Doha, Media & Communication Dept., March 07

HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani stressed that the progress made on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is now at risk of a setback due to the multiple ongoing crises, pointing out that the SDGs were already off track before the COVID-19 pandemic.
This came during Her Excellency's participation in Flip the Script from Potential to Prosperity: SDG advocacy and campaigning towards the SDG Summit side event, on the sidelines of the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5).
Her Excellency pointed out that the 2023 SDG Summit, which will convene in September is of high importance for three reasons: first, being the first summit to be convened since the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted all countries, and none was spared of it, where its multidimensional impacts hit hard on the least developed countries (LDCs) as poor countries suffered more hunger, poverty, and inequality.
Her Excellency indicated that the second reason that makes the 2023 SDG Summit of great importance is that it comes at a time when the world is facing several crises, such as climate change, natural crises, lack of food security, ongoing conflicts, the energy crisis, the debts, inflation, and low growth.
Her Excellency said that the third reason that makes the 2023 SDG Summit of great importance is that the time is running out, saying that the world is halfway through the 2030 plan, and yet it is still far from where it should be.
Her Excellency pointed out that it is expected that during September, the member states will conduct a comprehensive review and assessment, giving recommendations for moving forward. Her Excellency noted the need for member states to stress the necessity of rapid implementation and to make an urgent appeal to take action for compensating the loss during the pandemic regarding the SDGs.
HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations said that the message that the world leaders should deliver is that world countries should not keep working as usual. The world needs to move and take swift measures as the significance and the future of the ongoing operations in the UN itself count on the rapid implementation of the 2030 plan.
Her Excellency said that she was honored by being appointed by the President of the United Nations General Assembly as a co-facilitator of the Political Declaration of the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Summit along with the Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN.
Her Excellency said that she is aware of the challenges of that critical mission, including the fact of high hopes for the Political Declaration, pointing out that it would be so important to adopt the declaration by consensus, delivering a message that the world is united behind the 2030 plan. Her Excellency expressed hope for a political declaration that is inspiring, ambitious, concise, actionable, and contains high-level transformative recommendations.
Her Excellency stressed that the success of the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Summit will create momentum for the 2024 Summit of the Future, which is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for recommitting and improving global governance that suits the future.