Spanish premier warns against slowdown in achieving UN targets

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – Warning against a slowdown in achieving the UN targets, the Spanish prime minister on Thursday said 575 million people will be living in extreme poverty and 84 million children will not go to schools in 2030 if the world fails to achieve the UN development goals.

Addressing the annual UN General Assembly session in New York, Pedro Sanchez said: “This failure is morally unacceptable and I repeat, now is not the time for words but for deeds.”

He said the assembly must serve as an opportunity to renew commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Unfortunately, we're not making good progress towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” Sanchez said.

Stressing the importance of spending more on official development assistance, the prime minister said Spain has just passed a new cooperation act, pledging to allocate 0.7% of its gross national income to official development assistance by 2030.

“It will not be easy to mobilize the financing required to tackle the climate emergency and make the long-term investments that vulnerable countries need if they are to achieve the sustainable development goals, but it has to happen.”

He said that this could be achieved by arrangements that reflect today's needs and realities and "with the courage needed to stop thinking of sustainable development financing in billions of dollars, and start measuring it in trillions of dollars."

Sanchez also expressed his country's desire to host the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025.

Reaffirming Spanish support to Ukraine, the premier said: “We will also be playing an active role in working towards a fair and lasting peace that restores Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and gives the Ukrainian people the freedom to determine their own fate.”

He also pointed out the need for Europe to boost relations with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean with a new agenda that provides the framework for a strategic relationship with the region.

Sanchez also expressed solidarity with the victims of the earthquake in Morocco, and the flooding in Libya.