United Nations

COVIDโ€™s pushed us โ€˜further off courseโ€™ from Global Goals: Mohammed

The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution is worsening, the deputy UN chief told a new coordination meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Thursday, reminding that the world has less than nine years left to reach the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

โ€œWe are far from where we should be โ€“ and the pandemic has pushed us even further off courseโ€œ, said Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, noting that โ€œindicators on poverty, hunger, education and jobs are all moving in the wrong directionโ€.

Charting a forward path

Although it has taken a great toll on people across the world, particularly those most vulnerable and marginalized, Ms. Mohammed echoed the Secretary-General in saying: โ€œWe are neither hopeless nor helplessโ€œ.

People can resolve these challenges by using the Our Common Agenda blueprint, to chart the path forward and reach the SDGs.

โ€œIt provides an opportunity to set the tone for the sessions of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies and shape the UN systemโ€™s policy and normative work in the run up to the High-Level Political Forum, in Julyโ€, said the deputy chief.

Maximizing efforts

Inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic requires scale and ambition along with the careful calibration of policies and partnerships.

Moreover, institutions must be strengthened and global financial systems rejigged to ensure that all countries have the fiscal space needed to invest in their people.

And a more effective financing architecture would bolster debt relief, re-direct Special Drawing Rights (a type of extra foreign exchange asset) and boost the resources of multilateral development banks, according to senior UN official.

Opening a new chapterfor

While expressing confidence in ECOSOCโ€™s commissions, forums and subsidiary bodies, she conceded that it would โ€œtake an effort from allโ€ to accelerate the SDGs.

Ms. Mohammed maintained that it would be โ€œcrucialโ€ to identify areas where the Councilโ€™s commissions can โ€œconstructively ignite and supportโ€ an equitable recovery guided by the 2030 Development Agenda.

By bringing together specialized agency heads in this meeting, she stated that it can โ€œmark a new chapter in ECOSOCโ€™s journeyโ€, giving more impetus to ensuring โ€œan integrated and impactful UN responseโ€ to benefit countries and regions.

โ€˜One and onlyโ€™ ECOSOC

ECOSOC President Collen Vixen Kelapile said that while the task of building back better from COVID-19 is โ€œdauntingโ€, it must be embraced by Member States to accelerate SDG progress.

And as it provides policy guidance, strengthens multilateral cooperation and mobilizes international solidarity โ€“ ECOSOC is an important component in achieving the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda for SDG financing, and the Paris Agreement.

ECOSOC is โ€œthe one and only platformโ€ that overviews the work of the entire UN system on sustainable development, reminded Mr. Kelapile.

โ€œIt is the place where UN system entities, chairs of functional commissions and expert bodiesโ€ฆmeet with Member States to discuss the major policy issuesโ€ฆ[and] instil direction, create synergies, and increase cooperation and coordination within the UN system at largeโ€.

UNCDF
The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is supporting womenโ€™s economic empowerment in the worldโ€™s 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

โ€˜Rekindle a spirit of solidarityโ€™

The ECOSOC President reminded that the new so-called Coordination Segment is designed to enhance the bodyโ€™s leadership, oversight and coordination role to maximize the impact of the entire UN system.

โ€œWe need to ensure that the Councilโ€™s deliberations during the coming two days offer clear guidance and inspire fruitful policy discussions leading up to the High-level Political Forum (HLPF)โ€, he said.

He urged the meeting to identify aspects of the 2030 Agenda that are not receiving adequate attention, such as orphan SDGs and targets, and โ€œfind them a home in the ECOSOC systemโ€.

We need to rekindle a spirit of solidarity between peoples and countries โ€“ ECOSOC President

โ€œAbove all, we need to rekindle a spirit of solidarity between peoples and countriesโ€œ, underscored Mr. Kelapile.

โ€œLet us utilize ECOSOC toโ€ฆdevelop policy guidanceโ€ฆleverage action by the UN systemโ€ฆovercome the pandemic and achieve the SDGs through strengthened international cooperation and solidarityโ€, he concluded.

Cross-cutting catalysts

Chairing the meeting, ECOSOC Vice-Presidnet Suriya Chindawongse urged the participants to identify both overlap and synergies and encouraged greater coordination in womenโ€™s empowerment.

โ€œOnly through coordination can we be greater than the sum of our parts and thus more effectively sustain sustainabilityโ€, he said.

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