Mauritius stresses UN role in helping countries in carrying out global development goal

Anerood Jugnauth, the prime minister of Mauritius, on Friday underlined the important role of the United Nations in helping countries in their individual efforts to carry out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which he described as new benchmarks that will shape the world's future.

The prime minister, speaking at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, said that "We acknowledge the importance of every goal, target and every indicator as steps towards a better world."

"Our collective response and our solidarity in the face of challenges that will arise as we try to carve out a sustainable world, will determine whether we succeed in achieving the SDGs," he said.

"Every country has its priorities and will need to formulate a unique set of actions to achieve the universal goals we have set for ourselves," he said. "In this context, the United Nations will have an important role to play in backing up countries' individual efforts."

Mauritius is focussing at first on the eradication of extreme forms of poverty, introducing a subsistence allowance for the extreme poor that will give them an income that 40 percent higher than the World Bank's absolute poverty threshold.

"There are yet many miles to go and we will pursue our journey resolutely towards attaining all the SDGs, working together with the private sector and civil society," he said. "We are fully committed to create a more equitable system, to safeguard rule of law and to ensure equal access to justice for all." Endit