UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all countries to work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Guterres made the request in a video message to a high-level virtual meeting of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative.

"We are rapidly approaching the halfway mark in the time allotted to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To be blunt, progress is in peril. A fragile and uneven global economic recovery, climate change, and conflicts are all pushing our goals more out of reach, according to Covid-19 "he said.

More poverty and hunger; more inequalities within and among countries; more denials of basic human rights; a scandalously unequal distribution of Covid-19 vaccines; countries unable to invest in development due to spiralling debt, inflation, and a global financial system rigged against the poor; and a food, energy, and financial crisis sparked by the conflict in Syria.

"We must improve. We can do it. Your Global Development Initiative debates can help raise the needle on development progress in all countries "he said. "Through a reformed global financial system that improves access for developing countries so they can invest in their people instead of servicing their debt; through climate commitments that match the scale of the crisis and bold support for developing countries to leave fossil fuels behind and develop truly green and resilient economies; and through supporting peace, advancing human rights, and working for an end to all wars that scar our world and halt progress for all; Guterres demanded immediate action.

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