The SDG Summit last September demonstrated our political will to make fast progress on the SDGs.
Now, it is time for us all to deliver. It is time for a genuine spirit of reconciliation and cooperation.
The multilateral system needs trust to work. The growing number of declarations and resolutions not reaching consensus, even on seemingly uncontroversial development issues, is worrying - and telling - about the trust between us.
Excellencies,
First, we must realise that we are no longer first and foremost developed countries and developing countries. We can no longer be easily categorized as east or west, north or south. We are countries with interests, sometimes overlapping, and only a few times conflicting.
Second, we need to build bridges across our divides. We need to find common ground rather than separation. It is a collective responsibility for us to reduce unnecessary tensions and cooperate.
Third, in the spirit of multilateral cooperation, we should vote for what we are genuinely for, and against only what we are very much against. This way we can find ways forward together.
And fourth, we need to make sure trust is not eroded further.
We must make sure that the outcome of our deliberations benefit all of us with some, and not benefit some of us with it all.
If we take this to heart, we can succeed with the Summit of the Future in September, the Financing for Development conference in 2025 and ultimately with the 2030 Agenda itself.
We should use the Summit of the Future to reinvigorate, redefine and reinforce multilateral cooperation. We need to focus on what really matters. In our negotiations on the Pact for the Future we should focus on our overall ambitions and not on details.
In Spain in 2025, it is time we translate our commitments into action. We still have a lot to deliver on from Addis nine years ago. But we also need to step up our commitments and adopt a financing framework which effectively addresses the most pressing challenges we are faced with today.
On my side I can promise you this: As with this year’s political declaration, Norway will tirelessly strive to be a constructive facilitator. I hope for your support.
Thank you.