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Meeting with developing country leaders, Ban stresses universal nature of new sustainability agenda

Source: UN in collaboration with Project Everyone
Source: UN in collaboration with Project Everyone

Meeting with developing country leaders, Ban stresses universal nature of new sustainability agenda

On the eve of a United Nations summit convened to give impetus to an ambitious new agenda to eradicate poverty and set the world on the path of sustainable development, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on both developed and developing nations to play their part.

“Tomorrow is a historic day. The world will unite around a universal and transformative Agenda to guide development efforts to 2030,” he told a ministerial meeting of the G77 and China, a grouping that now includes 134 states, more than two thirds of the total UN membership of 193.

“Developed countries are committing to act not only through their development cooperation, but also through domestic plans and policies,” he told the ministers ahead of the three-day summit being held with the context of the UN General Assembly’s 70th annual General Debate.

“It demands to enhance the productive capacity in developing countries, especially in the least developed countries. It addresses the preservation of the planet and the fight against climate change.”

“The new programme, Transforming Our World: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development consists of a Declaration, 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets, a section on means of implementation and renewed global partnership, all seeking to build on and expand the eight Millennium Development Goals adopted at a UN summit in 2000.

“Mr. Ban stressed that the Agenda focuses on growth and decent employment, while .ensuring the preservation of the planet and the fight against climate change, taking into account the complexity and interconnected nature of today’s most vexing challenges.

“The Group of 77 and China has played an extremely important role in shaping this agenda. I am sure you will sustain the same enthusiasm and idealism as we move to implementation,” Mr. Ban said, committing the full support of the entire UN System. “You need to act in your countries to build awareness and commitment to this agenda.”