Secretary-General Urges SDG Advocacy Group to Continue Promoting Universality, Indivisibility, Interdependence of Goals

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the SDG Advocacy Group, in New York today:

Thank you for accepting my invitation to attend the seventy-first session of the General Assembly.  Your attendance and participation are important for raising awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sending a strong message about the world’s commitment to achieving them.

I also thank you for your participation in the SDG Moment on Tuesday, prior to the opening of the General Assembly.  The presentation and your creative engagement were very well-received.  I hope the SDG Moment will inspire and serve as a model for similar presentations in the future.  We want to ensure the SDGs are held up as a beacon for all future General Assembly sessions until the year 2030.

The fact that you have come to the General Assembly and are participating in numerous events demonstrates your strong personal commitment to the SDGs.  As Advocates, I am relying on you to continue to promote the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of the SDGs, and commitment to leave no one behind.

I have been impressed by your activities since the Group’s launch in Davos.  I commend you all for your engagement in many events since then, as well as your engagement with business leaders, and the numerous opinion pieces you have authored.

I thank you for your contributions to SDG outreach, and hope you will continue to offer the same support and effort to my successor.