UN chief calls mobilizing resources to attain Sustainable Development Goals a challenge

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday said that mobilizing resources to achieve the Sustainable Developing Goals (SDGs) "will be a significant challenge" at a time when the global economic recovery continues to remain uneven.

The secretary-general, while speaking at a forum of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on financing for development, said that the financing requirements to achieve the SDGs are estimated to be in the order of trillions of dollars annually.

"Mobilizing these resources will be a significant challenge, particularly at a time of continued economic uncertainty and financial constraints," Ban said.

SDGs are a set of 17 sustainable development goals approved by world leaders in September last year to serve as the blueprint for the global development efforts for the next 15 years.

"I urge you to make good use of this Forum to usher in a new era of international cooperation on financing for sustainable development," said the secretary-general. "With a spirit of true partnership, shared responsibility and solidarity, we can transform our global vision into better lives and greater opportunities for people everywhere."

In July 2015, world leaders gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and adopted a comprehensive framework to mobilize and deliver the resources, technology and partnerships needed for sustainable development.

The Addis Agenda provides a full range of actions to realign financial flows and policies with economic, social and environmental priorities, he said.

"Since we met in Addis, risks and vulnerabilities have increased," he said. "Large numbers of refugees are on the move, and geopolitical tensions have escalated in some regions. Commodity prices are falling and capital flows are more volatile."

Ban admitted the global economic recovery remains uneven and the strong, sustained and balanced growth needed to realize sustainable development for all are not in sight. "Yet this challenge is not unsurmountable," he said.

"Implementation will be the test of our commitment," he said. "The Addis Agenda provides the foundation for a renewed and strengthened global partnership for sustainable development."

The Addis Agenda contains more than 100 concrete policy commitments that draw upon all sources of finance, technology, innovation, trade, debt and data to support the 2030 Agenda.

"I urge each and every one of you to take action and show leadership," he said. "We must all play our part in this global endeavour, from governments and international organisations, to financial and trade institutions, the private sector and civil society."

Ban also stressed the importance of carrying out accurate and comprehensive monitoring of actions at all levels.

"We must sustain our political momentum and build on the unprecedented collaboration of recent years," Ban said. "The global response to the 2030 Agenda must match the scope of the challenge, which means tapping into the potential of all actors to achieve the large-scale transformation we need." Endit