The international community must urgently rally the commitment and investments needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasized during her address on Monday at the opening of the 2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).

A Call for Transformative Action

Speaking to delegates at the UN Headquarters in New York, Mohammed urged for bold policies and transformative actions to tackle critical global challenges, including poverty, food insecurity, and climate change. She highlighted the pressing need for collaboration, stating, “Although the greatest challenges before us are daunting, together we can overcome them, achieve the peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future that all people not only need but deserve.”

Focus of the 2024 Forum

The 2024 Forum, organized under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), focuses on the theme of eradicating poverty through sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions amid ongoing global crises. Running until 17 July, the Forum will assess progress on several key goals:

• Goal 1: Ending poverty
• Goal 2: Zero hunger
• Goal 13: Climate action
• Goal 16: Peaceful and inclusive societies
• Goal 17: Strengthening means of implementation

The Forum also features Voluntary National Review (VNR) Labs, where countries voluntarily report their progress on the SDGs, alongside a variety of side events and exhibitions.

Addressing Global Challenges

Paula Narváez, President of ECOSOC, emphasized the particular struggles faced by developing countries, especially in conflict zones, and the importance of peace and stability for achieving sustainable development. She also underlined the need for inclusive participation, particularly from youth and marginalized groups, and the integration of a gender perspective as critical to SDG success.

Narváez also spoke about the relevance of this year’s discussions in bridging the 2023 SDG Summit and the upcoming Summit of the Future, set for this September, where transformative actions related to the SDGs will be further explored.

A Moment for Reflection and Action

Mohammed stressed the importance of reflecting on how to advance the 2030 Agenda, particularly in light of the forthcoming Summit of the Future. She described the summit as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to restore trust and demonstrate that international cooperation and human solidarity can propel progress forward.

She also noted a special SDG Acceleration event scheduled for the following Monday, which will focus on specific investments needed and highlight examples of country-level action to advance the goals.

Finding Solutions

In her remarks, Mohammed underlined the sobering reality that less than one-fifth of the SDGs are on track, calling this unacceptable. However, she emphasized that the situation is “fixable” through concerted effort, political will, and global collaboration.

“This is what this Forum is about – finding the solutions and the political will to turn our words into actions in the lives of people in the billions,” she said. She concluded by expressing hope, given the energy and ambition of the participants, that together the international community can achieve the peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future that all people need and deserve.