UN Secretary-General calls on the international community to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
New York, September 18 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Friday evening for accelerating global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing that honoring the commitments made by governments upon their adoption represents both a duty and an opportunity to build a more just, secure, and sustainable world. This came in a speech delivered by Guterres at the “Sustainable Development Goals Moment” event held during the UN General Assembly, coinciding with the launch of the High-Level Week of the 81st session of the General Assembly.
Guterres stated that the SDGs represent a “promise” made by all governments and shaped by the aspirations of peoples to build healthier, safer, and more prosperous societies, eradicate poverty and hunger, combat inequality and discrimination, and protect the planet. He warned that progress achieved since the adoption of the goals has suffered significant setbacks due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, while development currently faces growing challenges stemming from conflicts, lack of trust, inequality, climate change, rising debt, and insufficient investment.
He added that the world continues to spend record amounts on wars, while development lacks the necessary resources, stressing that the time has come for governments to honor their commitments. Guterres outlined four priorities to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs: (1) combating inequality, (2) protecting the planet, (3) enhancing financing for sustainable development, and (4) accelerating progress through improved data, responsible use of artificial intelligence, and strengthened trade, partnerships, and peace efforts.
In conclusion, the Secretary-General affirmed that honoring the SDG promise represents “our greatest opportunity to build a more just, secure, and sustainable world.”
For his part, UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman noted that food insecurity affected approximately 1.2 billion people in 2025, while one in ten people still lives in extreme poverty. He pointed out that the world faces an annual financing gap of $4 trillion to achieve the SDGs, and that official development assistance (ODA) fell by a record 23 percent in 2025.
The event highlighted some achievements over the past decade, noting that around one billion people gained access to safely managed drinking water, and 1.2 billion people to safely managed sanitation services. Electricity reached 92 percent of the world’s population, and internet access rose to 74 percent.
According to the Progress Report on the SDGs, 49 percent of the goals’ targets are progressing too slowly, while 15 percent have regressed to levels below the baseline recorded in 2015. (End) E.S.T. / M.M.J.
