Remarks by UN Resident Coordinator at the SDGs National Dialogue hosted by DPME

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

Good afternoon!

I am grateful to the Government of South Africa for co-hosting this important conversation, which could not be timelier.

Since the beginning of the democratic era, South Africa has been a leading voice for a model of development that puts socio-economic transformation and environmental sustainability at the centre – leaving no one behind.

And a new paradigm that applies to all countries - universally - focusing on financing, trade and technology transfers, going far beyond anachronistic and divisive racial, sexist and north-south approaches. 

This spirit of transformation is what the SDGs are all about.

A real paradigm shift from doing things as we have always been doing to disruptively embracing practices, patterns and interventions that will benefit people and our planet in an accelerated and sustainable manner.

But today, at the halfway point of the journey towards to 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including the Sustainable Development Goals, we face a sobering reality.   

Right now, the global community is failing people and planet. 

Just 12 per cent of the 140 SDG targets (for which we have data) are on track.

Progress on more than 50 per cent of the targets is weak and insufficient.

30 per cent have stalled or gone into reverse. 

These include fundamental targets on alleviating poverty, hunger and the devastating impacts of climate change.

And there is a global blind spot on 29 targets for which we lack the data to judge progress.

These statistics are not just numbers on a page.

They have real-world consequences, being felt across the globe. 

For example, hunger has increased, pulling the world back to 2005 levels.

At current rates of progress, only 30 per cent of all countries will achieve SDG 1 on ending poverty in all its forms by 2030.

Some 3.3 billion people are living in countries burdened by crippling debt, forcing governments with already meagre budgetary resources to spend more on debt servicing than on education or health.

 

Our planet is boiling, and we risk losing the fight against a changing climate, pollution and epic levels of biodiversity loss.  

Excellencies, 

So many of these challenges are playing out right here in Africa.

The region was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many countries are still struggling to recover.

In South Africa, women have been hardest hit. 

They make up more than half of the country’s population and are overly represented in the informal economy, and in care work and underpaid work, putting them in a precarious position as economic growth in the country falters.

Across the region, including here in South Africa, we've seen a rise in poverty and extreme poverty in recent years.

We will have an opportunity to hear about the status of SDGs achievement in South Africa and possible areas of accelerated interventions during the upcoming panel presentations.

Distinguished participants and friend,

Adding to this worrying picture of our world in trouble is the climate emergency, the impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the interconnected crises of food systems, energy, and finance.

Taken together, these challenges mean that just a quarter of SDG targets are projected to be met in 2030.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

The time for course correction is now. 

The actions being taken by South Africa give us hope – domestically and internationally as the President steps up its leadership role in the multilateral family, through BRICS, G20 and other fora.

South Africa’s leadership will be essential as we raise our ambition on the SDGs, climate, and reforming the international financial system.

South Africa’s leadership can inspire collective global action towards the 2030 Agenda.

Action like valuing unpaid care work and reinforcing social protection and generation of decent work through inclusive socioeconomic interventions, boosting SDG investments in just energy access and transition including renewables, advancing climate action and justice, protecting biodiversity and nature, improving service delivery and governance by tackling corruption and waste, ensuring sustainable food systems, inclusive digital transformation, quality education amongst other things.

Action like advocating for an SDG Stimulus to provide immediate relief, reforming Multilateral Development Banks and international financial institutions, and ensuring that developing countries have a strong voice at the decision-making table.

And action like increased south-south and triangular cooperation to achieve the SDGs — which South Africa has prioritized in recent years.

Excellencies, dear friends,

The 2023 SDG Summit next week will be the centre stage for the world to come together around the decisions necessary to put the world back on track to a fair, inclusive, and sustainable future for all.

The Secretary-General is urging leaders to come to the UN General Assembly and the SDG Summit ready to contribute to a Rescue Plan for People and Planet.

This means arriving with concrete national commitments and action plans to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

Based on the unfolding national commitment for SDG acceleration that is to be finalized and registered in advance of the Summit, when President Ramaphosa takes the floor, he will have the world’s attention. 

South Africa’s plan and the President’s voice can help inspire the world, and the examples from South Africa on Just Energy Transition, social protection, decent jobs, youth employment programs, localisation of development through the DDM, and the fight against GBV and corruption just to mention a few areas of action, can show that achieving the SDGs is possible, if we raise ambition and summon the political will to do so.

We encourage South Africa to be as concrete as possible on what it has implemented domestically, the challenges it faces – in tackling inequality, unemployment, weather events – and experiences it can share with others – for instance, on the JET partnership.

I am grateful for the opportunity today to hear firsthand some of these insights.

Excellencies, friends,

South Africa is known around the world for its rugby team – the Springboks, and we are all with our eyes on South Africa playing in France to defend its world cup title – and you know too well that games are won in the second half and by being StrongerTogether!

I am convinced that this is also the case for the SDGs.

As we enter the second half, we see South Africa as a fundamental player to help take us to a victory for people and planet. Go Bokke!

I look forward to a frank and open conversation today.

Above all I look forward to commitments towards transformative actions that will ensure the accelerated delivery of the SDGs and the National Development Plan for the benefit of South Africans and our shared home – the family planet.

Thank you! 

In addition, distinguished participants let me just also say….

In the build-up to the 2023 SDG Summit and to adhere to the Secretary-General’s call for the UN system around the world to help mobilise broad support and recommitment to the SDGs, the UN in South Africa embarked on a national and global call to action. 

We partnered with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to identify and connect, with each of the 17 SDGs, 17 famous quotes and excerpts from Madiba’s words of wisdom. 

The Mandela SDG Quote and Call to Action booklet was introduced in July during Mandela day and officially launched yesterday with the full support and involvement of the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed. 

What she had to say was also intended for this national dialogue….