Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Norway regards the 2030 Agenda with its Sustainable Development Goals as a transformative roadmap for eliminating global poverty. The commitment to leave no one behind resonates deeply with our humanity. Success will hinge on consistent and accountable follow up by us all.
Over the last decade, the world has seen a substantial decline in the number of people living in abject poverty. This is due to several factors. Successful implementation of the MDGs is one. More importantly though are the active steps taken by a number of countries to address extreme poverty at national level. The efforts to achieve the MDGs have taught us a crucially important lesson: poverty can be defeated.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
The SDG Advocacy Group, co-chaired by the Prime Minister of Norway and the President of Ghana, is commissioned by the UN Secretary-General to strengthen our resolve for global action. The messages are clear: firstly, that global successful follow up of the SDGs will require ownership, leadership and innovative public-private partnerships at all levels; and secondly, that the 2030 Agenda will nosedive if it does not take into account the realities on the ground.
Access to health services, clean energy, education and decent work are obvious routes for exiting poverty. So are decisive actions to combat climate change and pollution, onshore as well as offshore. However, they are not enough to turn the tide. Good governance is key. Norwegian development priorities reflect this understanding of what is required to transform our world. To achieve the SDGs, we must vigorously pursue policies that promote inclusiveness and equity.
The 2030 Agenda beams a vision that have planet, people and prosperity at its heart. Translating the Agenda into results on the ground requires a strong, legitimate multilateral system. We therefore welcome the report issued by the office of the Secretary-General, preparing the UN system to deliver a more coherent response to the 2030 Agenda. We look forward to its follow up and most importantly, the final report later on this year.
It is in our power to eliminate poverty in all its forms. To succeed, we must involve children, youth and adolescents, what we call the ‘2030 generation’, as partners in our efforts. We must also apply a gender equality perspective in all policy areas covered by the Agenda.
No one can do everything, but we can all do something. That is an important message in the white paper entitled Common Responsibility for our Common Future submitted to the Norwegian parliament earlier this year. The parliament confirmed that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development constitutes the basis of Norway’s development policy.
The planet is facing challenges that can only be resolved through re-energised and innovative partnerships. The 2030 Agenda is a clarion call to address the root causes of poverty, conflict, extremism, migration and climate change. The SDGs show us the steps we need to take.
We are here to affirm that we are heeding this call.
Thank you.