New york: The Gulf Group at the United Nations has called for urgent effort to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda by turning agreed commitments into actions that support developing nations.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the call came in a statement delivered by Kuwait's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Minister Plenipotentiary Faisal Al-Enezi on behalf of the Group during the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at the UN headquarters. Al-Enezi highlighted that only 17 percent progress had been made toward the 2030 goals, with many areas stagnant or regressing below the 2015 benchmarks.
He underscored the annual global financing gap for achieving these goals has surpassed USD four trillion, a shortfall that poses a threat to progress on critical issues with only five years remaining until 2030. Developing countries, Al-Enezi stressed, are grappling with intertwined challenges such as widening inequalities, rising debt burdens, and the worsening impacts of climate change, all of which hinder progress.
Al-Enezi urged for enhanced international cooperation, global solidarity, and multilateralism to tackle these challenges. He also emphasized the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries' focus on this year's SDGs review themes.
In terms of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Al-Enezi noted that 2024 statistics show global marine reserves cover 8 percent of oceans, while the Middle East, including the GCC, has protected 36 percent of biologically important marine areas. He praised the progress in development policy over the past two years and stressed the need for stronger regional and international collaboration to address cross-border challenges.
Al-Enezi concluded by reaffirming the Group's commitment to joint action and resource mobilization to achieve the 2030 goals, calling for partnerships and fair international cooperation that meets the aspirations of all peoples and future generations.