UN chief highlights civil society's role on sustainable development goals

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday stressed the state and civil society should be partners on the world's new sustainable development goals.

While addressing the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament that opened at the UN Headquarters in New York Monday, Ban said "the task of implementing and monitoring these goals is huge. It requires States to work in strong and close partnership with civil society of all stripes."

Earlier this month, UN member states concluded negotiations on the world's new sustainable development agenda which includes 17 proposed sustainable development goals, ranging from poverty eradication, people's well-being promotion and environmental protection.

"The 17 Sustainable Development Goals that form the basis of this agenda are people-centered and planet-sensitive," said Ban, noting that they provide a roadmap for building a life of dignity for all.

Stressing that the world is challenged to strengthen the collective resolve to promote peace and security, sustainable development and human rights, Ban told the parliamentarians that "your contribution to its implementation will be equally critical in ensuring that the agenda is translated from the global to the national."

"People will look to you to hold your governments accountable for achieving the goals, and to write the laws and invest in the programs that will make them a reality," he added.

The world conference of speakers of parliament is held every five years. The current meeting will run through Wednesday, when a draft declaration, "Placing democracy at the service of peace and sustainable development: Building the world the people want," is expected to be adopted. Endit