UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the international community to save and prioritise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"In a world in crisis, saving the Sustainable Development Goals is more crucial than ever," the Secretary-General said at the UN Economic and Social Council's (ECOSOC) 2022 Operational Activities for Development Segment on Tuesday. "When we see the majority of the SDGs regressing due to the pile of crises we are facing, rescuing them must be our greatest common goal," the senior UN official stated.
According to sources, the pandemic has claimed the lives of approximately 15 million people, said the UN Chief. "It will have pushed almost 100 million people into poverty by 2020. It has also pushed human development, particularly women's rights, back a generation "the Secretary-General stated.
The pandemic required "a coordinated response based on solidarity" between wealthy and developing countries, according to Guterres, but this did not happen.
Concerning development, the UN Secretary-General stated that "We are in the midst of a global development emergency. Governments and citizens alike are appealing to the United Nations for assistance during these trying times." "The globe is on fire," Guterres said, "and international collaboration has so far failed to deliver for those who need it most." "We have no choice but to continue pushing our boundaries and increasing our efforts," he said.
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