitment, including the progress measures that go beyond GDP per capita.
Chile has made significant progress in reducing poverty over the past three decades.
Our updated measurements show that there are still significant challenges, but they also show that overcoming poverty sustainably requires growing inclusive growth, decent work, social protection, and public policies that ensure that no one will be left behind.
Thus, Chile reiterates its commitment with management and sustainable management of water resources as water is strategic for development.
It's also key for community security and to protect ecosystems.
In terms of energy, we continue and we will continue making progress towards a just inclusive and sustainable transition, promoting renewable energy decarbonization and the implementation of the energy pathway for 2026 to 2030 as a foundation for a trustworthy energy system that will contribute to economic development and the well being of people.
We've also made a decisive step forward to a more inclusive society through the National care agenda.
It's a state policy that recognizes care as an essential public good and a strategic investment.
This agenda strengthens social production, promotes gender equality, and broadens opportunities for participation by women in the job market.
We thus contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable development.
Chile reiterates its commitment to effective multilateralism and international cooperation that strengthens national capabilities, We are four years shy of 2030.
We still have time to change course, but we must turn these commitments into concrete actions and measurable results.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished ambassador.
I now give the floor to the distinguished Vice Minister of coordination and government of the presidency.
Absolutely.
Thank you very much.
Excellency's distinguished delegates, the Dominican Republic is convinced that the greatest challenge is no longer agreeing what we must do, but rather learning how we can achieve results at the pace our citizens expect.
Thus, our government has organized its management based on ten measurable national priorities that are monitored directly from the president's office through a coordination and follow up system that harmonizes all institutions around shared results rather than isolated efforts.
By prioritizing national efforts, we are simultaneously accelerating the fulfillment of sustainable development goals.
This approach allows us to make concrete progress in the SDGs which are currently under review.
In terms of SDG six, we are broadening access to potable water and Through various investments throughout the country, these efforts are already reflected in measurable results.
The SDG Index 2026 recently published shows improvement in provision of better quality water and sanitation as this improves quality of life for our people, SDG seven renewable energies.
These are now 25% of our electric energy.
We continue broadening the ability to generate clean energy and improve our energy security.
SDG nine, we are investing in strategic infrastructure, digital transformation, logistics, innovation, and productive diversification efforts that have contributed to improving our GDP per capita to over $11,500, strengthening our competitiveness and creating new opportunities for our people.
SDG 11, we are transforming our cities through public transportation systems, decent housing, resilient infrastructure, infrastructure, and safer communities by building more inclusive and sustainable cities and at the center of all of this is SDG 17.
Partnerships have become one of our greatest strengths.
We work closely with the UN, with multilateral development banks, the private sector at the national and international level, academia and our international partners because no country can achieve sustainable development on its own.
As part of these partnerships, our government highlights the value of volunteer work as essential to make progress towards the sustainable development goals.
This spirit of collaboration is also reflected in our economy.
Dominican Republic continues achieving record records of foreign direct investment and exports are growing constantly, showing that partnerships, trade and investment are key motors for sustainable development.
The results are encouraging.
Last year, we received 11.7 million visitors, more tourists than our own national population.
I thank the Vice Minister for his statement.
Es Samuels Bogart permanent representative of Slovenia.
Mr.
President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we are in a critical moment.
Despite undeniable achievements in the implementation of the SDGs, overall progress is slow and uneven.
The cascading and interconnected crisis of recent years have hit the most vulnerable countries particularly hard.
Especially those with limited capacities and financial resources.
Therefore, not incremental, but transformative action across all three dimensions of sustainable development is more urgent than ever.
First, we must accelerate economic transformation to a just and green transition, which creates new employment opportunities, enhance competitiveness, and strengthen resilience to climate change.
Second, sustainable development must be human centered.
Focused on protection of human rights and the principle of leaving no one behind.
We are committed to pay particular attention to women and girls, older persons, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
Third, the environmental sustainability must remain at the center of our efforts.
The impacts of climate change, land degradation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss threaten livelihoods, ecosystems, and the well being of future generations.
Expanding renewable energy and protecting natural resources are critical to securing a sustainable future for all.
Furthermore, innovation is another key driver of sustainable development.
Slovenia supports the responsible use of new and emerging technologies to accelerate progress toward the SDGs.
At the same time, we emphasize the importance of ensuring that technological advances remain inclusive, ethical, environmentally sound, and accessible, helping to bridge rather than wide existing divides.
Colleagues, Slovenia is pleased to know that this year's Sustainable Development Report ranks Slovenia as 15th among the UN member states.
Slovenia has already achieved SDG one on poverty and SDG nine on industry innovation.
In addition, SDG 11 on sustainable cities is well on its way off to implementation.
At the same time, major challenges persist with regard to SDG 12 on responsible consumption, SDG 13 on climate action, and SDG 14 on life below water.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we approach the final stretch towards 2030, we must renew our collective commitment to the sustainable development goals.
Slovenia stands ready to engage with all partners to advance this shared agenda and turn our commitments into tangible outcomes.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Ambassador, I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of New Zealand.
Thank you, Chair.
New Zealand remains strongly committed to the 2030 agenda and the SDGs.
On SDG six, New Zealand recognizes that safe, reliable, and resilient water services are fundamental to health, well being, environmental sustainability, and economic development.
Domestically, we are improving the performance and resilience of our drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services and strengthening our water governance and resource management to improve water quality outcomes and protect freshwater ecosystems.
Internationally, New Zealand works to strengthen water security and resilience in the Pacific through improved access to safe and climate resilient water supplies, stronger water governance and resource management, and improved sanitation.
On SDG seven, domestically, we're experiencing some of the highest levels of renewable generation in decades and our electrify New Zealand policy seeks to double New Zealand's renewable energy by 2050.
Internationally, New Zealand has long supported our developing country partners to meet their renewable energy targets, particularly in the Pacific.
On SDG nine, New Zealand is focused on strengthening the resilience of its critical infrastructure through a whole of government approach.
New Zealand recognizes the impacts of climate change and natural hazards on infrastructure and livelihoods.
In the Pacific, we partner with governments and regional organizations to support resilient infrastructure planning, sustainable financing, technical capability, and access to data, standards, and advice.
On SDG 11, New Zealand is committed to ensuring safe, livable cities which enable economic development and support health and well being.
The establishment of a new ministry for cities, environment, regions, and transport in New Zealand will support this.
Internationally, to strengthen urban climate and economic resilience, New Zealand supports initiatives that build capability in urban planning, land management, deliver nature based solutions to reduce urban flood risk and develop and maintain sustainable urban infrastructure.
Finally, on SDG 17, amid global fiscal pressures, New Zealand remains committed to encouraging sustained international investment in our Pacific region while delivering partner led development cooperation, promoting inclusive and sustainable trade, supporting lower remittance costs, strengthening data systems, and working with governments, communities, regional organizations, the private sector, and civil society to excel I thank the distinguished representative of New Zealand and now give the floor to Ambassador Jim Li, permanent representative of Federated States of Macron.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Konsa is honored to participate in this 2026 high level political forum.
The I refuse of SDG 679 11 and 17 speaks directly to our national priorities and to the life realities of our island communities.
Reliable access to clean water remains under strain as drought, shifting rainfall and limited freshwater supplies increasingly affect our islands.
Strengthening water security through solar power pumps, treatment system, and desalination units is essential to ensuring safe drinking water for all of our communities, including those in remote areas.
At the same time, The global energy crisis and accelerating climate impacts continue to heighten the vulnerability of fuel dependent island economies like Mcrnesia.
Advancing SDG seven requires a rapid scale up of renewable energy.
Expanding solar power is central to reducing exposure to volatile fuel markets, achieving full electrification, and reinforcing energy security for our people.
Resilient infrastructure and innovation underpin our long term development, investment in runways, ports, maritime safety, and expanded broadband at submarine cable connectivity are strengthening SDG in line by improving service delivery, enhancing connectivity, and opening new pathways for education, innovation, and economic opportunities.
Building safe and sustainable communities also demand improved planning, essential services, and climate resilient infrastructure.
Through SDG 11, Macrosia is advancing in environmentally sound and culturally grounded settlements that prepare our islands for future climate and development pressures.
Finally, progress on SDG 17 continues to be anchored in revitalized partnership with UN agencies, specific regional institution bilateral partners and community organization, strengthening access to climate development financing, supported by improved planning and monitoring systems, ensure that our efforts remain measurable, transparent, and responsive to community needs.
Micronesia affirms its commitment to working closely with member states, the UN system, and all partners to advance coordinated and innovative solutions.
Thank you, Ambassador.
I now give the floor to Ambassador Hector Vas Conzes permanent representative of Mexico.
Thank you very much Chair.
Ten years ago, member states of the United Nations were capable of reaching a historic consensus surrounding a shared vision of sustainable development.
Today, just five years shy of fulfilling the 2030 agenda, the challenge is not just about accelerating the implementation of the sustainable development goals.
It's focused particularly on preserving the international community's ability to act with the same vision that made that agenda possible.
We are living at a time of conflict, geopolitical tensions, a terrible environmental disaster and growing pressure on the international system.
Thus, Mexico reiterates its belief that has historically guided its foreign policy.
This belief is that multilateralism continues to be the only way to ensure responses to challenges that by their very nature, no state can resolve on their own.
Our National Development Plan is based on a belief that simple but deep economic growth is only sustainable when it creates well being.
Prosperity is only legitimate when it decreases inequality and development is only real when it adheres to the planet's environmental limits.
Thus, public policies become part of a single strategy guided towards broadening rights, strengthening capabilities, and above all, fighting against the greatest challenges.
This same spirit inspires the objectives that we are reviewing this year in this forum.
It's not just a different way of designing public policies.
We are also called upon to rethink the way in which the international community organizes its efforts.
If sustainable development requires an integrated vision, multilateralism should also be equally capable of acting in a more coordinated fashion to ensure continuity.
Mexico along with Germany is co president of the Active Dialogue on water in the multilateral fora.
This is a process that is an opportunity to improve governance.
I think the distinguished ambassador to the distinguished representative of Vietnam.
Mr.
President, with only four years remaining until 2030, the international community face an urgent imperative to accelerate implementation of the SDGs.
For Vietnam, IT earmarks an important milestone as we join the ranks of upper middle income countries.
This achievement reflects nearly four decades of reform and sustained commitment to inclusive development.
On the other hand, our experience reminds a Development remains an ongoing journey.
We continue to face impacts of climate change, demographic transitions, and the need to strengthen productivity, innovations, and competitiveness to avoid the middle income trap.
These challenges underscore that sustainable development requires both strong national ownership and a supportive international environment.
Our experience also shows that transformative actions must be driven by innovations.
We are accelerating digital transformations across public administration and is the public services, expanding the digital economy while promoting green growth, renewable HGN, and climate resilience.
At the same time, we are investing in its strategic infrastructure, human capital, and institutional reforms to improve productivity and ensure that development benefits all White countries primary priority for their own development.
No nation can achieve transformative progress without effective international cooperation.
As the world undergoes profile transitions, equitable access to science technology innovation and development finance has become more important than ever.
We therefore call for stronger cooperation to facilitate technology transfer, which the digital revised, strengthen capacity building, and mobilize adequate, affordable and predictable financing for green countries, including middle income countries.
Finally, an effective multilateral system is equally indispensable.
Vietnam supports the ongoing reform of the UN to build a linear, more efficient, responsive, and feel oriented organization that is better equipped to address today's interconnected challenges and support member states in PPEs 2030 agenda.
I thank you, Mr.
President.
I thank distinguished representative of Vietnam and now give the floor to investor Do Moo, permanent representative of Côte D'ivoire.
Just President Mr.
President, less than five years before the 2030 deadline, the development reports show that the time is not one for commitments, but for effective implementation.
There are multiple crises, geopolitical tensions and budget constraints and the effects of climate change.
This means we need to accelerate transformative actions to yield concrete results.
In Côte D'ivoire under the leadership of His Excellency, Mr.
Alisand Ouattara, President of the Republic and champion of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union, time is now to diligently implement the National Development Plan 2026 to 2030, which is the main tool for enacting the 2030 agenda in order to translate that ambition into action through an integrated approach that combines economic growth, social inclusion, environmental transition, innovation and good governance.
In this regard, the meeting of the advisory group for the financing of our National Development Plan 2026 to 2030 was convened on the eighth and 9th of July 2026.
That meeting recorded financial commitments to the tune of $80 billion.
That's around four times the need we reiterate our gratitude of the government for this strong commitment.
My delegation would like to appeal on all partners, and in particular the UN, international financial institutions, and the private sector to accompany the rapid fulfillment of these commitments to accelerate the enactment of our national program and to implement SDGs in our country.
President, the results show that partnerships rooted in confidence and national leadership will accelerate the SDGs.
Our experience also shows that the SDGs are inseparable because investments in water, sanitation, energy, infrastructure, sustainable cities, the digital realm and human capital will also strengthen healthcare, education, employment, competitiveness, social cohesion, and climate resilience.
Indeed, we worked to bring the rate of access to electricity from 34% in 2011 to more than 94% today.
The government was working also at the same time to extend universal health coverage.
Social safety nets and policies to benefit young people and women's empowerment so as to leave no one behind.
Indeed, accelerating the SDGs requires a more favorable international environment.
Co devoir welcomes the PC for the future, the civil commitment, which lay the ground for reform of international financial architecture.
We also think that the UN AD will help build a United Nations that's more effective, better coordinated, and better results oriented.
In closing, we reiterate our commitment to the 2030 agenda of the UN and Agenda 2063 of the African Union.
We were convinced that ambitious policies by by stronger partnerships and adequate financing will help accelerate the achievement of the SEGs for the benefit of everyone.
Thank you.
English representative of Nicaragua.
President Chair, we join the statement made by Uruguay on behalf of the G 77 in China.
The goals we are reviewing remind us that ensuring universal access to potable water, sanitation, more access to modern and affordable energy and strengthening resilient infrastructure, promoting innovation, building sustainable cities, and consolidating effective partnerships are a shared responsibility.
These priorities are the foundation for reducing poverty, creating opportunities, and ensuring a decent life for present and future generations.
To accelerate this progress, we must strengthen the means of implementation.
Science innovation and new technologies should become goods that are accessible to all countries.
We must eliminate the gaps that persist.
Reiterated our appeal to developed countries to fulfill with their financing commitments for development and international cooperation.
We are concerned that instead, ODA is decreasing.
In 2025, there was a decrease by 23.1%, which weakens even more our efforts to implement the 2030 agenda.
We insist in the need to move towards an international economic system that is more fair, democratic, inclusive, and multipolar, that will facilitate access to financial resources in equitable conditions and strengthen the abilities of countries to implement the 2030 agenda in step with their national priorities.
SDG 17 is the pillar that makes it possible to fulfill all the other goals.
Without true partnerships and effective cooperation, sufficient and foreseeable resources, access to technology, without respecting national priorities, it will be difficult to overcome the development gaps that affect millions of people, particularly in the global South.
So we reiterate our rejection of unilateral coercive measures that affect many developing countries.
This is an obstacle for implementing the 2030 agenda.
It restricts access to financing, investment technology, markets limiting the abilities of countries to strengthen their water and sanitation systems, broaden access to energy, develop resilient infrastructure and improve the living conditions of their people.
These are measures that negatively impact and affect the well being and the opportunities of millions of families.
Nicaragua reiterates that sustainable development is only possible in an international framework that respects international law, sovereign equality among states, no interference in internal affairs, and solid cooperation between nations in step with the principle of the right to development of people.
We are committed to fighting poverty, decreasing inequality and the well being of our people and we are committed to the well being of our people.
Thank you very much.
Of Nicaragua.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mongolia.
Mr.
President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates.
Mongolia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the group of G 77 in China.
With only four years remaining until 2030, the world has fallen short of the ambition of the 2030 agenda.
Nearly half of the SDGs are making only marginal progress while 15% have progressed.
The slow progress is being compounded by growing uncertainty in the global trade and investment environment, which is deepening debt vulnerabilities in developing countries and widening the financing gap for achieving the SDGs.
Despite these challenges, Mongolia remains firmly committed to the 2030 agenda and accelerating the implementation of the SDGs.
Guided by the fore path to freedom and the for liberalization policies, the government of Mongolia is implementing comprehensive reforms focused on economic liberalization, legal and regulatory reform, green development, and anti corruption.
Through the liberalized Initiative, these reforms are expected to accelerate progress towards SDGs seven, nine, and 16.
As part of our green development agenda, Mongolia is expanding renewable energy, introducing competitive bidding mechanisms, and encouraging greater private sector investment to meet growing and energy demand.
Mr.
President, in just one month's time, Mongolia will host the 17th session of the conference of the parties to the United Nations Convention to combat decertification in Olabata under the theme Restoring and restoring Hope, with dedicated thematic days on finance, water, land and people, and food systems, and soil health.
As we prepare to welcome the international community, Mongolia has adopted the law on climate change, reaffirming our commitment to addressing climate change through stronger domestic action while contributing to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This regard, both the adoption of the law and the convening of the Cop 17 demonstrate Mongolia's determination to play an active and constructive role in advancing the global climate and environmental agenda.
We look forward to welcoming all delegations to Mongolia and confident that your participation will contribute to meaningful dialogue and ambitious outcomes.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Mongolia and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.
Ci President.
Thank you very much Chair.
Cost Rico welcomes the convening of this high level political forum.
With fewer than five years remaining until the deadline set for the 2030 agenda, our commitments can no longer be measured by the number of declarations we adopt, but rather by our ability to translate our decisions into tangible results for people in the planet.
Review of SDG 679 11 and 17 reaffirms that sustainable development requires an integrated agenda.
We cannot achieve water security without resilient infrastructure, accelerate the energy transition without innovation, build sustainable cities without adequate financing, or deliver lasting results without effective partnerships, and renewed international cooperation.
Costa Rica believes that we must act on three fronts.
First, strengthen the means of implementation through more accessible and predictable financing.
Greater technology transfer and stronger capacity building in line with the commitments undertaken in Seville.
Second, we must promote integrated public policies that create synergies across the SDGs Ensuring that investments lead to greater economic, social, environmental benefits at the same time.
Third, we must strengthen effective multilateralism that is based on inclusive partnerships among governments, the UN system, international financial institutions, the private sector, academia and civil society.
No country will be able to achieve the SDGs in isolation.
Costa Rica's experience shows that public policies that are well integrated, that protect water resources, maintain renewable electricity and innovation and urban resilience promote development and resilience.
Finally, accelerating the implementation of the 2030 agenda requires stronger data monitoring and accountability systems to better guide public policies and ensure that no one be left behind.
Costa Rica reiterates its commitment to working with all member states to accelerate this transformation.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Costa Rica and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait.
Mr.
President, my delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the G 77 in China.
Furthermore, we are grateful for the efforts of the moderator of the final document adopted today.
President, this forum falls at a timely juncture.
This is because there's only four years left to reach the SDGs.
Kuwait reiterates that in order to effectively see through the 2030 agenda, what we need are adequate measures.
Measures that will allow people and countries to enact the program to protect justice and lives and to ensure public institutions are stronger.
In that regard, my country is deeply concerned, namely due to the socioeconomic issues and conflicts and environmental effects and socioeconomic effects, especially of countries that are affected by conflicts because conflicts affect those who are not parties to them.
This affects natural resources and local resources.
It also has an impact on infrastructures, health, and other services.
As for my country, we condemn the actions undertaken by Iran against the Gulf Cooperation Council companies and Jordan.
They are targeting civilian and vital infrastructure.
This includes oil exploration infrastructure in Kuwait.
These facilities have been hit by drones.
This has caused damage.
In that regard, my country is fully committed to ensuring these rights are respected.
Our country must be respected in accordance with international law.
President, despite these challenges, we will press ahead with our work in implementing our national commitments and translating them into tangible results because we know that humanitarian action and the protection of development are part of an overarching concept.
We've mounted an urgent response to the tune of $100 million in order to rectify the damage done to our national infrastructure.
Of Kuwait, and I now give the floor to Ambassador Sophie Demet permanent representative of Belgium.
Thank you, Chair.
Belgium aligns itself with a statement delivered by the European Union and wishes to highlight the following international capacity.
Belgium reaffirms its full commitment to the 2030 agenda as our guiding framework for sustainable development.
In our view, progress requires a balanced approach across its economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
The economic pillar must be given sufficient weight as prosperity is not an end in itself, but the key driver of investment, innovation, and social progress.
In this context, the digital transition offers powerful opportunities to improve resource efficiency, foster inclusive growth, and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges from climate action to healthcare.
Belgium strongly believes in a robust multilateral system and in effective partnerships.
Only through a whole of government and a whole of society approach can we deliver together on the transformative ambitions of the SDGs.
We support an ambitious climate policy aligned with the Paris Agreement and grounded in science based decision making.
In these challenging times, a just and accelerated energy transition is central to our efforts.
We are committed to advancing renewable energy, low carbon technologies, and energy efficiency while ensuring fairness in the distribution of costs and benefits.
Belgium is a pioneer of the energy transition, investing in offshore wind energy in the North Sea, while our ports and our industries are taking the lead in making the shift to climate neutral technologies.
Belgium has taken decisive steps to more than double our offshore energy production by 2030 and to expand it even further in the years beyond.
Belgium supports the energy transition in shipping through investments in zero and near zero emission technologies, the IMO net zero framework, and the development of green shipping corridors.
At the same time, Belgium underscores the importance of integrating gender equality, human rights, and inclusion across all SDGs.
Access to safe water and sanitation must be guaranteed as a fundamental human right for all.
Finally, Belgium highlights its commitment to the BB&G Agreement, which is essential for strengthening global governance and the protection of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
This reflects our broader engagement in support of a strong and effective multilateral system.
To conclude, chair, Belgium's approach to achieving the SEGs is an integrated, inclusive, and ambitious one, and we remain determined.
Thank you, Ambassador.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka.
Mr.
President, with only four years remaining until 2030, we meet at a moment when progress across many of the goals remains far behind where it must be.
However, Sri Lanka continues to advance the implementation of the SDGs in the context of economic recovery and structural reforms.
We have also expressed our interest to present a third voluntary national review at the 2027 HLPF.
The goals under review this year are central to advancing sustainable development and improving the lives of our people.
Sri Lanka has made notable progress across these goals.
Near universal electricity access has been achieved and renewable sources now amount for around 55% of electricity generation.
We are working towards generating 70% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
Efforts are continuing to strengthen the sustainability of the sectors such as climate resilience and water sustainability through long term investments and improved management of water resources.
We are also advancing more sustainable and inclusive urban development, strengthening air quality monitoring and more resilient transport networks to support long term growth.
These were meaningful progress achieved amidst a challenging global environment, constrained fiscal policy, debt burdens, data gaps, food and energy insecurity, and repeated climate vulnerabilities.
Recently, Sri Lanka was classified as an upper middle income country due to a sustainable growth.
Middle income countries face intensified and interconnected pressures.
Income based classification fails to capture these vulnerabilities.
We therefore call for the timely and effective implementation of the severe commitment alongside, meaningful reform of the international financial architecture and durable debt solutions that protect hard won development gains.
Sri Lanka also reaffirms the importance of bridging digital divides within and among countries so that digital technologies can accelerate progress across all 17 SDG goals.
Mr.
President, Sri Lanka remains committed to advancing sustainable development through inclusive growth and stronger partnerships.
Sri Lanka stands ready to work with all partners to deliver the transformations this movement demands.
I thank you.
I than the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka.
Now give the floor to Ambassador Deb Permanent Representative of Gambia.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
We meet at a defining moment for 2030 agenda with only four years remaining until the target date, the international community must confront an undeniable reality.
Progress towards SDGs remain uneven and fair, far too slow.
Rising inequalities, widening financial financing gaps, growing debt vulnerabilities, and escalating impact of climate change continue to expose structural imbalances in the global economy and constrained the development prospects for many developing countries, especially least developed countries.
Unless implementation is accelerated through stronger international cooperation and the fulfillment of existing global commitments, the promise of the 2030 agenda will remain beyond our collective reach.
Mr.
President, the Gambia remain firmly committed.
To implementing the 2030 agenda through our recovery Focused National Development Plan.
The plan integrates sustainable development with resilient building anchored in national ownership.
Across the goals on the review this year, we continue to strengthen integrated water resource management through the revision of our national water resource policy and enhance cooperation over transboundary water resources.
We are expanding renewable energy generation and rural electrification to improve access to affordable and sustainable energy while supporting productive sectors, particularly agriculture and agro Processing.
We are also investing in resilient infrastructure, advancing digital transformation to improve connectivity and public service delivery, and promoting more inclusive and relent urban development in response to growing impact of flooding, coastal erosion, and climating.
These efforts are underpinned by stronger national institutions, improved data, and monitoring system for evidence based policy making, economic diversification, and expanded opportunity for women and young people.
However, scale of investment required to achieve the SDG continues to outpace the resource available to many developing countries for the Gambia, constrained fiscal space and rising debt volume continue to limit our capacity to accelerate implementation, sustained development growth, and invest in the long term transformation and vision on the 20 agenda.
These realities underscored the urgent need for a stronger international enabling environment and accelerating implementation of existing global commitments to bo charge, the implementation of the 2030 agenda.
This required greater access to affordable concessional finance, enhanced technology transfer and capacity building, more effective responses to Thank you, Ambassador.
I now give the floor to Ambassador Param, permanent representative of Trinidad and Tobago.
Thank you very much Chair.
It's honored to participate in this high level segment of the economic and social Council under the given theme.
We meet at the moment that demands urgency and implementation where progress must be practical, inclusive, and anchored in delivery.
Trinidad and Tobago continues to advance national development through targeted interventions that strengthen resilience and improve quality of life.
Through our utilities assistance program, over 12,000 vulnerable households have received relief on water and electricity bills.
Additionally, we are introducing smart water metering to reduce non revenue water, improve efficiency, and support sustainable management of scarce resources.
While our economy remains largely dependent on natural gas, renewable energy currently represents less than 1% of our energy mix.
We are therefore advancing a diversified strategy, including utility scale solar development, and energy efficiency policy improvements across the public sector.
Additionally, we continue to modernize infrastructure and expand digital public services as a means of integrated development.
At the community and environmental level, we are strengthening environmental governance and climate resilience by allocating US 11 million for renewable energy projects and US 37 million for rural electrification and grid upgrades to achieve 30% renewable energy by 2030.
These efforts, Mr.
President, are complemented by partnerships in climate smart agriculture and emerging work on green hydrogen as part of our transition towards a low carbon climate resilient economy.
Notwithstanding, progress remains closely tied to financial investments made by the private sector and international organizations.
We therefore reiterate our call for the full operationalization and capitalization of the loss and damage fund, continued support for the Bridgeton Initiative, and broader adoption of the multidimensional vulnerability index to ensure vulnerability is properly reflected in global financing frameworks beyond income measured metrics.
The task before us, Mr.
President is no longer articulation, but acceleration.
Commitments must translate into measurable outcomes and let this HLP commit to the next phase with renewed urgency, solidarity, and action.
I thank you, Chair.
The distinguished ambassador.
Floor to Ambassador Amy permanent representative of Maldives.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
The Maldives aligns with the statements delivered by OCS and by the group of 77 and China.
Global commitments matter only when they improve lives locally.
For the Maldives, achieving the SDGs means improving lives in every island integrated action, efficient delivery, and national ownership.
HLPF remains the principal platform to assess SDG progress and to ask whether global agreements or arrangements strengthen national systems.
The Maldives is advancing this approach through the Sustainable Development Cooperation framework with the UN 2027-2031.
This year, the government of Maldives has been working with the UN country team in the Maldives to ensure that the cooperation framework is anchorred in the program of action for SIDS or Abs and the 2030 agenda.
The cooperation framework has three mutually reinforcing priorities.
First, strengthening our most important resource for sustainable development.
That is our people through health, through education, social protection, skills development, and economic opportunity.
Second, building resilience and sustainable livelihood in the islands through water and energy security.
Sustainable transport and resilient infrastructure.
And third, advancing inclusive, equitable, and responsive governance through strong institutions utilizing data and digital systems and in public service.
These priorities cannot be delivered in isolation.
Progress across SDGs must be integrated and guided by ABS.
The cooperation framework is the principal vehicle for coordinated support.
It must reduce duplication, improve coherence, mobilize resources, and deliver measurable results.
The UN support for SIDS must reflect our circumstances and strengthen national capacity.
With three years remaining until 2030, delivery is of utmost importance.
Partnerships must be predictable, finance must be accessible.
Technology and capacity building must close gaps.
Our work cannot end in 2030.
The model stands ready to face the future and drive progress beyond 2030 to leave no one behind in our path to resilient prosperity.
I thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador.
I now give the floor to Investor Koury Felsen, permanent representative of Belize.
Belize aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the group of 77 in China, the Alliance of Small Island States, and aracum.
Mr.
President, the theme for this forum, transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated action must be more than those big words.
It must be a call for delivery in this last stretch to 2030.
Each of us playing our part, responding in earnest.
Belz's response is clear on commitment, resolute on implementation.
In 2021, more than a third of our people were living in poverty.
Today, that number is 19.1%.
Unemployment has fallen from roughly 15% to 1.9.
The minimum wage is up more than 60%.
Our debt has come down from 127% of GDP to just over 63.
We call this effort Vamos Bien.
We are on our way.
Belize is not alone, as we have heard from many of the small island developing states.
Jamaica, for instance, has cut poverty to its lowest level in more than three decades and its debt burden by more than half.
St.
Kitts Neves, who presented yesterday, has raised its minimum wage and rebuilt its social safety net around dignity, not dependency.
The Marshall Islands has made history, launching a nationwide basic income for every citizen.
Every CIDs that has presented their VNR tell the same story of implementation matched with innovation.
SIDs are delivering.
But here's a harder truth, Mr.
President.
One hurricane in a matter of days erased the equivalent of 56.7% of Jamaica's GDP, not over years, days.
That is not a story about climate alone.
That is a story about a financial system that still measures us by our income, when it should be measuring us by our exposure.
So we're asking for three things, not new ideas.
We're just asking for the international community and our partners to put them into practice.
Price our finance to our real vulnerability through the multidimensional vulnerability index.
Move climate finance at the speed disasters actually move, not the speed of committee work.
Do so in equitable terms, not debt laden ones, and turn every conversation about partnership into an actual investment ready project backed by real data and real capacity from the ground up.
Bliz like other SIDs, has already committed to doing our part.
Obama end, Mr.
President, we are on our way.
But how do we stay the course if the destination itself is at risk? The test before us now is not whether SIDs can Thank you, Ambassador.
I now give the floor to Investor Alfaro de Alba, permanent representative of Panama.
Panama reiterates its commitment to the 2030 agenda, a tool that we have adapted to our national development plan.
We have maintained a constant decrease in multidimensional poverty over the past decade and a half.
It is now at 14.8% according to the most recent measurements.
This is the product of a series of policies that deal with the needs of Panamanians from different perspectives of sustainable development.
We would like to highlight an increase in public investment in education, reaching a minimum of 7% of our GDP according to the Constitution, which has led to an increase in graduation rates.
It has gone from 89% to 98% as a sign of our commitment to the intrinsical link between environmental protection and sustainable development.
We maintain one of the largest forest covers in the region.
68% of our territory is covered by forests, and we continue being one of the few carbon negative countries in the world.
Also, close to 40% of our national territory is protected by the national protected area system.
We want to take full advantage of multilateral spaces.
We recognize that there are structural challenges, particularly when it comes to territorial and ethnic inequality.
These challenges will be key in our development efforts in the upcoming years to deal with upcoming challenges.
I am pleased to inform you that we will present our fourth VNR in 2027.
This report prepared by our social development ministry will give continuity to the review methodology presented in 2017, 2020 and 2024 and it will focus on five goals, quality education, decreasing inequality, responsible production and consumption, sustainable ecosystems, and partnerships to achieve our goals.
I would like to highlight our deep commitment to the UN system so that we can work towards achieving the SDGs and particularly with the multilateral agencies that are present in my country and that help us to strengthen these efforts on the part of the Panamanian state for prosperity and for the well being of all Panamanians.
I thank the distinguished ambassorzongo, permanent representative of Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso welcomes the convening of this session of the high level political forum, an essential platform for dialogue, shared responsibility and international cooperation for sustainable development.
We're compelled to note that the sustainable development goals are out of reach for a large share of humanity.
This is due inter Alea due to security, climate and health crises, terrorism, geopolitical tensions, over indebtedness, and the drastic drop in financing for development.
Therefore, we need to craft partnerships that are adapted to the realities of a world that has undergone sweeping changes.
Burkina Faso believes that above all, we need to aim at sovereignty, resilience, innovation, and international solidarity.
These imperatives were developed by the Ministry of Economy and Financing during our VNR, our third VNR on the 10th of June.
We are facing a multidimensional crisis, but despite that, Burkina Faso under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré has committed to a path of transformation, a path rooted in local development, mobilization of domestic resources, the harnessing of our national capacity, and the active participation of all categories of the population in our push for development.
This is in lockstep with our plan called Reliance, which is for 2026 and 2030 and the manifesto of the progressive and popular revolution.
We are aiming at improving the living conditions of the population, industrialization, which aims at local processing of national resources.
We're aiming at stronger mobilization of domestic resources, and we're doing this through our fund for the Patriotic S and our national shareholding scheme.
Burkina Faso continues to work on its national capacity with partnerships that respect its sovereignty.
National efforts to achieve the SDGs require ambitious reform of the international financial architecture.
We need to ensure more equitable access to concessional financing, effective technology transfers.
We need national capacity building and respect for sovereign priorities.
Thank you.
Ambassado I now give the floor to ambassador ambassador permanent representative of Togo.
Thank you, Chair.
We are five years shy of the 2030 deadline.
We reiterate our Strong commitment to continue implementing the SDGs as evidenced by the presentation of our sixth VNR, which makes Togo one of the most consistent countries in this exercise of accountability.
We continue on our path towards structural transformations based on economic resilience, social inclusion, innovation, and environmental sustainability.
We would like to recall some progress we've made.
Water and sanitation.
Since 2020, 1.8 million people have been connected to the potable water system.
Giving 86% of the population access.
In terms of energy, access to electricity has reached 75.6% versus 50%, which was the rate in 2020.
When we talk about infrastructure and innovation, the Lome port is considered one of the best in sub Saharan Africa and the airport is considered one of the safest, and the country is an eighth place in Africa in terms of cybersecurity, in terms of sustainable cities.
Real estate reforms have decreased the time to obtain different documentation, and also there are urban planning documents and flood maps to reduce risk.
In terms of partnerships, budgetary income has increased to 77% since 2020, despite these challenges, however, we are still dealing with challenges.
We are committed to our 2026 2031 strategy, which is focused on protecting, bringing it together and transforming to strengthen social protection, bring public efforts closer to the territories, and accelerate our economic and environmental transformation.
Only collective coordinated and cohesive action which is rooted in renewed partnerships and broader access to concessional financing will allow us to achieve the progress of the 23 agenda.
Thank you.
I thank you, distinguished ambassador to the distinguished representative of Oman.
Ahaben Mali Mr.
President, ladies and gentlemen, this forum comes at a critical point with only a few years before 2030 SDG agenda.
The world is facing multi faceted challenges with slowing economic growth, climate change, financial gaps, and other matters that require greater solidarity and international cooperation.
The Sultanate of Arman is committed to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development agenda through including those goals into our national development goal, 202-62-0130, which focuses on economic diversity and digital transformation, as well as building the capacity of our people.
My country continues the sustainable management of water resources through water sanitation projects and the reuse of water and enhancing the quality of water to ensure water security while confronting the challenges of climate change.
We're also expanding renewable energy projects to implement the targets and ensure zero net carbon by 2015.
We stress the need to provide the necessary financing and technology transfer to ensure and equitable energy management.
We believe in the importance of innovation and digital transformation to develop the critical infrastructure and support small and medium enterprises and support innovation and technology to enhance competitiveness.
Mr.
President, peace and development are two closely linked paths.
Therefore, we adopt a foreign policy based on dialogue, mediation, and peaceful coexistence.
For, we believe that peace and stability is a precondition for sustainable development.
To conclude, the ultimate am stresses that the acceleration of the implementation of the 2030 agenda requires a facilitated technology transfer capacity building, enhancing international cooperation to meet the priorities of developing countries.
We will continue our effort with the UN and all partners to ensure a comprehensive, integrated and better cooperation that will ensure a better future for all.
Thank you.
Representative Oman and now give the floor to Ambassador Maalo Permanent representative of the Philippines.
Mr.
President, the Philippines aligns itself with the statements delivered by the Asean and the Group of 77 in China.
The Philippines reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism and the 2030 agenda.
With only four years remaining, accelerating SDG implementation requires renewed global solidarity, stronger partnerships, and development approaches responding to the realities of developing countries, including the middle income countries.
This year, the Philippines attained upper middle income country status, reflecting sustained economic progress.
As we build on this, we remain committed to ensuring that growth is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, and that no one is left behind.
Guided by these principles, we continue to invest in key areas critical to sustainable development, including water security, sanitation, just energy transition, science, technology and innovation, resilient infrastructure, sustainable urban development, and climate resilience.
Water security remains a national priority.
To address increasing pressures from rapid urbanization, pollution and climate related disasters, we are strengthening integrated water resources management, expanding climate informed planning, improving groundwater mapping, and enhancing water quality monitoring to build long term resilience.
The Philippines remains committed to a just inclusive energy transition that advances decarbonization while supporting energy security, economic growth, and affordable access to energy for all.
We are strengthening local innovation ecosystems, supporting MSME technology upgrading, expanding technology transfer, and also promoting interoperable data systems to improve evidence based policy making.
Through smart and sustainable communities programs, we are advancing data driven planning, improved public service delivery, and greater community resilience.
Being one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, the Philippines is investing in climate resilience and disaster ready infrastructure while promoting locally developed and indigenous solutions to strengthen community resilience.
Mr.
President, the UN development system must continue responding to the evolving needs of developing countries, especially middle income countries.
In this regard, we support advancing a strategic plan of action for middle income countries that address the middle income trap while respecting national priorities and development pathways.
Finally, deeper regional cooperation and enhanced South South cooperation also need to reinforce efforts to achieve the SDGs.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Senegal.
President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, my delegation is pleased to participate in this session of the high level political forum on sustainable development.
When adopted in 2015, the 2030 agenda highlighted hope and optimism for more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development, but we are four years shy of the deadline, and the situation is worrying.
Progress up until now has been insufficient and unequally distributed.
There are there is now more poverty and food insecurity.
There's also environmental harm that has caused serious problems for biodiversity.
It is worsening climate change.
In this situation, we must pay special attention to water resources in order to promote a sustainable and concerted governance on this.
We are thus pleased to be able to co organize with the United Arab Emirates to the UN Water conference that will be held 8-10 December 2026.
These delays that I mentioned not spare the African continent, which is dealing with serious economic challenges and a lack of financing.
It's alarming.
This is a worrying situation that contrasts with the legitimate aspirations of our people.
According to the projections of the Economic Commission for Africa, only a few number of the targets of the SDGs will be achieved by 2030.
Despite these worrying results, the 2030 agenda would have allowed us to achieve significant progress that should be highlighted and valued, particularly when it comes to crucial areas like education, training, access to potable water, as well as health.
With a decrease in illnesses such as HIV and malaria.
The percentage of people who have access to electricity has increased.
We have the collective duty to be more committed and show active solidarity.
Implementing transformative actions should encourage us to reconsider energy production and consummation and work to overcome structural poverty.
I would like to highlight that we must deal with international challenges, and we must be fully committed to multilaterlism.
Thus, we will be able to assure that the people of the world, all the people of the world will be able to sustainably benefit from the progress that the world can offer.
Through our Senegal 2050 vision, we aim to accelerate this project so that we can achieve the SDGs.
Thank you very much.
I thank distinguished representative of Senegal and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Libya.
Say the rights.
Mr.
President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Libya is pleased to participate in this session of the high level ministerial meeting, reaffirming its commitment to our national vision for the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
This agenda is founded on our conviction that stability is the cornerstone of every development aspiration.
Despite the challenges, Libya continues to work diligently to transform those challenges into promising opportunities.
The government of National Unity attaches the highest priority to accelerating urgent and transformative action to achieve the SDGs by 2013.
We integrate such SDGs into our national development plans.
I wish to note that Libya presented its second voluntary national review to the high level political forum in 2024.
Over the past two years, the country has undertaken a number of measures in support of this direction.
Libya has continued to finance and implement development projects, including the Return to Life Initiative, While advancing preparations for the national population census, government has also established a team to prepare the National Youth Strategy 2026 2031, which will serve as the national reference framework for the development of youth policies and programs, thereby strengthening the role of young people in advancing sustainable development.
The government also continues to implement the national Social Protection strategy by financing social protection programs.
Including allowances for wives and children and strengthening the role of the general health insurance fund to provide health insurance subsidies to all Libyans.
In furthering the government's digital transformation plan and in line with the sustainable development goal nine on building resilient infrastructure and fostering innovation, the government has appointed a Minister of State for digital economy and AI to create an enabling environment for startups and young innovators.
In fulfillment of SDG 17, aimed at strengthening the means of implementation and revitalization of the global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
The Ministry of Planning continues to promote multi stakeholder cooperation with grow and UN organizations.
It also attaches highest importance to establishing and developing financing partnership mechanism to support projects and coordinate with international partners.
We also continued our investment in renewable energy and expanding natural based solutions to um face the water scarcity and other challenges.
In conclusion, we have developed a strategy for water scarcity with the support of the UNDP and Italy.
We constitute a comprehensive roadmap through 2050 aimed at achieving a balance between water demand and the sustainable managementment of water resources while addressing the current challenges facing water security in Libya.
Thank you.
I Libya and I give the floor to Ghana.
Mr.
President, excellence is distinguished delegates.
This year's high level political forum provides a timely opportunity to accelerate action towards the sustainable development goals and translate commitments into tangible actionable progress.
Ghana remains committed to advancing goals six, seven, nine, 11, and 17.
On SDG six, Ghana continues to expand access to safe water and sanitation through its presidential compact on water, sanitation, and hygiene.
The compact provides a whole of government framework for strengthening institutions, improving service delivery, and accelerating progress towards universal access while advancing integrated water resources management.
Progress on SDG seven has also been encouraging.
Electricity as has surpassed 89%, among the highest in the sub region of Africa.
Ghana is scaling up renewable energy and expanding access to clean cooking solutions as part of a just and inclusive energy transition.
On SDG 11, the government of Ghana is repositioning the National Affordable Housing Program towards the large scale delivery of mixed income housing through public private partnerships.
In feeds of SDG 11, Ghana will later this month launch a revised National Urban Policy and implementation plan 2026 to 2035, together with a SLU upgrading and prevention strategy to guide more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development.
These efforts are reinforced by broader action to protect our natural environment.
Through the Blue Water Initiative, Ghana is reclaiming and restoring degraded water bodies while intensifying action against illegal mining and other threats to our water resources.
Climate vulnerability continues to erode progress across the goals under review.
Ghana remains committed to the 1.5 degree pathway and to achieving necessary emissions by 2070.
As a member of the Troika of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and V 20 Finance Ministers, Ghana calls for accessible and skilled up climate finance, greater voice for climate vulnerable countries in global decision making, and support for CVFV twenty's bid for permanent observer status at the United Nations.
Progress across the goals and review will also depend on stronger partnerships.
Garner therefore calls for deeper engagement with multilateral development banks and the private sector to accelerate implementation of SDG 17 and to help bridge Africa's infrastructure financing gap as co chair of the interactive dialogue on Water for People at the 2026 United Nations Water, I look forward to working with partners.
Liana I thank the distinguished representative of Ghana and I now give the floor to the Central African Republic.
Mr.
President, when we adopted the 2030 development agenda, we had a collective ambition to leave no one behind.
However, even at this time, many countries are facing conflicts, institutional vulnerability, and structural barriers that rein in their capacity to invest in their own development.
Today, there are only a few years to go before the 2030 deadline.
We must have the courage to face a reality.
Progress has slowed toward the SDGs.
That's not only because of conflicts and climate change.
It's also due to an international financial system that continues to constrain the capacity of developing countries to invest in their future.
In many countries, resources to be devoted to education, health, and water access are increasingly absorbed by debt service.
This is not a new situation.
Economic equality among nations has existed for generations and it will probably continue in different forms.
The goal is not to pretend that all the inequalities will vanish.
The goal is to reform the international system and to allow every country to transform its resources into human capacity and to leverage its comparative advantages for sustainable development.
This is the spirit of the Doha program of action for the SDGs and the civil commitment among others, civil commitment, which was adopted at FFD four.
In Seville, we acknowledge the need to reform international financial architecture curb the cost of capital for developing countries, to improve debt sustainability, and to ensure more sustainable institutional resources and to bolster access to technology and productive means.
The question isn't what to do.
We know that already.
The question is how to translate the commitments into action.
For us, the challenges related to water, urban resilience, and infrastructure are considerable.
However, we've shown that progress can be achieved Thanks to the support from our partners and international efforts, we have made strides in SDG 16 on institutions.
We are progressively bestsoring the authority of the state.
We're making progress in security and the strengthening of public institutions.
This shows our clear vision and our strong partnerships, even in the most difficult context.
Right now, we're applying the same logic to the goals under review this year, continuing our efforts to expand access to drinking water and sanitation, develop renewable energies by boosting solar capacity.
We're improving transport and connectivity infrastructure, and we're improving the resilience of our people and our communities.
But we need renewed partnerships, a partnership that will facilitate technology transfers and will reduce the cost of financing and mobilize the financing needed for inclusive growth.
We need partnerships that microphone has been cut off.
I thank the representative of the Central African Republic and I now give the floor to to Poland, you have the floor.
But in recent years, in the face of multiple crises and ongoing conflicts.
Which remain among the main obstacles to development progress, particularly in the most vulnerable countries.
There is therefore an urgent need to take accelerated just transformative actions in the remaining years up to 2030 and beyond to consolidate hard won development gains and reverse alarming trends.
Throughout our three year term in the Economic Social Council, Poland has prioritized resilience building a more effective UN development system and humanitarian development piece nexus as sustainable urbanization.
Poland remains strongly committed to the multilateral development cooperation, the European Union and the United Nations serving as a principal channels for delivery of our official development assistance.
We also strongly support the UNT Initiative as an important opportunity to modernize the United Nations and strengthen the capacity to deliver effective and measurable results on the ground.
Ladies and gentlemen, delivering stronger development outcomes requires not only greater efficiency, but also increased resources to support sustainable development.
In addition to international cooperation and external assistance, enhancing country ownership of development pathways, strengthening domestic resource mobilization, and attracting private sector investment through innovative financing mechanisms will be essential to closing persistent financing gaps.
We must also ensure that our efforts are aligned and mutually reinforcing, building on the outcomes of the Fourth International Conference of Financing for Development of FAD four.
This will require the active engagement of all stakeholders, including governments, local authorities, civil society, youth, private sector, and innovation communities.
**** remains committed to implementing the Compromis des Via by advancing effective financing for development and supporting the mobilization of additional resources to accelerate progress towards SDGs by 2030.
This delegates, until 2030, we still have a meaningful window of opportunity to make decisive progress.
In our view, the 2027 SDG Summit should serve not only as a stock taking exercise, but also as a catalyst for renewed political commitment and stronger practical and political cooperation.
We should also bear in mind that effective implementation of the SDGs will not only be possible without peace, security, and strong and accountable public institutions.
A rules based international order rooted in the UN charter and reinforced by effective multilateralism remains the most effective framework for addressing today's global complexities.
Poland remains committed to working within the United Nations and with the member states to advance these goals.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Distinguished representative of Poland.
I now give the floor to distinguished representative of the International Development Law Organization.
Much.
I The SDG 16 conference that IDL organized with Tessa and the Italy mission here in New York and Italy shared some messages with you.
First, SDG 16 is an enabler for all SDG.
It's what makes the 2030 agenda transformative.
Secondly, effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions are important drivers of peace and sustainable development.
This is when justice is results oriented, it's really the way for countries to rebuild trust.
Um, people centered approaches and the rule of law are the powerful drivers for peace and development.
When justice is accessible and affordable and responsive, it means that it helps people to claim their rights, disputes can be solved peacefully and grievances will be addressed.
At the international level, the rule of law is the basis for international cooperation.
Um, fourth, pro on gender equality is absolutely critical for all SDGs, including SDG 16.
SDG five is not only an objective of sustainable development, but it's an important accelerator for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies on gender equality, gender based violence.
I think the distinguished representative of the International Development Law Organization, and now now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
I You can get extra time in the football, not from the president, but now but not also when you play with your planet.
Progress towards the SDGs are not advancing in the pace required.
In many areas, implementation is falling behind while the financing gap continues to widen.
Countries need stronger institutions, better coordination across levels of government and greater capacity to align policies, budget, and financing.
At the same time, we must fully explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.
When deployed responsibly, AI can be very powerful accelerator for achieving the SDGs.
The OECD supports countries around the world with policy expertise, data standards, and platform.
We actively contributed to the fourth International Conference on financing for Development.
Our partnership with the African Union help advance sustainable infrastructure and development priorities, contribute to more secure and inclusive access.
In Asia, OEecCD programs support clean energy investment, sustainable infrastructure and the green transition.
In Latin America, we have the new programs, the Caribbean Regional Program, and also the strategic framework for Latin America and Caribbean.
Excellency.
We are already in extra time.
The clock is ticking.
We may not be able to turn back time, but together we can slow and reverse the trends that are harming our planet, our economies, societies, and the var will not help us if we fail to play.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and I now give the floor to distinguished representative of Interparliamentary Union.
Mr.
President, the adoption of the SDGs in 2015 was an acknowledgment that the world has arrived at a critical juncture where billions of people felt deprived in their essential needs.
Injustices of all kinds were becoming entrenched and planetary boundaries were being trampled upon.
Despite some gains, the SDGs promise remains largely unrealized.
That's the bad news.
The good news is that we have the choices.
And by we, I mean governments and parliaments together.
In the four years that are left, we can still make meaningful gains.
Just because we can't get the whole job done completely, it doesn't mean that we should let go of it altogether.
Far from it.
Any action, big or small that we can take for the SDGs today will result in some improvement to the lives of our people.
The cumulative effect of these improvements can be profound and they will open up new possibilities down the road.
As president of the interparliamentary Union, I believe that there is still hope for this agenda.
We need to keep hope alive.
For without hope, people will give up and everything is lost.
Let us hope that this hell EPF session marks fresh new start of the SDGs.
Let us hope that the ambitious agenda of the SDGs will continue on.
I thank the distinguished representative of the Interparliamentary Union and I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Pan African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation for Africa.
Mr.
President, Excellency's distinguished delegates, the observer mission of the Pan African Intergonmental Agency on Water and Sanitation for Africa is honored to address this high level political forum.
We commend the comprehensive regional and national reviews presented over the past week.
The regional reviews demonstrate a shared global reality.
While progress has been made, the world is not on track to achieve SDG six by 2030.
Water security, sanitation, hygiene, wastewater management, water quality, and climate resilience remain among the defining development challenges of our time.
The reviews from the other United Nations regional reviews, common challenges and valuable lessons.
Asia and the Pacific emphasize improving water use.
Europe and North America highlight circular water economies.
Latin America and the Caribbean underscore the need to address drought and glaciers, and Western Asia continues to face severe water scarcity and groundwater depletion.
Despite the different context, all the reviews converge on five priorities, stronger governance, increased investment, climate resilience, improved data and monitoring system, and inclusive partnership.
In this regard, our observer mission proposes three priorities.
First, equitable acceleration, second, innovation systems and transformations, and third, coordinated multilateral action.
Mr.
President, water is not only a basic human right, but it is I thank the representative of the Pan African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation for Africa, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the African Union Commission.
Excellency, Mr.
President, distinguished delegates.
It is my honor to address this high level political forum on behalf of the African Union Commission.
This year's team underscores the need for transformative and coordinated action to accelerate sustainable development.
The African Union Commission welcome the Secretary-General call for more coherent and integrated approaches which reflects the vision of Agenda 2063.
For the African Union Commission, Agenda 2063 and the 2030 agenda are mutually reinforcing.
African countries have made important progress in aligning these frameworks with national development plans.
Our priority now is implementation at scale through stronger institutions, sustainable financing, innovation, and effective partnerships.
Africa's experience demonstrates that sustainable development cannot be achieved in silos.
Progress across water, energy, food security, industrialization, sustainable cities and partnerships is interconnected and must be pursued through integrated action.
However, progress continues to be constrained by financing gaps, and sustainable debts, climate shocks, and an international financial architecture that no longer reflects today's development realities.
As we approach 2030, the international community must move from commitment to delivery through greater access to affordable development finance, scaled up climate finance, technology transfer, and investment in productive capacity.
I thank the distinguished representative of the African Union Commission and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of international IDEA.
Seas with only four years remaining until 2030, the world is falling behind on the sustainable development goals.
An important reason is too often overlooked.
Democratic backsliding is weakening SDG 16, undermining one of the essential enablers of the 2030 agenda.
Since 2015, four of the five SDG 16 targets measured through international ideas, global state of democracy indices have progressed globally, including the rule of law, effective institutions, representative decision making, and fundamental freedoms, with more countries declining than advancing on these targets.
Those concerning trends are eroding the institutions accountability and public trust needed to deliver sustainable development.
The evidence demonstrates that democratic governance is not separate from the sustainable development agenda, but integral to it.
Our research shows that democracies achieve on average 30% higher levels of basic welfare.
40% higher gender equality and have half the corruption levels of non democracies.
Therefore, investing in democratic governance is an investment in better development outcomes.
The evidence also shows that SDG five and SDG 16 are inseparable, where democratic institutions thrive, so does gender equality, where they weaken, we see setbacks in women's rights, political participation, and access to justice.
International Idea recognizes that many member states face difficult I thank the distinguished representative of International Idea, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Unido.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
For Unido, SDG nine lies at the heart of our mandate, and we have been proud to co lead this year's in depth review together with DSA in preparation for the high level political forum.
As part of this process, we convened the global expert group meeting in Vienna, which delivered a clear message.
SDG nine is the production engine of the 2030 agenda, driving productivity, job creation, and technological progress.
That message is even more relevant in today's volatile context and as major transformations are reshaping the future of industry.
From the return of industrial policy to the reconfiguration of global supply chains to the advancement of digital technologies.
At the same time, we are witnessing increasingly strong linkages between industrial policies and energy strategies, which are essential for building domestic productive capacities and strengthening economic security.
Ladies and gentlemen, our programs at the global, regional, and country levels will continue to support sustainable industrialization through policy advice, technical assistance, and partnerships with the private sector, financial institutions, and of course, the wider UN family.
In Africa, as just an example, we are supporting the implementation of the fourth industrial development decade for Africa, recently proclaimed by the UN General Assembly to accelerate structural industrial transformation across the continent.
But delivering I think the distinguished representative of Unida.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the International Telecommunication Union.
Excellency delegates, colleagues, as we enter the final years of the 2030 agenda, SDG and I reminds us that resilient infrastructure, innovation and connectivity are fundamental enablers of sustainable development.
Today, digital infrastructure underpins progress across the goals under review from energy and industry to sustainable cities.
Yet billions of people still lack meaningful access to the digital opportunities that driven that drive growth innovation and inclusion.
According to the latest ITU facts and figures, 2.2 billion people still remain online, most of them in low and middle income countries.
At ITU, we are working with partners to close this gap.
Through the partner to Connect Coalition, stakeholders have mobilized over US dollars 120 billion in commitments to expand connectivity.
While the digital infrastructure investment catalyzer is helping countries turn digital priorities into investment projects and unlock financing at scale.
Last week, Geneva digital governments, industry, academia and civil society came together through the WIS Forum, AIF for Good Global Summit, and the first ever UN Global dialogue on air governance.
The message is very clear.
Digital technologies can accelerate progress across SDGs, but only if they're inclusive, trusted, and susful tool.
Let us work together to ensure that digital transformation drives sustainable development outcomes for everyone everywhere.
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you.
I think the distinguished representative of the International Telecommunications Union, and I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Agri food system transformation is a key integrator for accelerating progress across three dimensions of sustainable development.
The FAO strategic framework, its four betters reflect the critical role of this transformation in the fight against poverty, hunger, and inequality, as well as interlinkages of other SDGs, including those related to water, energy, infrastructure, cities, climate, biodiversity, health, employment, and partnerships.
At the core of our efforts is evidence based foundation to support members decision making, In addition to custodianship of 22 SDG indicators, FAO provides key food agriculture statistics through FLStat, aquastat, fish stats, and other databases, as well as through seven flagship publications and other robust analytical products, many of which are global goods.
Translating ambition into investment is also essential to our work.
FAO provides context specific support to technically and financially de risking investments, drawing on some of the aforementioned tools and deploying technology, infrastructure, blended finance, and other innovative financial mechanisms.
FAO that exemplifies this unique approach across three dimensions of sustainable development include the flagship hand in hand Initiative, the FAO global roadmap, Blue transformation, and F I think the distinguished representative of PA.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the World Health Organization.
Chair Excellence Distinguished delegates.
Water sanitation and hygiene resilient infrastructure and healthy cities are essential foundation for sustainable development and public health.
WASH is one of the most effective public health interventions.
It protects communities from diarrheal diseases, chore typhoid, and other preventative illnesses while safeguarding dignity and human development.
Yet progress remain insufficient.
More than 1.5 billion people still seek basic sanitation services and over 2 billion people live in water stress countries.
Climate change is increasing these pressure through floods, droughts, and extreme weather events.
Investing in climate resilient wash system and infrastructure is therefore essential.
Safe water and sanitation, effective waste management and reliable public services help prevent diseases, trends in health systems, and ensure continuity of care, especially during emergencies.
As urbanization accelerates, healthy cities must remain a priority.
Urban planning that integrates health equity and resilience can reduce inequalities and create safer, cleaner and more sustainable communities.
To accelerate progress across the sustainable development goals, we must place health in the center of decision and invest in an integrated solution, Lincoln Wash climate resilience, infrastructure, and sustainable urban development.
World Health Organization stands ready to support member states and partners in advancing this agenda.
I think the distinguished representative of the World Health Organization.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the International Organization for Migration.
Thank you.
Mr.
President, Excellency's distinguished delegates.
Migrants drive economic growth, innovation, and social cohesion across the world.
The Severe commitment and the Doha Political Declaration for Social Development adopted last year articulate migrants' contribution to sustainable development.
Yet, realities remain far from commitments.
At the end of 2025, 8.2 million people were internally displaced, conflicts, disasters, climate change, and resource shortages are forcing more people to move, often under unsafe and irregular conditions.
In the spirit of the SDGs under review this year, solutions include integrating migrants and displaced persons in water, energy, housing, urban planning, and climate adaptation systems, expanding safe and regular migration pathways, investing in migration and displacement data and evidence based governance.
Mobilizing diaspora remittances, investing, and innovating for development, and strengthening root based approaches and whole of society partnerships anchored in rights and dignity.
Solutions exist, but no country can do it alone.
The International Migration Review Forum held in May reaffirmed member states commitment to the Global Compact on migration as a unique framework for international cooperation on migration as the UN Migration Agency and coordinator of the UN Network on migration and in the spirit of UN 80 the Distinguished representative of the International Organization for Migration.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the International Criminal Police Organization.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
Sustainable development cannot be built on security.
Clean water, reliable energy, resilient infrastructure, cities, and strong partnerships all depend on the rule of law to protect them from those who would exploit them for criminal gain.
As the world's own global police organization, Interpol is proud to stand as a security partner to the 2030 agenda.
Our seven group policy goals and our new strategic framework of 2026 2030 were built with sustainable development in mind.
We support member countries in combating pollution and the illegal exploitation of natural resources that threaten access to essential services.
We work against criminal networks that trafficking resources undermine the transition to cleaner, more sustainable systems.
We help protect critical infrastructure from organized crime and cyber threats and combat illicit trade that erodes trust, innovation, and industry.
Our work against organized crime, trafficking and urban violence is foundational to safe, inclusive, and resilient communities and all above.
Interpol is a partnership in action, connecting 136 member countries, sharing intelligence, and building the collective capacity that no single state can achieve alone.
Through our vision together in crime, we turn this cooperation into results, safer communities, protected resources, and stronger soutions I thank the distinguished representative of Interpol.
Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Nations Office for South South Cooperation.
Oops.
Excellencies.
With this HLPF, the question is whether we can change how we deliver on the SDGs with the speed, scale, and solidarity this moment demands.
For the United Nations Office for South South Cooperation, delivering better begins with a simple truth.
Many of the solutions the world needs already exist in the Global South.
Our task is to help these solutions travel with respect for national ownership, evidence, finance, and genuine partnerships.
The Global Alliance for South South Cooperation, which our office will launch in September will make these solutions more visible, actionable, and responsive to country demand.
South South and triangle cooperation are not substitutes for existing commitments, they are multipliers.
They turn experience into policy options, pilots into platforms, and solidarity into practical results.
They help countries learn from contexts that are similar, costs that are realistic and innovations already tested under constraints.
UN OSSC will focus on three priorities moving forward, brokering practical knowledge on water, energy, resilient infrastructure, sustainable cities, and partnerships, strengthening evidence so South South cooperation is reflected in national plans, VNRs and investment pipelines, and deepening triangular partnerships that align finance, technology, capacity, and local leadership and behind country owned priorities.
We start the distinguished the United Nations Office for South South Cooperation.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Nations Environmental Program.
Distinguished delegates, this high level political is taking place at a time when around the world, many are being affected by rising temperatures, floods, water stress, air pollution, waste challenges, ecosystem degradation, and infrastructure damage.
These challenges do not arrive one by one.
They arrive together, compounding risks for communities and economies alike.
The planet is sending us signals and the impacts harms us all.
With the poorest and most vulnerable suffering the worst, urgent action is needed.
Healthy ecosystems are the foundation on which national stability, strong economies, and sustainable development are built.
An estimated 50% of global GDP, approximately 40 to $44 trillion is moderately or highly dependent on nature.
Transitioning to a sustainable, equitable and resilient economy is central to delivering global commitments under the sustainable development goals, the Paris Agreement, the Co Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and other multilateral environmental agreements.
Finance will be essential to a vibrant, sustainable and resilient economy, but across the globe financial flows often reward environmental destruction rather than restoration.
Europe is working hard to promote a shift, but so much more is needed.
We need mechanisms that strengthen the pipeline of investment ready sustainable projects and facilitate access to finance.
Public subsidies and private investment must be redirected toward nature positive economy solutions.
2020.
I think the distinguished representative of the United Nations Environment Program, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the empowerment of women, UN Women.
Presidente, Excellency Distinguished delegates.
UN Women welcome the commitments of this year's draft Ministerial Declaration, recognizing that gender equality, the rights and empowerment of women and girls are essential to progress all the goals, that closing gender gaps require investment and that all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls must end.
We now must deliver.
Development fails when inequality is treated as inevitable.
When half of humanity is excluded from opportunity, resources, and decision making.
A girl who spends hours collecting water cannot fully participate in education.
A woman without cleaning, energy, lose time, income, and opportunities.
A city where women cannot move safely is not inclusive and their rights are violated.
This is what it means for gender equality to be the foundation for the 2030 agenda, not one target among 17.
UN women gender snapshot warns that 351 million women and girls could still live in extreme poverty by 2030.
Conflict and climate change, including El Ninu further deepen inequality and heightened risk of violence.
UN Women, therefore, calls for three actions, strengthening norms, laws and policies and develop concrete action plans for their implementation, B accountable institutions and measuring progress through data and direct resources women led organizations.
Excellencies, UN Women looks forward to advancing this agenda with member states at CSW 71 when women and I thank the distinguished representative of UN Women.
I now give the photo to the distinguished representative of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV AIDS.
Mr.
President, while many SDG targets are stalled or are in reverse, the global HIV response remains a rare beacon of progress.
This progress is seen most clearly through leadership and impact where it matters most in cities.
Globally, cities are home to 60% of all people living with HIV and cities are not just population centers.
They're the crossroads of science, policy, funding, cutting edge services, and the protection of human rights.
Since the Paris Declaration in 2014, over 600 cities and municipalities have committed to fast track their HIV responses.
The new UN AIDS global AIDS strategy highlights the role of cities at the forefront of this historic effort to end AIDS by 2030.
But make no mistake, AIDS is not over.
Severe funding cuts, rollback of human rights, and underinvestment in HIV prevention threaten to erase decades of hard won progress.
As cities have proven amongst workers in Nairobi, people who inject drugs in Amsterdam or thousands of visitors in New York for the World Cup, navigating access to local health and social services can be a powerful entry point to effective HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and support.
In every city, treating every person with dignity and respect is a political choice, not a budget constraint.
With the recently adopted 2026 Political Declaration on HIV, the world has a new global roadmap to end AIDS.
We call on all state I think the distinguished representative of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and ADS, I now give the floor the distinguished representative of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Excellencies.
As we're nearing the conclusion of this high level meeting, let me share with you a few thoughts.
Yes, SDG progress remains below our expectations, but we do have powerful enables at our disposal, technology, sustainable finance, and a dynamic localization to accelerate the implementation.
UNIC together with all regional economic commissions, contributes actively to these efforts.
We work with governments to accelerate sustainable energy transition, improve housing affordability, and urban resilience, and also to respond to population aging with policies grounded in rights, inclusion, and solidarity, especially for women and girls.
Our regional forums for Sustainable Development brings governments, civil society, young people, businesses, and the UN system together to assess progress and identify where greater effort is needed.
Localization is another important area that you raised this week.
The UN form of Mayors, our form of mayors gives cities a direct voice in this work, recognizing that many of the most important solutions will be delivered locally.
Dear colleagues, at a time of conflict, economic pressure, and declining trust, SDGs remain our shared framework for cooperation and practical progress and UNIC will continue to provide political support, practical instruments, and a trusted space for cooperation to advance SDG implementation.
I thank you.
The distinguished representative of UN ECE.
I get the Florida distinguished representative of Business and Industry Major Group.
Thank you.
Mr.
Chair, Excellency distinguished delegates, the Business and Industry major Group is a unique implementation partner for the 2030 agenda, the Pact for the future, and UNA reform.
In other words, business is key to delivering better.
At this HLPF, we have welcomed member state support for working with business on policy design and delivery and on resource mobilization.
After this session, we need an evolution in our work that expands collaboration and spotlights priorities.
We must accelerate action today and evolve to enable more impact on route to 2030.
Together, we should design further efforts based on a realistic assessment of what is and is not working, what is scalable and necessary enabling conditions for delivery of the 2030 agenda.
Future HLPF discussions should favor practical strategies that foster productivity growth and maintain economic balance.
This requires leveraging innovation, investing in workforce skills, and inclusive policies that enable businesses and communities to thrive.
All this will depend on involving business and co creating and delivering.
Meaningful business engagement must be clearly defined and in some settings separate from combined multi stakeholder settings.
EcoSC and HOPF must become more targeted towards concrete outcomes for business, economic growth and enabling conditions for job creation and innovation are fundamental.
2027 SDG Summit the distinguished representative of the business and industry major group.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the persons with disabilities stakeholder group Distinguished delegates Excellencies, I deliver the statements on behalf of the stakeholder group of persons with disabilities.
As we gather at HLPF under the theme of delivering better, we must be honest.
We cannot deliver better when persons with disabilities remain excluded from the systems meant to serve everyone.
And we cannot ignore the fact that in 2026, persons with disabilities remain deeply affected by conflict, climate change, and persistent inequality, which continue to violate our rights each and every day.
The SDGs reminds us that disability inclusion is not a sectorial issue.
It is a prerequisite for sustainable development cutting across all 17 goals.
The accessibility of water and sanitation facilities is required to ensure the dignity and safety of persons with disabilities.
Affordable energy must power the assistive technologies that many of us realize On for autonomy.
Inclusive infrastructure is critical for enabling our equal participation in education, employment, and social life.
Cities must be built by implementing universal design standards, enabling our independent living in the community, and partnerships must move beyond consultation to co creation with persons with disabilities.
And the organizations backed by adequate financing and data disaggregated by disability.
Excellencies, we call on member states to make disability inclusion a core condition of SDG implementation with a meaningful participation of persons with disabilities across planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and accountability cycles.
With just four years to go before 2030, we must always remember the essential promise of the 2030 agenda to leave no one behind.
I thank you.
I think the distinguished representative of the persons with disability stakeholders group, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Indigenous Peoples major Group.
I am Gideon Am Akan Kana grad from the Philippines speaking on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group, co convened by Tuptaba and the IITC.
Acelerating urgent and transformative action to achieve the SDGs by 2030 demands justice, accountability, and the full realization of human rights.
For indigenous peoples, the key to accelerating SDG implementation lies in the full implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples.
All development finance must align with UN GIP and provide direct accessible and flexible funding for indigenous peoples led organizations, governance systems, and community priorities.
Institutionalized indigenous peoples meaningful participation in relevant processes, strengthen indigenous led data collection and ensure data deaggregation by indigenous identity, respecting indigenous data sovereignty and community protocols.
We call for the protection of indigenous human rights defenders.
The criminalization of indigenous peoples defending their lands and rights must end with guarantees of justice and holding governments, private sector, and perpetrators accountable.
The rights of indigenous women and girls require targeted measures aligned with recommendations of human rights mechanisms.
Delivering better means centering indigenous people's rights, leadership, knowledge, data, financing, and solutions at the very core of the global agenda.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of the Indigenous people's major Group.
I now give the floor to distinguished representative of the Saudi Green Building Forum.
Jam Honorable chair, we are no longer facing a lack of commitments but a lack of implementation.
In a built environment responsible for nearly 37% of global emissions, the challenge is not ambition but absence of measurable and verifiable action.
By 2050, almost 70% of the global population will live in cities.
In the Arab region, this pressure is already a reality.
More than 60% of people live in urban areas, placing growing strain on water, energy, and minerals under climate stress.
Approaches remain focused on efficiency while demand continues to rise.
Result is fragmented implementation, weak alignment between policy and delivery, and persistent gaps in data measurement and accountability.
Excellencies, the solution is clear.
We must advance from efficiency to sufficiency first.
We must address how much we consume before, how efficiently we consume it.
Through the Sav conformity assessment scheme, sustainability becomes measurable, verifiable and accountable in line with the SDGs.
This approach is being observed in 120 local initiatives in the Qasim region of Saudi Arabia, the microphone.
I think the distinguished representative of the Saudi Green Building Forum.
I give the floor now to distinguished representative of the E Foundation.
Distinguished share.
Technology is advancing rapidly.
Participation in the global economy increasingly demands digital infrastructure and fluency.
Yet for least developed countries, this gap is widening and the resources needed to close it are shrinking.
For 16 years, the E.
Tes Hauk Foundation has focused on local capacity building in South Sudan, giving us a front row view of what happens when global support recedes.
Countries with the greatest needs fall further behind and their youth even further still.
To build the human capital their futures depend on, change must begin in the classroom.
That is the gap we set out to close.
With the support of South Sudan's education ministry, we are implementing an AI guided learning platform designed for low connectivity classrooms.
The result is a system that both teaches and measures.
Students build core skills such as digital fluency, while their progress feeds into the National Education information system that supports SDG four accountability.
Three months in, it shows how technology adapted to South Sudan's realities can inform solutions elsewhere.
We urge member states to invest in digital public infrastructure in countries that need it most and in the partnerships that turn promising models into lasting systems.
Thank you.
I think the distinguished representative of the E Foundation.
I give the floor now to the distinguished representative of the LGBTI stakeholder group.
Excellencies, dear colleagues, data tells us discrimination exists.
Lived experience tells us it's human cost.
Our community members have been denied housing after landlords learn their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Losing a home disrupts employment, education, health, dignity, which is why SDG 11 on sustainable cities must include everyone.
Transgender people in the most vulnerable context, avoid public water points and sanitation facilities, fearing harassment or violence.
Collecting water therefore becomes a daily risk.
This is a development issue directly linked to SDG six on clean water and sanitation.
These realities remain invisible because the most marginalized populations, including LGBTI people and communities discriminated on the basis of work and descent, among others, are currently not presence in national data.
We encourage, therefore, governments to address the situation through community led documentation, including citizen data to help us make the invisible visible.
Our message today is simple.
There cannot be sustainable development without inclusion.
There can be no accelerated SDG achievements while entire communities remain invisible and we count on you to shed the light on those issues.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of the LGBTI stakeholder group and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of La Ric Sientifica António Mengti.
President, excellences.
As a research foundation is working with young people across different contexts, we observe a crisis that goes behind the numbers.
Millions of young people still lack educations, employment, and opportunity, but more than 260 million are not in employment training, even though they have access to education, opportunities, and basic resources.
Yet they do not act.
This is the need phenomenon.
This is not simple exclusions.
It is systemic paralysis and it is accelerated.
The António Miigus scientific humanistic research foundations proposing strengthening inclusion by enabling young people to act through onto psychological pedagogy with three priorities, and bad responsibility based learning that connects educations with real contributions rather than passive consumption.
Rebilence digital exposures with direct experience, enable young people to became co designers of society.
Challenges today is not only access, it is the capacity to act.
Accessesmain essential, but when millions of young people who contribute remain frozen, we lose one of our greatest resources for achieving the SDGs with four encouraged Ecosox to complement existing SDGs monitoring framework by measuring not only access, but also agency, that is young people's capacity to translate knowledge into constructive action.
Thank you.
I think the distinguished representative of the de Ricista António Megti and I'll give the floor to distinguished representative of the major group of children and youth.
Thank you, Chair.
My name is Vnalbenani.
I'm speaking on behalf of the major group of children and youth.
This year's discussions reaffirmed that achieving 2030 agenda requires moving beyond fragmented implementation towards integrated hall of government and hall of society action.
As we prepare for the SDG Summit, we recommend the following four recommendations.
First, to institutionalize meaningful stakeholder participation throughout Ecosox cycle, building on successful models, seen in processes such as the partnership forum, the coordination segment, the operational activities segment within the FFD forum, among others.
Second, the recommendation is to strengthen accountability by complementing national data with citizen generated, community based and disaggregated data alongside transparent follow up on commitments made at the high level policy forum.
The third recommendation is to accelerate implementation of the Pact of the future and to ensure its transparency across all actions and their alignment with the SDGs.
In the lead to the SDG summit, take steps to launch the process of debt reform, digital governance, and strengthen interventional and right based approaches.
Finally, we would like to ensure that the outcome of the EcoSoc and the high level policy forum review translate into concrete improvements in the forums working methods enabling more integrated SDG reviews and stronger stakeholder engagement.
Thank you very much.
I think the distinguished representative of the major group for children and youth.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries.
President, Excellency and esteemed delegates, we are at a crucial point at our shared effort to achieve the sustainable development goals.
The real question is no longer if we can act, but if we are willing to transform.
Across the world, millions remain trapped in cycles of poverty, not because solution don't exist, but because our systems are broken apart, housing, healthcare justice, and employment are too often disconnected, leaving the most vulnerable to deal with complexity alone.
At DRM, we have learned that transformation begins with dignity.
When individuals are provided with safe housing, integrated support, and pathways to employment, they do not return to crisis, they rebuild their lives.
When nonviolent offenders are diverted from incarceration into a structured program, they do not become statistics, they become contributor.
When young people aging out of foster care are given stability, mentorship and opportunity, they do not fall, they rise.
This call for coordinated system, not isolated efforts.
It demand investing in people, not just program and it takes the courage to expand what works.
We urge member states and partners to focus on integrated service models, invest in housing as a key to development and evaluate success based on long term human outcomes.
The future we want is not out of reach.
It is waiting for us to work together.
Thank you.
The distinguished representative of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the academia stakeholder group.
Excellencies, I'm Falt Cedara speaking on behalf of over 1 billion students, educators, and lifelong learners.
As we approach next year's SDG summit, our world is dangerously fragile.
Geopolitical tensions are exposing the harsh reality.
When global supply chains snap, privilege buys stockpiles, while vulnerability buys suffering, we must urgently direct greater resources to the global South to salvage our 2030 goals.
Simultaneously, our social fabric is tearing.
Big tech is trapping younger generation in silos of algorithmic loneliness.
For centuries, education was the great equalizer, the guaranteed ladder for upward mobility and a livelihood.
But today in the AIH we are watching that ladder disappear.
Automation is rapidly dissolving jobs, threatening to turn years of sacrifice into obsolete skills.
Now more than ever, we need a community led growth approach and to fundamentally rethink our economies for the new era.
We urge member states to partner with the private sector, but with uncompromising guardrails.
We must ensure educational institutions have equitable access to the frontier and means of knowledge production.
Knowledge cannot be a luxury good and research must never be weaponized.
If we fail to build inclusive knowledge sharing frameworks into the post 2030 agenda, the abyss between the haves and the have nots will become too big to cover.
Thank you.
I think the distinguished representative of the Education and Academia stakeholder group, and I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of the International Association of Independent Journalists Incorporated.
President, at the United Nations, many stakeholders will contribute there, but the most important stakeholders are the actual individuals who are affected by the decisions made at the United Nations.
They deserve to have all their voices heard and this could be done through smartphones, potentially giving everyone on Earth a vote through a popular vote on the SDGs by 2030.
This vote would be held through an application on their smartphones and these IOS and Android applications already exist as proof of concept by our organization.
Such an application could be downloaded by a smartphone user to their device and opening the application would allow the user the ability to vote in a popular vote on global issues such as the SDGs by 2030.
Everyone on Earth is a citizen of the world and as the ultimate stakeholders, all our voices matter when it comes to the SDG goals by 2030.
Therefore, a public popular vote on the global issues at the United Nations would have much merit either in preventing war or contributing to better policy making and urgency for SDGs by having all stakeholder voices heard and in the end, self determination for all.
Participation of everyone on Earth as stakeholders is an urgent and transformative solution for the SDGs by 2030 and all we need is a willingness of all involved to make this a reality.
The distinguished representative of the International Association of Independent Journalists.
Give the floor to the stakeholder group for communities discriminated by work and dissent.
Excellencies, I speak today on behalf of 330 million people around the world who continue to face inherited discrimination based on work and dissent.
We are Roma across Europe, Kilmbola and Palin across Latin America, Dalit, in South Asia, OSU, Uu Haritan and many others across Africa.
We share one common reality, discrimination assigned at birth that continues to determine where we live, the work we do, whether we can have access to education, healthcare, justice, clean water, sanitation, housing, decent employment, and whether our voices are heard in decisions that affect our lived realities as well as, especially women, youth, and LGBTQI plus people.
Discrimination based on work and descent perpetuates poverty and exclusion across generations and undermines progress across the SDGs.
Too often, our communities remain invisible in national statistics and absent from public policies designed to leave no one behind.
We have worked tirelessly to ensure that our communities are no longer invisible within UN.
We have engaged consistently at HLPF CSW, youth Forum, Human Rights Council, as well as with the member states.
Yet in many countries, comment are still not proactive in recognizing discrimination based on work and dissent.
Our recommendations are overlooked.
Our realities remain absent from the national SDG reporting.
Chair, we acknowledge the inclusion of systemic barrier as a terminology, but we are also slightly disappointed that I thank the distinguished representative of the stakeholder group for communities discriminated by work and descent, and I give the authority to the distinguished representative of CIBJO the World Jewelry Confederation.
Presidents, Your Excellency Sibo the World Jewelry Confederation is committed to advancing the 2026 theme of transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated action for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Our last action was on World Water Day, March 22, 2026, a new freshwater reservoir in the Indian state of Gujarat was formerly inaugurated and named Siju Lake.
This initiative strengthen water security in Gujarat, drought prone rastra region and being financed and carried out by the Laia Foundation.
Sigo covering an area of 15 acres.
The lake has a storage capacity of 160,156 million liters and will support five villages in the area, benefiting around 12,000 farmers who earlier were only able to manage single crop cycle of over 20 month period.
CPO is currently completing the first edition of its ESGs and sustainability reference guide for the jewelry sector.
It will serve a roadmap for companies throughout the jewelry supply chain over the next five, ten years.
For CPG, many of challenges addressed the distinguished representative of CPO.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the volunteer stakeholder group.
This week, we have listened to powerful reaffirmations of commitment to the 2030 agenda, that no one will be left behind, that partnerships matter, and that civil society is indispensable.
But outside these walls, reality tells a different story.
Today, volunteers in Venezuela are helping families recover after devastating earthquakes on top of already impossible circumstances.
In Sudan, volunteers are risking their lives to reach communities caught off by war in what is now the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe.
Volunteer doctors and humanitarian workers in Palestine continued treating the wounded while facing genocide and ethnic cleansing around them.
As the world, volunteers offending migrants, the LGBT community, human rights, labor rights, indigenous territories, and our environment are being intimidated, criminalized, imprisoned, and killed.
This is what volunteering looks like in 2026.
Volunteers are not the declaration of sustainable development.
They're often the reason sustainable development survives at all.
While state evades commitments, volunteers sue communities respond to disasters, defend rights, and hold institutions accountable.
Increasingly, they do so despite governments, not because of them, because there is a contradiction at the heart of our system.
The state salary volunteers and speeches while the organizations they rely on, restricting the civic space they depend upon and criminalizing solidarity.
Commitments to goals 16 and 17 cannot be claimed while criminalizing dissent, nor speak of partnerships while excluding I thank the distinguished representative of the volunteer stakeholder group, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Beijing Kuang Ming Charity Foundation.
Yi, distinguished president, delegates and greetings to all.
I represent Beijing Hwang Ming Charity Foundation, an organization that has special consulted status with Ecosoc.
It's my honor to share with you philanthropic practices of China's civil society in line with the themes of this year's Forum for Transformation, equity, innovation and collaboration.
We long being engaged in mechanisms such as HRC, C, SW and HRPF.
We focus on supporting vulnerable groups and empowering youth implementing initiatives such as the Stars Project for Is with autism, the Youth Development Program and using grassroots efforts to advance the achievement of multiple SDGs.
On July 10th in collaboration with China International Economic and Technical Cooperation Promotion Association and other domestic and international partners, we hosted the only official side event by China on standardization at this year's HRPF, where we released three group Centers for Sustainable Development, establishing a global platform for civil society, collaboration with replicable and standardized practical pathways for the implementation of the SDGs.
We call up on the international community to widely engage with Society broadened channels for diverse cooperation, accelerate the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development through innovative and pragmatic actions so that we may work together to build a fair, inclusive and sustainable common future for all.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of the Beijing Kuang Charity Foundation, and I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of the women's major group.
President, I'm Mabel Bianco from the Foundation for Studies and Research on women from Argentina.
The women's major group expresses its concern because of the slow development of SDG 17, which is key to ensure development for the development of the entire 2030 agenda.
There are various factors, but we would like to highlight, particularly the effort to undermine multilateralism that some states are dedicated to.
Therefore, we think we need to defend the United Nations because it is the institution that is key in ensuring global democracy within a multilateral framework.
This is why we call upon states to first, uphold their economic commitments on time.
Two, they should review and fulfill the commitments that they undertook in Seville.
That would be an important step forward Perhaps not as much as we would have wanted, but in any case, it is some progress.
Finally, ask you to please stop asking for the closure or the reduction of institutions and programs that benefit the microphone has been cut off.
Let me check it out, yes.
Thank you very much to the distinguished representative from the Women's major Group.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the World Federation of Neurology.
President, the World Federation of Neurology, representing 126 professional neurological societies worldwide, affirms that the 2030 agenda requires transformative, innovative, and coordinated action to protect brain health at all stages of life.
Brain health is the foundation of healthy societies and resilient communities.
Neurological conditions remain the leading causes of disability globally.
Yet brain health is often overlooked in high level policy discussions.
Medical systems must constantly evolve to keep up with the changes and crises in today's world, but without calculated investment in infrastructure, progress will remain uneven and unjust.
Health systems, particularly in low resource settings, require accelerated capacity building, expanding diagnostic capabilities, investing in telemedicine, and fostering community wide rehabilitation services.
Health is created within communities and sustainable urban planning must integrate accessible, inclusive health care to promote brain health.
Continued investment in brain health research is essential and provides the evidence base for inclusive city planning, including accessible public spaces, emergency response protocols, and other measures that reduce the burden of disability.
Maintaining effective health care systems requires multi sectoral collaboration among policymakers, administrators, and frontline providers.
Professional societies like the WFN drive global capacity building and education and advocate for brain health priorities.
I thank the distinguished representative of the World Federation of Neurology.
I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Tian in Eco City Friend of Green Echo Culture Promotion Association.
Distinguished decades.
For 26 years, we have worked with communities across China to protect the environment through local action.
This year, our project, Blue Gardens cross borders was selected for inclusion in China's compilation of cases on social organizations contributions to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
It was the first shoreline cleaner initiative launched in the United States by Chinese environmental NGO.
On Randols Island in New York, together with local volunteers, we collected 42.6 kilograms of shoreline litter.
More importantly, the initiative demonstrated the value of cross border volunteer cooperation combined with locally led implementation.
It was far more than a clean up.
It built trust, strengthened partnerships, and enabled practical knowledge sharing.
Today, we propose developing blue gardens across borders into a global network for coastal action, enabling organizations anywhere to find partners, share proven methods, and take part.
We stand ready to share our model and experience and to connect communities committed to protecting coastlines around the world.
Let us work together to build a shared borders blue future.
Thank you.
Representative.
Thank distinguished representative of the Tianjin Eco City.
Friend of Green Eco Culture Promotion Association.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Miami Do Care Center International.
Mr.
President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
The theme of this forum is a moral imperative.
At Amit Care Center International, we believe changing the world begins with children.
Within our seven protection centers and 14 schools, we are entering a new energy era.
Since 2024, starting in Madagascar, we have implemented solar power with advanced storage.
In 2026, we are expanding to include wind power to create 100% free sustainable electricity across our campuses in six countries.
This is more than a technical upgrade.
It is a living classroom.
Immersing over 2,400 vulnerable children in an environment of 100% free renewable energy.
We ingrain environmental protection into their learning DNA.
They do not just study SDG seven, they experience the power of clean energy every time they switch on light.
Honorable excellencies.
While 2,400 children may seem small in the world of billions, the ripple effect is immeasurable.
They return to their societies as ambassadors of sustainability, proving that innovative and coordinated action flourishes even in the most vulnerable context.
As we look towards the 2027 SEDG summit, remember that industries and infrastructures are only as sustainable as the minds that manage them.
I urge you to invest in experimental.
Would you like to something? I think the distinguished representative of the Amit Food Care Center International, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Chinese Society for Sustainable Development.
Excellencies colleagues, Chinese Society for Sustainable Development was established following Agenda 21.
For decades, we have worked on the ground in China to turn sustainable development principles into local action.
Cities are key action units for implementing the 2030 agenda.
Since the 2030 agenda was adopted, Chinese cities with different conditions have been exploring diverse pathways to sustainability.
Today, 11 cities including Guilin, Lintn and Xiaojng have been approved by the state council to carry out national innovation demonstration work for sustained development, providing important platforms for exploring region specific innovation driven localization pathways to implement the global agenda.
Non governmental organizations can provide diverse and valuable support for local action.
CSSD and its committees support cities through technical assistance, capacity building, experience sharing, and scaling up good practices.
We have supported the development and demonstration of digital technologies to track local progress and assisted local governments in preparing voluntary local reviews.
We also actively document local practices.
Our annual publication, the Blue Book on urban human settlements in China has collected 36 cases, and these efforts directly respond to this year's form theme and represent a concrete practice of the academic society supporting local development and global governance.
So I I think the distinguished representative of the Chinese Society for Sustainable Development and I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Fonda.
Mr.
President, current economic, social, environmental trends are converging into a long term threat to the 2030 agenda and children are bearing the AS cost.
FMSI has submitted 96 UP hearts across more than 50 countries grounded in children and young people voices.
What does voice reveal placed the SDGs at serious long term risk.
Economically, underfunded education system are widening inequality, and even costs of schooling are pushing children in the most vulnerable condition out of classrooms.
Without urgent investment, SDG four will remain out of reach and with it, SDGs one, eight, and ten.
Socially, a global mental health crisis is silently eroding children's future.
A generation unable to thrive emotionally cannot build a peaceful and inclusive society SDG 16 envisions.
Environmentally, climate change is destroying the right to education and health.
Failure to achieve SDGs 11 and 13 endangers national land integrity, culture, and identity.
These interconnecting trends are accelerating.
In order to deliver the SDGs by 2030, children's rights must be given priority.
International and national policies, budget allocation, and action plan must formalize this vision.
We urge this council to act on these long term implications before they become irreversible with those leaving I thank the distinguished representative of On Lus.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of the distinguished representative of the Brook.
Mr.
President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, working animals such as horses, donkeys, and mules, contribute to the livelihoods of more than 600 million people.
They are essential contributors to the sustainable development goals, including SDG six.
Yet they are overlooked in policies and development frameworks.
In communities around the world, working animals enable access to water for human consumption and hygiene, for other livestock and to irrigate crops.
Working animals alleviate the heavy burden for women and girls, reducing the time it takes to fetch water so women and girls can stay in school or paid work.
Working animals also play a key role in removing waste, helping keep water clean and reducing the risk of disease transmission.
We call on UN agencies, government, civil society, and other stakeholders to work together to recognize the role of working animals in sustainable development, including SDG six and to protect their health and welfare.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of the Brook.
I give the floor now to the distinguished representative of Reif Suba Distinguished delegates, my name is La Khin, I'm Georgian and today I speak on behalf of RifCuba, an ocean conservation ango.
In partnership with RF Cuba, we made a documentary on the environment of the Black Sea.
While making this film, for the first time, I saw the full picture.
The challenges did not stop where one country's jurisdiction ends.
They crossed the borders of six countries, throwing us together in a shared outcome from a connected sea.
That truth carries a specific weight for someone from a country affected by war and lost territory.
Cooperation is not always easy, but the necessity of it is the conclusion of the evidence supports.
The SDGs demand the same cooperation.
Goal 14 depends on the water quality of goal six, the coastal resilience of GoalD 11, and the partnerships of Goal 17.
None can be delivered in isolation.
The Copenhagen framework on citizen data endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission provides the architecture.
We urge member states to apply it systematically to marine ecosystem monitoring and recognize community based data in SDG reporting and national reviews.
These two requires trust to share data across borders, to value local knowledge within international systems.
But if we are serious about those goals, we cannot stay in our own lanes.
We must work as ecosystems work through connection, reciprocity, and resilience.
Thank you.
I think the distinguished representative of Refuba.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Te Ride Flights Worldwide Children's Relief Fund.
Mr.
President, Excellency and distinguished guests, thank you for this opportunity to speak.
Over 60% of Africa's urban population live in informal settlements known as slums.
My organization has worked for 20 years in Nairobi, Kenya's second largest slum, Maku, one of 19 slums surrounding Nairobi.
This is an urgent call for the UN to act in coordination with governments to establish local community land tenure or trusts, followed by community led and private sector solutions for residents in slums across Africa.
Africa is home to 1.5 billion people, projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050.
Much of this growth will occur in slums where millions of families already face insecure housing, poor sanitation, flooding, disease, and exclusion from formal economic systems.
During floods, informal homes float down the river and strangers seize empty land, leaving families with no recourse, no rights at all.
All of these issues breed insecurity for the world.
Slum dwellers are even recruited by militia groups for terror activities.
These realities directly relate to all 17 SDGs.
With no action, informal settlements will become deeper sites of public health risk, insecurity, and loss economic potential.
On behalf of the I thank the distinguished representative of the telluride Flights Worldwide Children's Relief Fund, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum.
Mr.
President, Excellencies, I'm honored to address this forum on behalf of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, an international non governmental organization working on empowering youth people and strengthen cooperation across OSC member states.
Young people remains central to advancing sustainable development, yet persistent barriers in access to quality education, decent employment, and inclusive decision making continuing to limit their full potential.
These challenges are further intensified by widening digital divides and growing impacts of climate change, particularly in developing countries.
In this context, the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum continues to support youth empowerment through initiatives in entrepreneurship, capacity building, and innovation.
In April 2026, the forum implemented a climate volunteers cap, equipping young people with practical skills in climate adaptation and community resilience.
This experience demonstrates that when empowered, young youth can deliver locally granted and scalable solutions to contribute directly to sustainable development.
However, isolated efforts are not sufficient.
Accelerating progress requires strengthened coordination, sustained investment, and inclusive policies.
I thank the distinguished representative of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the National Peace Corps Association.
And Shukran, to our distinguished guests.
I speak today on behalf of the National Peace Corps Association, representing the nearly 250,000 Americans who have served as Peace Corps volunteers around the world and the many hundreds of thousands of partners who've worked alongside them in 142 countries over the past 65 years.
The UN has designated 2026 the International Year of Volunteers, and returned volunteers such as myself have learned firsthand that the best way to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of development work is through close collaboration with the communities who are the intended beneficiaries of such efforts, many of whom remain marginalized in their own countries.
As this year's high level political forum calls for transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated action to advance the 2030 agenda, we believe these goals can only be realized through partnerships that place communities at the center.
This approach reflects the spirit of sustainable development goal 17, reminding us that meaningful partnerships are not simply mechanisms for implementation, but rather they are the foundation of sustainable progress across all of the goals.
Collaboration and partnership are key to realizing our common cause of ending world poverty, and we urge all nations and non governmental organizations to prioritize working hand in hand with local populations at every stage of the process, recognizing that lasting solutions are strongest when they are co created with the people they are intended to serve.
I the distinguished representative of the National Peace Corps Association.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development.
Excellencies, Distinguished delegates.
For least developed countries, LDCs, the SDGs represent the originate for development rather than inspirital goals.
While progress is constrained by factors such as date, climate shocks, conflict, and limited fiscal space, in order to improve the lives of citizens in LDCs by 2030 through innovative, equitable, and coordinated initiatives, we must, one, unlock financing by utilizing innovative projects such as date swaps, blended finance, and regional solidarity funds.
Two, facilitate an inclusive digital transformation that provides affordable connectivity and community based digital literacy to poor citizens thus allowing them access to entitlements from government and private sector services.
Three, invest in renewable energy, nature based solutions, and community led adaptation strategies as a means of ensuring climate resilience.
Four, develop human centered innovation initiatives.
Examples include women led cooperatives, youth led businesses and demonstrating how social innovatives can be just as important as technology.
Finally, five, build equitable partnership models through fair trade, technology transfer, and inclusive multilaterlism, thereby creating a level playing field.
I think the distinguished representative of the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development.
We've concluded the general debate of the high level segment.
The meeting is adjourned.
ECOSOC
Economic and Social Council
Ministerial Segment of the High-Level Political Forum 2026 | High-Level Segment of the Economic and Social Council, 36th plenary meeting
The HLPF will be held from Tuesday, 7 July, to Thursday, 15 July 2026, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council.
Description
General debate
Delivering better: accelerating urgent and transformative action to achieve the SDGs
by 2030.
The theme of the HLPF will be "Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all".
Five Sustainable Development Goals would be the focus of HLPF 2026
SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
The Forum will convene ministers and high-level representatives of Member States, alongside a broad cross-section of participants from the United Nations system and stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. Discussions will focus on policies and actions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals.
36 countries will present their VNRs at the 2026 HLPF: Albania, Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Estonia, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kiribati, Liberia, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Switzerland, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, and Uruguay.
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