Latest

Eight years ago, Member States gathered in this Hall to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals. A promise to build a world of health, progress and opportunity for all. A promise to leave no one behind. And a promise to pay for it. It was — always — a promise to people. 

From the food we eat, water we drink and energy we consume, biodiversity and nature fuel so many parts of life on earth. With only seven years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, investing in key transition areas, such as biodiversity and climate change adaptation and mitigation, can be a game-changer to advance the SDGs and protect our only planet.

Our UN teams are on the ground in 162 countries and territories, coordinating joint programmes and tackling a range of priorities and initiatives — from climate action and food security to gender equality and safety of civilians.

The 2023 Report of the Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group on the Development Coordination Office (DCO) and the Resident Coordinator (RC) system dives deep into the real and tangible impacts of investing strategically in development coordination across country, regional and global levels. It is a testament to how far we can go when we work together as one UN.  

Graduating from the category of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is a milestone moment in a country’s development journey, but it is not always an easy one. Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Nepal have learnt this the hard way, since the recommendation in 2021 for all three countries to leave this group currently comprising 46 of the world’s most vulnerable countries. Finalizing preparations for a smooth and just transition, which is now set for 2026, has its own set of challenges, particularly in the areas of trade, intellectual property rights, climate finance, debt relief and grant eligibility.

“I have never seen climate carnage on this scale.” This is what United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said when he arrived in Pakistan in September 2022, witnessing first-hand how devastating floods left large swathes of the country under water.

Keeping markets like Agbogbloshie alive and smallholder farmers thriving to help feed the country, will depend on timely interventions to curtail rising fertilizer costs. The Government of Ghana with the support of the UN is now taking steps to promote organic fertilizer production and uptake among farmers.

Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, explains how the UN team is helping ordinary Afghans, who often bear the brunt of environmental disasters, through coordination and long-term climate adaptation support.

Today marks three months since the signing of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Read how the UN team in Turkey supported this achievement.