NEW YORK, 18 JULY – Next week, the Italian Permanent Representative to the UN Maurizio Massari will be elected by consensus Vice-Chairman of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The mandate will last until July 2023, throughout a crucial year paving the way for the Heads of State and Government-level “Summit on the SDGs” scheduled the following September.
The announcement came at the conclusion of the High Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development and in the wake of the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration entitled “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Italy, alongside the Nauru delegation, led the six-months long negotiations.
The Ministerial Declaration addresses all the issues at the heart of the global agenda for sustainable development: the interdependence of peace and development, the integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development, the connections with human rights, governance, democracy and the rule of law, as well as the review of the implementation of specific SDGs. The Declaration also reaffirms the commitment to respect the principles of the UN Charter and international law, condemning any violation.
Among the Declaration’s key themes are: food security, the fight against the pandemic, strengthening global health and access to and distribution of vaccines, inclusive and sustainable post-pandemic recovery, climate action, biodiversity, policies for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, education, support for the role of young people, financing development and international cooperation, relaunching multilateralism, renewing commitments and concrete actions for all.
“We had to reconcile different views and interests among all countries on issues of central global importance. On all these issues we have managed to build a difficult but fundamental consensus, at a delicate international moment, aggravated by the war in Ukraine and its global economic repercussions, the worsening climate situation and the growing North-South divisions. The main message of the Declaration concerns the commitment of governments to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs as an unavoidable platform for a sustainable and inclusive post-pandemic recovery. Today, therefore, marks an important victory for multilateralism. It shows that together we can continue to build common solutions to global challenges”, said Ambassador Massari.
Italy is strongly committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and this year has also presented to the UN, for the second time, its international, national and local action plan to implement the SDGS (Voluntary National Review – VNR). (@OnuItalia)
