New York: After nearly two weeks of deliberation, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) concluded at UN Headquarters with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration reaffirming global commitment to the 2030 Agenda. The declaration passed by a vote of 154-2-2, with the United States and Israel voting against and Paraguay and Iran abstaining.
Member States hailed the declaration as a renewed call to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly as only 18% of targets are currently on track to be met by the 2030 deadline, according to the Secretary-General’s latest report.
“We strongly reaffirm our commitment to effectively implement the 2030 Agenda,” the document states, calling the SDGs “our overarching roadmap for achieving sustainable development and overcoming the multiple crises we face.”
The HLPF, which has convened annually since 2010 under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), focused this year on five key goals: good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), life below water (SDG 14), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).
Lead negotiators Czechia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines emphasized the urgency of this year’s discussions. “Ten years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, a range of interlinked and persistent challenges continues to jeopardize the full realization of the SDGs,” said Czech Ambassador Jakub Kulhánek.
The Ministerial Declaration highlights poverty and climate change as the “greatest global challenges,” warning that progress is “too slow” and that time is running out. It also stresses the link between peace and sustainable development, echoing the sentiment of SDG 16,“We recognize that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security, and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development.”
UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Junhua Li called the declaration a “powerful reaffirmation of multilateral resolve.” He urged Member States to move forward “with a renewed resolve, shared sense of possibility, and a reinvigorated sense of responsibility.”
ECOSOC President Bob Rae emphasized the importance of inclusion, equality, and decisive leadership in driving progress. “Equality among all of us – regardless of gender, race, colour or creed – is foundational to sustainable development, to human rights and to the credibility of our multilateral system,” Rae said.
Acknowledging differences in opinion, Rae noted the need for courage in dialogue and a return to the principles of the UN Charter. “We must strike a balance between the rights of sovereign states and the universality of freedoms and rights,” he said. ECOSOC, he added, must be more than a forum—it must be a “driver of solutions, implementation, and results.”
The adoption of the Ministerial Declaration, which was also confirmed during the ECOSOC High-Level Segment, marks a critical milestone as the UN celebrates the 80th anniversary of multilateralism. In the face of growing skepticism toward global cooperation, leaders hailed the outcome as a beacon of collective purpose.
“There are so many who today are living in stress, on the edge of poverty and in the midst of starvation,” Rae reminded delegates. “We must ensure our actions always center those who are furthest behind.”
The HLPF concludes with a clear message: urgent, unified action is needed to deliver on the promise of the 2030 Agenda and ensure a more just, peaceful, and sustainable future for all.
