‘Summit of the Future’- Leave no one behind
‘Summit of Future’ to bring forward an action-oriented outcome, through which members States, both in the North and South, can better cooperate and respond to global challenges, said Minister Ali Sabry PC, who was addressing the Ministerial meeting of the ‘Summit of the Future’ on Thursday.
Excerpts from the speech:
The ‘Summit of the Future’ has been widely tagged as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity” for Member States. We agree. It would indeed be the best forum to review, to dramatically respond and to address the enormous contemporary challenges that we, as a global community face, as well as the new challenges of the future. Climate change, emerging new health threats, food insecurity, and conflict in many parts of the world continue to inflict human suffering and environmental degradation. We cannot and must not push back on efforts to enhance our cooperation on these critical global challenges.
It is an opportunity to reaffirm commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, engage in effective multilateralism and enhance and implement existing commitments on development financing. The Summit must be closely aligned with the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, as well as the outcomes of the SDG Summit just concluded, as well as other multilateral platforms such as the UNFCCC. Ensuring a just global digital transformation that addresses the digital divide, threats from technologies, efforts to counter terrorism and reform of the international financial architecture are priority areas.
The ‘Summit of the Future’, I believe, for all of us, is filled with expectations on the future we want and forging a new global consensus to secure it.
The question remains as to how we intend going about to achieve this. Are we going to approach these problems with the same mentality of superiority, selfishness, and suspicion of each other or, are we going to approach solutions with greater clarity, honesty and virtue at heart. Are we up to the challenge or, are we gearing up with much fanfare towards a ‘Summit of the Future’, without a clear goal? We failed the MDGs and we are grappling to find a rescue plan for the SDGs. Therefore, we do not need a Summit which will leave us with another set of goals that are not achievable. We cannot let down our future generations.
Sri Lanka wants the ‘Summit of the Future’ to bring forward an action-oriented outcome, through which member States – both in the North and South – can better cooperate and respond to global challenges. We must be mindful that declarations will remain rhetorical, if there is insufficient political will at the global level to fulfill the commitments undertaken. If we are to learn anything from the challenges confronting us, it is that prosperity cannot keep us safe if extreme inequalities, injustice and want of fair play and opportunities continue to plague vast swathes of the human population. Rebuilding trust and global solidarity will be critical to ensure that commitments are implemented. In fact, as we continue our deliberations towards the Summit, we have ample time to engage in actions to build confidence, trust and solidarity. Such actions would complement and give life to the Summit, making it a truly “a once-in-a-generation opportunity” for us all. As a responsible member of the international community, Sri Lanka remains committed to play its part in this process. We, like other countries, continue to suffer due to global events, but we remain optimistic of recovery with the support of our friends, to whom we are grateful for the assistance extended during crucial times.
The ‘Summit of the Future’ is an opportune time to emphasise the fundamental reality that climate change and extreme weather events, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, cross-border terrorism or the possible use of weapons of mass destruction do not recognise man-made barriers. No one is safe and secure until all of us are safe and secure. Recognition of this fundamental reality is a sine qua non, if we are to reach multilateral solutions to global problems. It is then that we will truly ‘leave no one behind’.
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