Symbiotic Public-Private Alliances Key to Achieving Sustainable Development Goals, Speakers Stress at Economic and Social Council Partnerships Forum
The type of public-private partnership that enabled a moon landing and led to the invention of mobile phones and baby formula is lacking with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a keynote speaker told the Economic and Social Council today at its annual Partnership Forum, as she called for symbiotic, rather than parasitic, approaches to address major global crises.
Many advancements in technology have been the result of numerous bottom-up innovations in the private sector working hand in hand with the public sector, said Mariana Mazzucato, Professor of Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London, in pre-recorded video remarks. “We are not doing this with the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said, stressing the need to put the SDGs at the centre, not at the periphery, of an outcomes-oriented economy.
With COVID-19, eight vaccines have been developed but the way they are produced continues to be problematic due to intellectual property rights “misgovernance,” she pointed out. It is imperative, she added, to establish different types of conditions to share knowledge, with collective intelligence at the centre of innovation systems.
The day-long Forum on the theme “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”, placed special emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals that will be reviewed at the 2024 high-level political forum: Goal 1 (No Poverty); Goal 2 (Zero Hunger); Goal 13 (Climate Action); Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions); and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Also delivering a keynote address was Charitie Ropati, Arctic Youth Ambassador and Girl Rising Fellow, from Kongiganak, a tiny village in south-west Alaska. “The act of assigning value to land and commodifying its resources directly contradicts the principles of harmony I learned growing up,” she said, noting that — while Indigenous peoples make up less than 5 per cent of the global population — they protect 80 per cent of global biodiversity.
Despite that dedication to protect the land, she said, entire ecosystems are dying because global leaders are not willing to do what needs to be done — a just, immediate transition away from fossil fuels. Further, she urged investment in communities that have continuously adapted to climate change — like her own — and that decisions should not be made about such communities without them. “We need to be at the table, in rooms like the one we are in today,” she stressed.
Opening the meeting, Paula Narváez Ojeda (Chile), President of the Economic and Social Council, observed that the 2024 Partnership Forum occurs amidst deepening poverty and inequality, as well as worsening debt and planetary crises. Emphasizing that the SDG Summit held in September 2023 was “a critical moment in our pursuit of achieving sustainable development”, she stressed the Council’s vital role in following up on the Political Declaration adopted at that time.
Li Junhua, Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, delivering remarks on behalf of Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, said that the United Nations has identified key transitions that can make the aspirations of that Declaration a reality in six key areas: food systems; energy; digitalization; education; climate change and the environment; and decent jobs and social protection. Each of these has the potential to have a catalytic effect across every one of the SDGs.
Stressing the importance of partnership among all actors, he declared: “This is a vital year in a vital decade. Let’s come together to make this the decade we make the SDGs a reality.”
In the ensuing discussion, representatives of Member States, civil society organizations and United Nations entities shared their views on ways to strengthen partnerships. The Forum also held four panel discussions in the afternoon, focusing respectively action on Goal 1 on poverty, Goal 2 on hunger, Goal 13 on climate and Goal 16 on peace and justice.
The Economic and Social Council will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 31 January for its annual Coordination Segment.
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Opening Remarks
PAULA NARVÁEZ OJEDA (Chile), President of the Economic and Social Council, observed that the 2024 Partnership Forum occurs amidst deepening poverty and inequality, as well as worsening debt and planetary crises. Further, a vicious circle of food insecurity feeds sectarian and ethnic tensions while conflicts continue to exacerbate the food crisis. As a result, global humanitarian needs are at record levels, with 360 million people worldwide requiring humanitarian assistance — a 30 per cent increase since the beginning of 2023. Emphasizing that the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit held in September 2023 was “a critical moment in our pursuit of achieving sustainable development”, she recalled the Political Declaration subsequently adopted. Through it, world leaders committed to enhancing global, regional, national and local partnerships for sustainable development.
“We must now follow up,” she urged, stating that the Council is well-positioned to do so through its various forums and segments that feature multi-stakeholder participation. She said: “Central to my vision as the President of ECOSOC is that the Council will provide a unifying platform for all to bring collective contributions towards the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals.” Today’s meeting begins the Council’s annual work cycle by bringing together Member States, the UN system and stakeholders to collectively debate how to reinforce the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Inviting all Governments and stakeholders to make the Partnership Forum a “unifying moment” that translates ideas to commitments — and commitments to action – she looked forward to rich discussion.
LI JUNHUA, Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, delivering remarks on behalf of AMINA MOHAMMED, Deputy Secretary-General, said that Partnership Forum 2024 comes at a time of great instability and uncertainty for the world, with only 15 per cent of SDG targets on track and over 30 per cent of those having stalled or gone into reverse. The situation is particularly acute for least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing States. But there is hope. The 2023 SDG Summit resulted in a strong Political Declaration to accelerate action around the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The United Nations has identified key transitions that can make the aspirations of that Declaration a reality in six key areas: food systems; energy; digitalization; education; climate change and the environment; and decent jobs and social protection. The United Nations is increasingly organizing its country-level engagement around these six transitions, each of which has the potential to have a catalytic effect across every one of the SDGs.
To accelerate SDG action, focus and effort are required, she said, emphasizing that it also requires partnerships consistent with the vision laid out in the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda. Resident coordinators and United Nations country teams are collaborating with Governments to convene stakeholders and build partnerships to help mobilize investment and translate global commitments into country-level action. UN-led public-private partnerships play a critical role in accelerating the SDGs, including partnerships led by the UN Global Compact, the Food Systems Hub, and the Energy Compact Action Network. Member States are developing a Pact for the Future ahead of the Summit of the Future in September 2024. To succeed in its ultimate objectives, it needs meaningful engagement between all voices and all actors, she stressed, declaring: “This is a vital year in a vital decade. Let’s come together to make this the decade we make the SDGs a reality.”
Keynote Addresses
MARIANA MAZZUCATO, Professor of Economics of Innovation and Public Value, University College London, delivering her remarks in a pre-recorded video, said that the interlinked massive global warming crisis, biodiversity and water crises, and health pandemics could galvanize technological, organizational and social innovations at the global, national and local levels. The history of innovation and technology has often been simulated by problems. There were huge amounts of bottom-up innovations in the private sector working hand in hand with the public sector to solve “many homework problems which got us camera phones, foil blankets and baby formula”/ But “we are not doing this with the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said, stressing the need to put those Goals — the SDGs — at the centre, not at the periphery, of an outcomes-oriented economy.
Stressing the importance of moving away from just fixing market failures, or, in the case of the SDGs, just seeing them in terms of a financial gap, she drew attention to the amount of money — $23 trillion — in public development banks and multilateral development banks combined. They should be providing patient, long-term, committed finance. When loans are provided to the private sector, they must be conditional on investment and innovation to help those willing to work for goals, she said. For example, the loans to the steel sector in Germany are conditional on lowering the material content of production by repurposing, reusing and recycling. But transformations will not happen without rethinking the concept of partnership. With COVID-19, eight vaccines have been developed but the way they are produced continues to be problematic due to intellectual property rights “misgovernance.” It is imperative, she said, to establish different types of conditions to share knowledge, with collective intelligence at the centre of innovation systems.
Lastly, she insisted that multilateralism and global cooperation are critical. The consulting industry has helped infantilize Governments, she warned, stressing the need for smart Government and smart business to work hand in hand. “We need to not think of financial gaps, but restructuring finance to create that SDG multipliers, which the UN Secretary-General talks about so importantly,” she said. Symbiotic, not parasitic, public-private partnerships are crucial, as they were in getting humans to the moon. It will be impossible to govern artificial intelligence if all talent is just going to the private sector, she said, underscoring the need for the private and public sectors to combine their capacities to achieve outcomes.
CHARITIE ROPATI, Arctic Youth Ambassador and Girl Rising Fellow, said that she hails from Kongiganak, a tiny village in south-west Alaska. Families moved there in 1967, she noted, recalling that her grandfather and other men moved their homes 11 miles with rope, a small tractor and dog sleds because they knew that the ground underneath their previous home was sinking due to thawing permafrost. This was done without Government help or outside aid, and she pointed out that Indigenous peoples often rely solely on themselves to ensure the survival of the next generation amidst a changing climate. Pointing out that her people have subsisted from the land and ocean along Alaska’s west coast for thousands of years, she stressed: “Our people were never poor, because the land always provided, and we took care of her.” This bond brought joy, and this is how her people define their wealth, she said. She underscored, however: “Fossil fuels are killing us – what more am I to tell you?”
“The act of assigning value to land and commodifying its resources directly contradicts the principles of harmony I learned growing up,” she continued, noting that – while Indigenous peoples make up less than 5 per cent of the global population – they protect 80 per cent of global biodiversity. Despite that dedication to protect the land, entire ecosystems are dying because global leaders are not willing to do what needs to be done – a just, immediate transition away from fossil fuels. Further, she urged investment in communities that have continuously adapted to climate change – like her own – and that decisions should not be made about such communities without them. “We need to be at the table, in rooms like the one we are in today,” she stressed, adding: “Stop pretending that this crisis is not happening and take direct action.”
Statements
The representatives of Nepal, speaking on behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries, stressed the critical importance of partnership in implementing the necessary instruments and mitigating adversities in their development effort. The international community must take urgent and bold action to ensure those countries have better access to affordable, long-term international financing, including more climate finance on adaptation. He urged development partners to re-channel $100 billion in special drawing rights to help them get back on track to meet the SDGs. It is now more necessary than ever to synchronize efforts to urgently rescue the most vulnerable countries regressing in SDG achievement, he said, highlighting the role of the Economic and Social Council in promoting international collaboration and partnerships for development.
The representative of Botswana, speaking on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries, said that for the 32 States in this group, today’s meeting could not be timelier and more relevant, as preparations are under way for the third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in June. Partnership lies at the heart of the Conference, as indicated in its theme, “Driving Progress through Partnerships”. He urged all stakeholders to engage in this once-in-a-decade opportunity to agree on a development agenda that could transform the reality of landlocked developing countries by addressing their longstanding challenges derived from their geographical constraints. A new Programme of Action can only be as effective as the partnerships to be forged for its implementation.
The representative of Belgium, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the bloc — through partnerships — pursues its priorities, such as supporting green, just and digital transitions, and strengthening gender equality. Eradicating poverty, tackling discrimination and inequalities, and leaving no one behind are at the heart of the Union’s international partnerships, particularly with African and the least developed countries. As the largest single multilateral donor of official development assistance (ODA), the bloc channelled 43 per cent of all ODA in 2022 to those most in need. Team Europe have mounted a comprehensive response to the global food crisis, providing immediate humanitarian and short-term food assistance to those most vulnerable and investing in sustainable food production and food systems to boost resilience.
The representative of Denmark, speaking also for Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, stressed the need to address the SDG financing gap estimated at $3.9 trillion a year through innovative financing solutions to increase private sector investments. Global, regional or local partnerships can facilitate knowledge transfer, technical assistance and capacity-building to empower nations to meet their development goals. Inclusivity is critical. Partnerships with civil society, youth and community groups can contribute unique perspectives, local knowledge and grassroots solutions.
A speaker representing the World Organization of United Cities Local Governments said SDG achievement requires the renewal of the multilateral system from the bottom up, with local and regional Governments playing a key role. This must be recognized in the United Nations Pact for the Future.
The representative of Zambia proposed several measures for global partnerships to advance the 2030 Agenda for Development in developing countries, including investing in resilient infrastructure in transport, energy, agricultural and social sectors; enhancing productive capacities and encouraging entrepreneurship to address informality; building resilience to climate change and other economic, social and environmental shocks; and increased investments in information and communications technology infrastructure towards a digital economy and increased competitiveness in international markets.
A speaker representing the Major Group for Children and Youth called on Member States to provide financial support for youth participation at the upcoming Economic and Social Council Youth Forum and the high-level political forum. More than 20 young people participating today at this Partnership Forum are “the human faces of the 2030 Agenda,” she stressed, declaring: “Nothing about youth without youth.”
The representative of Canada stressed that achieving the SDGs takes a Team Global approach in which every citizen and every organization is involved. “The four horsemen of the apocalypse” are stopping the international community from doing its work. The first is indifference and complacency. The second is silos and turf wars, which continue to bedevil the United Nations and all global efforts. The third is rhetoric not matched by action. Actions must match words and the walk must match the talk, he said. And finally, pessimism and hopelessness prevent action. “We have to get back to the idea of making pragmatic progress of advancing the goals, stopping the slide backwards and starting the march forward again,” he said.
The representative of Mexico, underlining the importance of SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals), said that her Government “translated words into deeds” by holding a national convention for the 2030 Agenda that gathered all relevant stakeholders. She also detailed the Government’s efforts to facilitate multisectoral engagement by consulting youth, local authorities, the private sector and academia.
The representative of Qatar also spotlighted his country’s record of partnership and cooperation, through which it has implemented development projects that benefit millions around the world. Emphasizing the importance of outcome-oriented partnerships, he reported that his Government has provided more than $30 million for the network of “Accelerator Labs” run by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The representative of the United States, meanwhile, detailed efforts by the United States Agency for International Development to foster locally led development solutions to advance the SDGs. This approach uses local knowledge and feedback to drive outcomes and meaningfully create space for local actors, and he stressed that experience has shown that facilitating local ownership in development cooperation leads to greater quality, efficacy and sustainability.
However, the representative of the Women’s Major Group joined others in pointing out that efforts to achieve inclusive growth have not matched the scale and intensity of current global crises — or the disproportionate impact of climate change, conflict and deepening inequality on women and girls. She therefore stressed the need for transformative partnerships that seek to challenge power imbalances and promote the human rights of all marginalized communities — particularly those traditionally excluded.
Also underlining the need to do more was the representative of Sri Lanka, who pointed out that — as the Forum meets — 700 million people are forced to survive on less than $2 a day. Poverty, he stressed, is about much more than a lack of income — including the inability to acquire services and a lack of power to negotiate. He also stated that, while there appears to be no shortage of financing to proliferate aggression and conflict, addressing poverty and promoting peace have been “relegated to acts of charity”.
On the issue of funding, the representative of Maldives noted that developing countries must rely on their partners to achieve development, which is not sustainable. He also pointed out another major challenge to achieving sustainable development, especially in small island developing States — lack of access to data — urging the development of such States’ data and productive capacities.
The representative of Kenya echoed that, stating that data analytics can address poverty, food insecurity and climate change while ensuring that the benefits of technological advancement reach marginalized populations. He therefore called for strengthened international cooperation to exchange knowledge, resources and best practices.
However, the representative of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee said that flashy new innovations are not necessary to get SDG 1 (no poverty) back on track. The graduation approach combines a large productive asset; basic-needs support while that asset becomes productive; and coaching that builds agency, know-how and hope. Evidence shows that, over the course of two years, this approach can enable hundreds of millions to escape poverty and build long-term resilience, she said.
Closing Segment
ANITA THOMAS, Chair of the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, sharing key messages from a panel discussion on Goal 1 on poverty, said that in the current trajectory, 575 million people will be living in extreme poverty. This segment highlighted several key investments that can move the needle in reducing poverty: access to education for all children; access to basic quality and health services; access to energy, water and sanitation services and public infrastructure; access to affordable and decent housing for low-income families; and access to decent jobs, sustainable livelihoods and productive assets. Key investments also included: leveraging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) to democratized solutions and to reach the last mile; targeted interventions to ensure no one and no place is left behind; and interventions to specific population groups, such as women, youth, the elderly, the forcibly displaced small farmers and informal workers with no protection.
JOSEPH BANGURA, a representative of the Major Group for Children and Youth, then gave an overview of the segment on Goal 2 (no hunger). With just seven agricultural seasons remaining, the international community is severely off-track to achieving this Goal. Extreme climate events are disrupting food supplies, and ongoing global conflict is further undermining food security. Achieving sustainable, equitable and resilient agri-food systems requires international collaboration, and he underlined the need to create an enabling environment for bottom-up and cross-sectorial decision-making. This should involve family farmers and producers, Indigenous Peoples, marginalized individuals, the private sector and others, because different communities play complementary roles and could, therefore, bring complementary strengths to the process. He also said that partnerships to transform agri-food systems should focus on shared goals, mutual impact and value-sharing — rather than on transactional exchanges — to be effective. Noting that safeguards must evolve alongside a changing world, he urged those present “to take the necessary steps now, for all our sakes”.
MARIA TERESA BENTO PARREIRA, Head of Curation of Reboot, sharing key messages from a panel discussion on Goal 13 (climate action), said that the session featured insights from a diverse panel of experts representing various sectors and groups, with a focus on fostering collaboration for effective climate action. The speakers underscored the interconnected impact of climate action, the transformative potential of inclusive partnerships and the imperative to address disproportionate risks faced by marginalized communities. The session also emphasized the integral role and urgency of climate action in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Targeted climate partnerships have proven to accelerate progress across multiple SDGs. The speakers recognized the importance of a comprehensive approach to achieving the SDGs by aligning them with the Paris Agreement on climate change.
PRIYA SOOD, Knowledge Management and Advocacy Coordinator at the Global Policy Centre for Governance of the United Nations Development Programme, reporting on the segment concerning Goal 16 (peace and justice), underscored the need for a whole-of-society approach to achieve this Goal. Among the suggestions she made, she called for strengthened national statistical systems to produce reliable, disaggregated data that can inform relevant national policy. Further, it is necessary to ensure the existence and implementation of laws governing access to information. She also urged efforts to tackle the drivers of biodiversity loss and pollution, as well as to promote an inclusive approach to addressing the climate crisis. Additionally, the international community must work to transform education and life-long learning to allow both cognitive and non-cognitive learning to drive peace and sustainable development across nations. She also highlighted the importance of engaging youth as leaders, agents and participants in all aspects of decision-making.
Mr. JUNHUA, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said that today’s discussions have served to carry forward the momentum created by the SDG Summit in 2023, while allowing reflections on key priorities that lie ahead, including towards the Summit of the Future in September 2024. The speakers highlighted how partnerships can be a catalyst for SDG implementation at all levels. To be effective, however, partnerships must respect country ownership and local contexts and have robust accountability measures in place. Many participants stressed the need to ensure that no one is left behind in development efforts and to mobilize more resources to address barriers, including through the SDG Stimulus Plan proposed by the Secretary-General. The Forum also heard about a range of concrete actions and remarkable multi-stakeholder partnerships spanning across sectors, institutions, and geographical borders. “This is the moment to galvanize political will to deliver sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions for all,” he concluded.
Ms. NARVÁEZ OJEDA (Chile), President of the Economic and Social Council, noted the many new ideas and bold strategies expressed today on how the international community can build a more sustainable future for all. She also welcomed that the 2024 Partnership Forum embodied her vision of the Council acting as a “unified platform for all”, and a space where multi-stakeholder and participatory discussions can “shine the spotlight on innovative solutions for addressing many of today’s most pressing challenges”. Noting that today’s meeting will feed directly into the Coordination Segment to be held over the coming days, she said that she will prepare a joint summary of the Forum and the Segment that will capture discussions and proposals from both meetings. This joint summary will serve as an important input for future work, and she expressed hope that upcoming meetings of the Council and its subsidiary bodies can build on today’s discussions and continue to catalyse transformative partnerships and harness collective political momentum towards achieving the SDGs.