Nations Commit To Back on Track To Achieve 2023 SDGs

News Desk

New York: United Nations member states pledged on Thursday to get back on track to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by adopting a landmark political declaration at the first-ever conference on pandemic prevention and response.

They also pledged to prevent a repeat of the devastating health and socio-economic crises caused by COVID-19 and shore up the world’s ability to head off another pandemic.

“This is a historic milestone in the urgent drive to make all people in the world safer and better protected from the devastating impacts of pandemics,” said World Health Organization (WHO), a Geneva-based UN agency, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“I welcome this commitment by world leaders to provide the political support and direction needed so that WHO, governments and all involved can protect people’s health and take concrete steps towards investing in local capacities, ensuring equity and supporting the global emergency health architecture that the world needs.”

Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq was among the world leaders who addressed the summit. In his speech, he urged the international community to ensure better preparedness through legally binding obligations for building resilience against future pandemics.

Wednesday’s declaration was the result of months of intense negotiations to refine and agree on actions at the national, regional and global levels. It will be submitted to the General Assembly in due course for formal endorsement.

Today, I urged governments, businesses, youth, activists and members of civil society to think big & be ambitious to get the #GlobalGoals back on track.

This is not the time for incrementalism.

This is the time for transformation. pic.twitter.com/RztrO5mbOA

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 17, 2023

The political declaration asserts the need for member states to conclude negotiations on a formal agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, known also as the ‘Pandemic Accord’ and make targeted amendments to International Health Regulations by May next year.

It also calls on states to address the negative physical and mental health impacts of health-related misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and stigmatisation, especially on social media platforms.

Instead, it calls for public information campaigns based on science and the facts. Member states are also committed to strengthening health workforces, rapid response capacities, surveillance and local manufacturing abilities so countries can meet their own needs to prevent, prepare for and respond to pandemics.

Speaking at the summit, UN Secretary General António Guterres recalled that the global response to COVID-19 showcased both human ingenuity and exposed society’s shortcomings.

While rapid testing and vaccine development were notable achievements, there was also a lack of preparedness, disproportionate impacts on the world’s poorest and vaccine hoarding by wealthy nations.

“We must not repeat the mistakes of the past when the next pandemic strikes, as we know it will, and other health threats emerge,” Guterres further stated.

Reiterating the importance of the declaration, the UN chief urged countries to support the WHO, including increasing their financial contributions.