Recorded Vote of 154 Countries in Favour; Israel, United States Against

Amid growing inequality, escalating climate threats, persistent poverty, and a widening digital divides, world leaders today warned that sustainable development remains critically off track — underscored by a staggering $4 trillion annual financing gap.  At the conclusion of the High-Level Political Forum, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, Member States adopted a Ministerial Declaration reaffirming the international community’s unwavering commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The three-day ministerial segment, held under the theme “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] — for leaving no one behind”, culminated in the adoption of the Declaration (document E/HLPF/2025/L.1), introduced by the representative of Czechia.

Adopted by a recorded vote of 154 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (Iran, Paraguay), ministers pledged to act with urgency, uphold the principle of leaving no one behind, and emphasized good governance, peace and multilateralism as critical enablers of sustainable development.  Their Declaration also laid out priority actions across the SDGs, calling for bold, science- and evidence-based solutions to advance progress.

They urged increased investment in climate adaptation, disaster resilience, digital connectivity, biodiversity protection, and food security.  On SDG 3 (Health and Well-Being), leaders reaffirmed the importance of universal health coverage, equitable vaccine access, and resilient health systems — particularly in light of the ongoing impact of health and economic crises on vulnerable populations.

On gender equality, recognized as a key accelerator of development, Member States committed to ending all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, closing the gender digital divide, investing in care systems, and supporting women’s full participation in leadership and the economy.  With regard to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), leaders reiterated their commitment to promoting fair wages, decent work, and economic opportunity — especially for women, youth, and informal workers — through inclusive policies, green innovation, and education.

Turning to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the SDGs), the Declaration underscored the urgent need to reform the global financial architecture, scale up international development cooperation, and boost support for developing countries.  It endorsed the Sevilla Commitment, called for inclusive tax systems and stronger global economic governance, and encouraged greater use of voluntary national reviews to track progress and share best practices.

Lack of Consensus on Amendments to Declaration

A lack of consensus was demonstrated in the lead up to the vote on the Declaration as a whole as well.  First, the Council rejected an amendment concerning paragraph 48 by a recorded vote of 52 in favour to 99 against, with 2 abstentions (Andorra, Liberia).  Next, it decided to retain paragraph 14 by a recorded vote of 116 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 36 abstentions.  It then decided to retain paragraphs 39, 56, 58, 61 and 62 by a recorded vote of 141 in favour to 2 against (United States, Ethiopia), with 5 abstentions (Belarus, Iran, Liberia, Paraguay, Russian Federation).  Finally, it decided to retain paragraph 72 by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 1 abstention (Russian Federation).  And, amidst these votes, some delegations also took the floor to disassociate from certain concepts, phrases and terms within the Declaration.

35 Voluntary National Reviews Presented on Concrete, Inspiring Examples of SDG Progress

“This year’s forum drew 6,000 participants, including over 100 ministers,” said Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in closing remarks.  He noted that the 35 voluntary national reviews presented “concrete and inspiring examples” of SDG progress, with the online database now holding over 400 reports.  Further, he praised stakeholders for adding “crucial depth to our discussions” and called the Ministerial Declaration “a powerful reaffirmation of our shared commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs”. 

Earlier in the day, several ministers and delegations shared their country’s specific successes and challenges in meeting the SDGs.  Péter Szijjártó, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary, underscored that his country has lived in the "direct neighbourhood of a war" — a conflict that continues to be "regrettably and continuously refuelled".  Though neither Hungary nor the Hungarian people bear responsibility for this war — “this is not our war” — they have paid the price through "skyrocketing energy prices, increasing food prices and a skyrocketing war inflation".

Ms. Chelbi, Minster at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad of Tunisia, expressed deep alarm that the pledge to “leave no one behind” rings hollow in Gaza, where people face “genocide, hunger, and destruction”.   She called the 2030 Agenda “a road map for achieving prosperity and international solidarity”.  But progress, she said, has been hindered by “COVID-19, food insecurity, conflicts, and regional instability”, especially for women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

Tajikistan’s delegate said his Government prioritizes gender equality, with reforms expanding women’s participation and legal protections, and has strengthened health systems to ensure universal access and resilience.  But the world indeed faces a “perfect storm of overlapping crises” — climate change, food insecurity and rising geopolitical tensions.   

$4 Trillion SDG Financing Gap 

“In Guinea, despite structural vulnerabilities, we’ve reduced maternal mortality, increased medical staffing, and advanced gender equality through a new parity law and women’s empowerment centres,” that country’s delegate said.  More specifically, he shared, the national programme aims at structural transformation through responsible and sustainable resource exploitation, including a major mining project with 650 kilometres of rail and a deep-sea port, ensuring that growth directly benefits communities.  “We’re also harnessing hydroelectric power to become a regional energy hub, while protecting our 300 kilometres coastline under a new blue economy strategy adopted in 2024,” he added.  However, “financing remains a serious issue,” with a $4 trillion global gap, he emphasized, echoing the concerns of many. 

The representative of the Federated States of Micronesia underscored that climate change is an “existential challenge that reverberates across all dimensions of development” and “financing climate resilience remains insufficient and slow-moving”.  “We call for urgent global action to preserve marine biodiversity,” he added.

Education in Crisis

On the topic of education, the representative of Japan, speaking for the Group of Friends for Education and Lifelong Learning, said that countries investing in education “tend to achieve greater social unity, economic growth and lasting peace”.  “Yet, today, education is in crisis,” he said, as some 255 million children remain out of school while “millions more are not even reaching basic learning outcomes”.  Poverty, conflict, discrimination and the digital divide are hindering progress — especially in vulnerable contexts. 

The representative of Paraguay meanwhile underlined the “fundamental role for alliances in achieving development”, noting that his country has implemented “high impact” programmes in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the areas of hunger, women and work.  Cooperation, he emphasized, must be based on mutual respect, shared responsibility, complementarity and adaptation to national needs and contexts. 

Training of Sustainable Development Experts

The representative of Romania said the Government is developing a “virtual one-stop-shop for localizing the SDGs” which will empower local authorities, businesses and civil society to embed the Goals in community-level planning and action.  Also emphasizing the importance of human capital, she noted that Romania is the first country in the European Union to “institutionalize the profession of sustainable development expert” — and is on track to train 2,000 such professionals by the end of 2025.

UN agencies and international organizations also weighed in with a representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies underlining that “over 12 million lives have been saved” in the fight against malaria.  In Gaza, where international access is restricted, the Palestine Red Crescent has gone “tent by tent to inoculate babies against polio”.  Yet the risk landscape is worsening — “more frequent, deadly, and complex” disasters, coupled with conflict and weakened multilateralism, threaten progress. Attacks on healthcare workers further endanger community-based health responses.  

Millions of Children Not Receiving Adequate Health, Education, Protection  

On the topic of children’s rights, a representative of the Together 2030 Stakeholder Group — a coalition of children’s rights organizations — emphasized that as the UN turns 80 years old, millions of children, especially girls, remain left behind in health, education, and protection. “Maternal mortality is high, access to reproductive health is shrinking, and mental health needs go unmet,” particularly in conflict zones.  Meanwhile, one in five girls is married before 18, and 230 million have experienced Female Genital Mutilation. 

“Children are paying the price for our inaction,” stressed the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Every child on the planet is suffering from the effects of climate change, and a child is killed every four minutes by an act of violence somewhere in the world.  “However, children are not the authors of these challenges,” she stated — “they are the key to the solutions”.  Every dollar invested in a child today — in their health, nutrition, learning and protection — “can be returned up to tenfold in the stronger economies, peaceful societies and resilient communities”, she said.

Sustainable Solutions Must Reflect Regional Realities, Local Knowledge

Other organizations spotlighted the challenges of specific regions and peoples, with a representative of the Association of Caribbean States saying that in the Caribbean, rising seas, poverty, and climate vulnerability demand global solidarity.  Sustainable solutions must reflect “regional realities, local knowledge, and decades of experience,” she said, stressing that dignity cannot wait — the Caribbean needs resources, coherence, and shared responsibility. 

The observer for the World Roma Federation pointed out that millions of Roma people across more than 40 countries remain among the world’s most marginalized.  “We face systemic exclusion in education, housing, employment and representation,” he stressed, adding:  “The Roma are not invisible — we are educators, artists, business professionals and youth advocates — but we remain structurally underrepresented in global processes.”  He called for the observation of International Roma Day across UN platforms and the inclusion of Roma youth in digital and climate-resilience programmes.

Role of Business Sector in Fostering Inclusive Economic Growth 

Business voices were present as well as the representative of the Business and Industry Major Group pledged that business remains committed to “inclusive economic growth, sustainable development, and multilateral cooperation”, ready to support the Global Pact for the Future.  “Our tools, expertise, and scaling capacity are vital to strengthening international policies and partnering with communities,” she said.

The representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) noted that ongoing, overlapping crises have impacted global economic growth, reduced investments, fragmented supply chains and slowed job creation.  “To advance the SDGs, developing countries need to invest in transforming their economies,” she said.