‘We Are Neither Hopeless nor Helpless’ after Blow Dealt by COVID-19, Deputy Secretary-General Says, Calling for Political Will to Meet Global Goals

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message at the launch of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative, today:

It is a pleasure to take part in the launch of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative.  I commend President Xi [Jinping] for his leadership in putting forward the Initiative at the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly.  This is a clear indication of China’s continued commitment to supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The adoption of the 2030 Agenda [for Sustainable Development] in 2015 was a unique moment for our global community — when every member of our global village came together around a time-bound universal framework to transform our world for the better.  This included commitments to eradicate poverty in all its forms, advance the rights of women and girls, and decisively tackle the climate crisis to achieve sustainable development.

Today, we have nine years left to meet our 2030 targets and it is abundantly clear that we are far from where we need to be.  The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a severe blow to already fragile progress.  We have witnessed the first rise in extreme poverty in two decades.  Schooling disruptions have jeopardized hard-fought gains in learning.  The all-too-slow progress towards gender equality has been pushed back.  Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution continue to threaten our long-term resilience.

And the prospects for many developing countries of making up lost ground through inclusive and sustainable recovery efforts are being severely hindered by vaccine inequity, a lack of fiscal space and insufficient financial solidarity.

And yet, at this moment on our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) journey, we are neither hopeless nor helpless.  We know that we have the knowledge, skills and resources required to turn this situation around.  We know that with the right level of political commitment, we can unleash the key transitions needed to maximize progress by 2030.

Such a movement will require a profound shift in global levels of solidarity, cooperation, and partnerships.  I therefore welcome all efforts to generate greater political commitment, partnerships leadership and action on the SDGs.

The United Nations welcomes the support of the Global Development Initiative to ensure our world keeps the promise of the 2030 Agenda, leaving no one behind.  I look forward to the reflections and next steps of the Group of Friends.  Thank you.