"Elevate Ambitions, March on for Peace" urges Deputy Chief to UN system in Arab States
In a moment marked by both reflection and foresight, Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, opened the 2024 Arab States Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) meeting on 5 March in Beirut, Lebanon, highlighting a critical moment in the movement towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the world.
The Deputy Chief's introductory remarks drew attention to the importance of the upcoming Summit of the Future, urging participants to “elevate their ambitions" and to keep fighting for peace, development and human rights despite the multifaceted challenges ahead. The recent SDG Summit had laid out clear “marching orders” for the UN to support Member States in accelerating progress towards the SDGs, emphasizing the need for urgent action, unity and reassessment of approaches.
Ms. Mohammed stressed the the unparalleled return on investment offered by development efforts to prevent and address the root causes of crises. She insisted on the the urgency to find creative solutions to ensure the best possible UN support to governments and peoples to achieve the SDGs. The Deputy Secretary-General also emphasized that nature was impacted by severe environmental degradation, threatening to undo decades of progress.
Central to the Deputy Secretary-General’ s address were the SDG accelerators identified as proven investment pathways to fast-track the SDGs. These transformative actions , already being implemented by many Member States and UN country teams (UNCTs), highlight the necessity for cross-sectoral collaboration to amplify impact.
During the meeting, regional representatives of the UN development system renewed their commitment to gearing up their efforts for a cohesive and coherent UN approach to tackle the region's most pressing challenges. With the Summit of the Future only six months away, the urgency for significant action was palpable. The Pact for the Future, as the Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder articulated, “now lies in the hands of the Member States”, demanding an unprecedented level of ambition and collaborative effort to navigate the complex landscape of the Arab States and in the rest of the world.
As the meeting unfolded, it became clear that for the Arab States region, where conflicts and wars negatively impact many people and set development back, achieving the SDGs requires a reinvigorated commitment to multilateralism, innovative solutions, and strategic investments. The call for unity and collective action resonated deeply, emphasizing the UN's role in operating cohesively and reducing fragmentation to support the member states in these critical transitions. The Deputy Secretary-General also noted that despite the difficult times, there were some signs of hope, for example, in new regional opportunities opening up for young people.
The Regional Collaborative Platform meeting was more than an event, it was a testament to the UN's enduring commitment to a sustainable and equitable future for all, especially in regions like the Arab States, where the development path is fraught with unique challenges impacting the progress towards the SDGs, echoing the need for a sustainable and inclusive future for the generations to come.
