In a pivotal moment at the 2023 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, representing the Group of Seven Plus Countries (g7+), delivered a compelling statement as the Chair of the group.
The event, held under the auspices of the UN General Assembly, focused on the halfway mark in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This juncture is marked by global recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and looming environmental threats.
President Bio underscored the urgent need for ambitious action to rescue the SDGs and ensure progress for both people and the planet by the 2030 target date.
He emphasized the foundational principle of the SDGs, adopted in 2015, which aims to foster an inclusive development agenda that leaves no one behind.
Furthermore, the President highlighted a sobering reality: fragile and conflict-affected States are the farthest from meeting the SDGs, a situation compounded by the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises, including environmental crises and food insecurity.
On behalf of the g7+ countries, President Bio proposed a series of concrete steps to accelerate progress toward the SDGs:
- Continuously promoting peace and stability as central themes in SDG achievement.
- Embracing resilience as a guiding principle for SDG progress.
- Strengthening collaboration and partnerships with development organizations working alongside governments in conflict-affected and fragile nations. This would entail addressing complex political, social, and economic realities.
President Bio expressed confidence in the potential for collective efforts to overcome shared challenges and pave the way for sustained economic growth and SDG achievement.
This address sets a critical tone for discussions at the SDG Summit as leaders grapple with the pressing need for action to secure a sustainable future for all.
