A/70/PV.8 General Assembly

I thank the President of the Republic of Benin for his statement.

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Mali. President Keita (spoke in French): At the outset, I wish to congratulate Mr. Lykketoft on his well- deserved election to head our work here. His long and rich experience as a statesman is a guarantee of the success of this Summit, and I assure him of the full support of the delegation of Mali. I wish to convey to the Assembly the warm congratulations of the entire Malian population, which, like other nations, is watching from their fields, factories and offices in the legitimate hope that we leaders of the world will take here and now relevant and courageous decisions that will improve living conditions for our citizens. We can and must transform the world because that is what our peoples expect of us. In order to reduce the suffering of populations living in abject poverty and to bring them human dignity, 15 years ago, at the beginning of this century, we launched a programme to implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Today, without engaging in an exhaustive review, we note that the results are mixed and vary from region to region, country to country, and Goal to Goal. In general, we must note that Goal 8, on the implementation of a global partnership for development, did not enjoy the commitment and support that were given to the other seven. Despite the difficult context of the multifaceted crisis in Mali, during the past 15 years we have been able to lower the rate of HIV/AIDS, increase the number of children attending school, provide free Caesarian sections and enhance the participation of the people in the management of local affairs through increased decentralization. In the field of food security, we have had additional significant achievements. I welcome the recognition of Mali’s achievements by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at its thirty-ninth session, in Rome. We can and must improve the well-being of our populations. I am therefore especially pleased to take part in this Summit to adopt historic resolution 70/1, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. We are pleased to note that this ambitious programme focuses particular attention on certain groups of countries, such as the least developed countries, land-locked developing States and small island developing States, because a great many people live in extreme and subhuman poverty in those States. We have many young migrants who are leaving developing countries and going to their own deaths, a fact that summons us all to work to improve the development of our countries. Allow me to speak about developing countries that are emerging from conflict, countries such as Mali. Such fragile countries must be the focus of particular attention on the part of the international community. In fact, countries emerging from conflict must benefit from the distribution of the dividends for peace and reconstruction. That is essential for the progressive stabilization of those countries, because without education, health care, access to justice, the reduction of hunger and extreme poverty, and without the tools of production, the return of administration, populations and refugees, how can one emerge from a crisis? States that are emerging from conflict cannot overcome those challenges all on their own, much less achieve the goals contained in the declaration that we have adopted here in resolution 70/1. In the particular case of Mali, I have always highlighted that there cannot be sustainable development without peace and without security. The Government is working every day, under my authority, to overcome that challenge. Today, I am pleased to be able to state that all the Malian parties have, after eight long months of negotiation, signed an agreement for peace and reconciliation in Mali, as a result of the Algiers process and with the support of the international community. Here I renew my commitment for the State of Mali to honour all the commitments that it made in that agreement. However, Mali, owing to its limited means, needs significant support from the countries and organizations that are its friends, so as to truly and effectively implement that accord. That is why, from this rostrum, I call on the international community to mobilize effective technical, material and financial resources, which are essential for the implementation of the agreement. During the round table that will take place on 22 October in Paris at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Government of Mali will, for its part, show itself to be resolutely committed to the implementation of the Algiers accord and will spare no effort to mobilize domestic resources. From now until 2030 the only way for us to avoid this Summit becoming like all the others is for us to show our ability to work together and truly commit to a global partnership, so as to balance the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development, namely, the social, economic and environmental aspects. We must thus fully invest in this programme so as to win the bet and transform the world. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm here the commitment of Mali to take part in the achievement of the commitments made in this ambitious new sustainable development Agenda.

I thank the President of the Republic of Mali for his statement.

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. President Ould Abdel Aziz (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I should like to extend my sincere thanks to His Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the great efforts that he made to convene this Summit. I should also like to thank all Member States for their invaluable contributions in conceiving and formulating the global vision of a joint post-2015 development agenda. I should also like to pay tribute to all actors and partners who have had a significantly positive impact on this well-organized Summit. This Summit represents a crucial moment and an important turning point in the international development agenda through a complete cycle of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the adoption of a post- 2015 development agenda. This marks the beginning of the implementation of sustainable development goals. It is the culmination of a path that was well managed and a high level of partnership that has armed the international community with a new and ambitious long- term programme based on a dual goal — improving the living conditions of the population and protecting our planet from the dangers of climate change. The post-2015 development agenda was the culmination of wide and deep-rooted consultations held at the national, regional, and international levels. This included numerous stakeholders, including Governments, the private sectors, civil society, academia and development partners. It is a broad representation and resulted in converging views, a guarantee for a joint development vision that translates specific priorities and reflects common concerns. That adds greater effectiveness to the targets set by the new development Agenda and enhances its chances of success. At this critical juncture, as we set new targets, we should keep in mind what we have learned from the past. The Millennium Development Goals in particular have enabled the realization of significant achievements, among which are the continued decline in the level of poverty and the improvement of access to education and health opportunities. It is clear proof of the importance of developing a comprehensive framework as a reference to mobilize development efforts. As part of the new development Agenda, we applaud what we have observed with respect to improving the means of action and the level of coordination, support, follow- up and implementation mechanisms. The eradication of poverty and the achievement of sustainable growth in the context of a peaceful and sound environment requires us to show a solid will to reach the desired outcome. The post-2015 Agenda faces new ambitions dangers. It also follows and expands the traditional development objectives and pays special attention to environmental issues, which are no longer just a development issue but have become a direct challenge that threatens the survival of our planet. The reorganization of priorities reflects a sound vision that underpins our approach, which is necessarily relevant to the objectives of development, with realities that are continually changing. In the same context, the aggravation and scopeof security threats needs to be taken into account. The multiplicity of acts of terrorism, the spread of organized crime and the growth of illegal economic activities in all parts of the world are all obstacles to development and pose a real risk to the stability and survival of many countries. These facts compel us to develop a vision of an organic and mutually dependent relationship between security and development. National solutions are no longer able to meet security threats that are complex in nature and cross- border in structure and objectives. We are aware of the situation and have therefore launched with our brothers from Burkina Faso, Mali, the Niger and Chad, during the Summit held in Nouakchott in February 2014, an initiative that brings us together in an institutional and development framework that focuses on security and development issues. The Group of Five (G-5) Sahel, which emerged from that initiative, was created according to a multidimensional approach that would respond to the challenges of current reality and would develop plans for the future. It is not only a framework for security cooperation, but is also a space for convergence, integration and concerted efforts to stimulate economic growth and employment, and improve infrastructure, basic services and regional integration. In this context, the G-5 Sahel offers a programme of investment in harmony with the goals of sustainable development, and respects national and regional priorities and builds on realistic, convincing and coherent objectives. This regional effort deserves the strong support of our partners. It is a qualitative addition to sustainable development and security in the Sahel region and stability in Africa and the world at large. Mauritania has in recent years made an economic leap thanks to the adoption of rational policies and a new approach in the conduct of public affairs, enabling it to restore macroeconomic stability, and our assets and reserves have helped us to withstand the economic crisis and the recent severe regression in the prices of raw materials. These policies have led to increasing the levels of investment. As part of its drive to achieve sustainable development and to accelerate the achievement of the MDGs, the State set up a plan of action to combat poverty. We identified the strengths and weaknesses of our previous plans and reviewed the long-term and medium-term targets in the framework of a new vision for economic development in my country. These efforts coincided with increasing the per capita share of gross domestic product and a reduction of poverty in general and in rural areas in particular. During the past six years poverty has fallen by 11 per cent. At the social level, Mauritania has made significant progress in the framework of its firm commitment to the goals of sustainable development. The State has put youth issues at the forefront of its development policies and focused on rehabilitating and training young people according to approaches designed to enable them to access the labour market and to contribute to the development of our national economy and engage in political work, as well as provide them with soft loans and rehabilitated arable lands for agriculture. We established an agency for social solidarity to focus on fighting poverty, dealing with vulnerable social groups through the provision of health services and education, and the financing of income-generating projects throughout the national territory. The State has also paid great attention to persons with special needs. We have worked to integrate them into the civil service and private sector to give them more opportunities to participate in all walks of life. We adopted a policy of affirmative action in order to promote the role of women in an effort to further gender equity, which has enabled women in our country to occupy high positions in the Administration. They now participate in sectors that for decades used to be reserved for men. We have introduced a quota for women in the National Assembly. In conclusion, we hope that this Summit will be a successful start to the implementation of the post-2015 development Agenda. We also hope that it will exceed the level of success achieved in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.

I thank the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania for his statement.

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Head of State of the Transition of the Central African Republic. Head of State Samba-Panza (spoke in French): My country, the Central African Republic, is honoured to take part, alongside the other countries of the world, in this special meeting that is, inter alia, reviewing the progress achieved by the States that signed the Millennium Declaration, specifically their progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). I wish to take this opportunity to express to the Secretary-General and to delegations here today, as well as to the international community, the gratitude of the Central African people for the multidimensional support provided to the Government of the Central African Republic since the Millennium Summit that took place in the year 2000. The Central African Republic was already in crisis in the year 2000 when the process began. It already bore the scars of traumas linked to the after-effects of the crises at the end of the 1990s and of those that followed in the next decades. Constant political instability has placed the Central African Republic’s population in a situation of extreme vulnerability, with dreadful socioeconomic indicators. There is no need to list them all here. In such conditions it has been difficult for my country to respect the commitments that it made voluntarily, even if some gains were made in a few indicators in 2010, notably in school attendance for girls, access to drinking water and maternal health, which led to a certain hope. But that hope was lost in 2012 when the most recent crisis broke out, one more deadly and more destructive. The Central African Republic has therefore deviated far from the path of the MDGs. It has become a fragile and vulnerable State, with more than 80 per cent of its population living below the poverty line. That poverty is entrenched and has increased in some areas of the country. In those regions political and military groups still rule, exacerbating insecurity and pillaging local resources and the State’s revenues. At a time when the commitments that we all made in the MDGs are coming to an end and we are preparing to commit to the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we must be clear, on the eve of the deadline for the MDG process, that none of the eight MDGs have been achieved by the Central African Republic. Nevertheless, efforts overall have been made to inscribe the MDG agenda into our national priorities. Without glossing over our commitments, I have come here to speak more particularly of the future, of the possibility of creating conditions for a Central African Republic free of the demons of division and the scourges of poverty and economic marginalization. I also want to emphasize the new horizon opening before us, and, in that connection, I solemnly declare that my country supports the 17 post-2015 SDGs, whose preparation has for months mobilized every State. But we know that the challenges that await us are considerable. We are aware of the urgent need to accomplish the unfinished work of the MDG agenda. We must also integrate the steps to follow and, in other words, maintain our efforts to achieve the new SDGs. For our part, the socioeconomic development stakeholders in my country, beginning with the Government, will be mobilized so that specific actions can be undertaken. Poverty is not inevitable. The situation in the Central African Republic is not without hope. While sharing the same concerns of all fragile States, the Central African Republic has been able to show, in its recent history, its will to transform itself and become a responsible State, one that is responsible for the well-being of its population. Under my guidance, governmental action, supported by the international community, has enabled the creation of an environment favourable to national reconciliation, the resumption of the functioning of public administration and the restarting of socioeconomic activities throughout the land. All of that should lead to a new vision of a people that is renewed, like a phoenix reborn from its own ashes. Our desire for dialogue, peace and the re-establishment of the State has been shown to the world by the people of the Central African Republic. But willpower alone is not enough without a network of partners who are committed to support the efforts of my country to develop. A Central African Republic with less instability for the population and with better prospects for prosperity to be shared tomorrow is what we all want for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and all future generations. Such a Central African Republic remains possible and is almost within reach. It is being built every day through acts of progress that reverse the negative trends and envisage a better life — and why not even a good life — for our vulnerable populations. That is not possible without durable peace and stability in the institutions that must lead our country. Unfortunately, the Central African Republic’s population continues to experience violence of all kinds, which exacerbates their humanitarian situation. In conclusion, please allow me to state that today, Saturday, 26 September, marks almost 100 days until the end of 2015, the last year to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We must take advantage of the last 100 days to take urgent and active steps and work with conviction and determination to achieve the MDGs, in other words, to sow the seeds of hope in the Central African Republic and vulnerable populations everywhere, so as to create a world that is more just and more harmonious.

I thank the Head of State of the Transition of the Central African Republic for her statement.

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino. Captain Regent Belluzzi I and Captain Regent Venturini I (spoke in Italian; English text provided by the delegation): In the year in which the United Nations celebrates its seventieth anniversary, we can state without any doubt that the Organization has played and continues to play a key role for peace and security in the world, for the protection and promotion of human dignity, for the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law, as well as for the affirmation of justice and international law. Throughout its history, the United Nations has been called upon to serve as an essential point of reference for the international community and for each individual. We are now faced with a considerable challenge, namely, to shape our future and that of our planet through a strong political consensus based on a model of sustainable global development to be applied by all. The experience gained from the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has made an important contribution to the definition of an innovative and universal post-2015 development agenda. The Millennium Development Goals lie at the very heart of the agenda. They have been an extraordinary stimulus to effective, coordinated and collective action aimed at overcoming the most serious global emergencies — hunger and malnutrition, the lack of access to basic health care and primary education, infant and maternal mortality, gender inequality, the lack of control of serious communicable diseases, and environmental and climate problems. With the adoption of the new agenda in the form of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), we hope that the process started with the Millennium Development Goals can be completed and that we will move forward towards a sustainable development model in which the economic, social and environmental dimensions are intertwined. Each country has a responsibility to the international community for implementing the new Sustainable Development Goals. To that end, we must all strive to develop innovative, effective and transparent institutions at all levels, while committing to duly complying with existing agendas. It is essential to mobilize the resources required for the implementation of the new Agenda through a new global partnership for sustainable development that should direct its action towards the needs of the weakest and most vulnerable groups in society. In that sense, the Republic of San Marino believes that the United Nations role is to monitor progress in the implementation of the new Agenda. We therefore need to establish a set of specific and universal indicators, as well as to create an effective control mechanism to assess progress and identify any shortcomings to be addressed. That mechanism must work effectively at all levels — national, regional and global — and must be inclusive and reliable. The Republic of San Marino is a small State with limited resources, but it has managed to create optimal living conditions for its population. However, it also feels a responsibility towards the rest of the world and is committed to contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. In that regard, our contribution is not only financial, which is a priority and essential at this time, but also cultural through the education of the younger generations in order to promote an innate culture of hospitality and solidarity, together with respect for sustainable development. Too many people in too many countries are still living in a state of absolute poverty; many women and children struggle daily for mere survival. Food security is a luxury for hundreds of millions of people, as is access to drinking water, health services and education. The adoption of the post-2015 development agenda is a unique moment in the life of the United Nations, whose historic importance and scope will be determined by the future and collective action of all Member States, whether large or small. The Republic of San Marino will make its contribution by cooperating effectively with all countries for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

I thank the Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino for their statement.

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Dominican Republic. President Medina Sánchez (spoke in Spanish): It is an honour to be here representing the people and Government of the Dominican Republic at an event that, for our country, is of the utmost importance. The newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is both an inspiring document and a detailed road map for the solution of the most important challenges facing humankind today (see resolution 70/1). The fight against poverty, inequality and climate change seeks to deal with interrelated problems affecting the lives of billions of men and women. Those problems are already part of the agenda of our country and, for that reason, we embrace enthusiastically its adoption worldwide. We welcome this shared commitment to implementing sustainable development and maintaining a long-term vision. That same vision is sometimes threatened by opportunism and the haste imposed by an increasingly connected society. In fact, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were a source of inspiration that helped us formulate our own national development strategy 2030. That Strategy has led us to focus our efforts, consolidate the practice of accountability and face challenges and weaknesses, but, above all, it has taught us the power of the unity of purpose, will and actions. It also guided us in the strategy that is the road map for the conversion of the Dominican Republic into an economic, socially and environmentally sustainable society with a social and democratic foundation based on the rule of law. The current Administration began a campaign to improve opportunities and the capabilities of the population, as well as their living conditions. We have done that by protecting early childhood from zero to 5 years of age with advances in education, such as the implementation of the extended school, the unprecedented expansion of school infrastructure and improvements in the quality of education. But we are also working to reduce inequalities in our productive sector, support agricultural producers and our stations for agricultural mechanization, and improve financial inclusion, training and access to technologies. We have achieved the emblematic objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, including the reduction of extreme poverty by more than half; the actual drop was from 16.6 per cent to 5.8 per cent. We have also comfortably reached the goal of reducing malnutrition, which dropped from 34.4 per cent to 12 per cent, and the established goal of gender parity at each of our levels of education. However, we are aware that we must continue to work on the goals on which we still have to improve, and they are certainly part of our highest priority. We are delighted moreover by the parallels between our national development strategy and the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We also welcome the fact that the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals will provide us with a standardized assessment system with which to compare experiences with one another. From now on, we will orient every effort towards making the new vision embodied in the 17 SDGs a reality, and we declare our commitment to adapt and assimilate them into our National Development Strategy and the instruments of the public administration system. We are also pleased to see how His Holiness Pope Francis has become one of the leading spokesmen for the cause of sustainable development, which is the cause of the poor and the cause of future generations. His encyclical “Praise be to you” has come at just the right time, not only by taking up the scientific arguments in the climate debate but by going beyond science, recovering the full moral dimension of sustainable development. To us Dominicans who live on a small island with many people still suffering poverty and particularly vulnerable to climate change, that dimension appears as an everyday reality. But precisely for that reason, we in the Dominican Republic are aware that poverty and inequality are not inevitable conditions dictated by fate but challenges for which we can and must prepare and with which we must deal accountably and efficiently. We are therefore fully committed to the goal of sustainable development. We hope to find together the will, as requested by Pope Francis, to escape the sin of indifference, to love the common good, to protect the weak and to care for the world we live in.

I thank the President of the Dominican Republic for his statement.

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Zambia. President Lungu: Allow me to join other dignitaries in congratulating the President of the General Assembly for convening this landmark United Nations Summit on the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda. I also wish, on behalf of the people of Zambia, to applaud the Secretary-General for his unwavering commitment to nurturing the consensus of Member States on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I should also like to express gratitude to the co-facilitators for their distinguished leadership during the preparation process. We further applaud Member States and Observers for their tireless efforts and the constructive engagement that culminated in bringing this momentous task to fruition. This Summit will be seen in the annals of history as the meeting that witnessed the end of the Millennium Development Goals process while ushering in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the post- 2015 development agenda through the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in resolution 70/1. Zambia wishes to reaffirm its commitment to embracing a new common development Agenda that will help enhance development partnerships among Member States. Zambia acknowledges and appreciates the input from important developmental processes that have contributed to the success of the new development Agenda, notable among them being the third International Conference on Financing for Development and the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The multidimensional nature of this process signifies our determination to have a global development agenda that is responsive to the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the world to provide for the needs of future generations. To that effect Zambia looks forward to starting a new development era in 2016, with renewed vigour and focus and the spirit of leaving no one behind. On that point, I thank the Assembly for yesterday’s adoption of the ground-breaking 2030 Agenda. Let me also thank His Holiness Pope Francis for his candid and inspiring remarks on the need for nations to take seriously the question of climate change and the protection of the environment for sustainable development. I am happy to report that, in the seventh national development plan of our country that we are developing, climate change ranks among our top priorities. I am also glad to report that, at the country level, a number of consultations have been undertaken with various stakeholders with a view to putting the fundamental provisions agreed upon by Member States into context. Coincidentally, for us the SDGs and the post-2015 development agenda have come at a time when the country is developing its seventh national development plan. That gives us greater latitude to effectively domesticate the various provisions of the global initiatives. We are glad to note that the SDGs have focused on a number of development issues, such as maternal health, poverty, gender equality, water and sanitation, land degradation and climate change, among others, issues that our country is determined to confront in the post-2015 era. I wish to reiterate Zambia’s commitment to ensuring the use of evidence-based priority-setting and targeted mechanisms aimed at achieving inclusive socioeconomic development. Zambia, being a least developed and landlocked developing country, will require support in completing the unfinished business of the MDGs, especially in the area of education, health, water and sanitation, gender equality, agriculture, and science and technology. With regard to technology, Zambia underscores the need to forge South-South technology-transfer cooperation as an essential component to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs and the post-2015 development agenda. I wish to reiterate what I said at the High-level Meeting on the follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, held in Zambia in June, that there will be a need for the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation to review its pledge and commitment to establish centres in those countries for purposes of technology transfer. Being a pilot country, Zambia is ready to fully participate in such an initiative and is also committed to institute strategies that will promote environmentally sustainable socioeconomic development aimed at proactively addressing employment-creation opportunities, particularly for youth and women, in order to reduce poverty. My Government recognizes the importance of mobilizing resources, both domestically and internationally, for development. For that reason, official development assistance and foreign direct investment continue to play an important role in fostering sustainable development. I therefore call upon the developed countries to fulfil their pledges. As developed countries honour their pledges, it is critical that developing countries put in place comprehensive institutional frameworks that will identify, promote and facilitate partnerships aimed at creating a platform for a shared vision that resonates well with the private sector so as to bring about a win-win situation between the investors and the communities. Let me take this opportunity to stress that sustainable development presupposes the existence of peace. In that regard Zambia has been actively engaged in peacekeeping missions, particularly in the Central African Republic and in the Sudan. We are seeking the support of European countries to help in the capacity- building of our troops so that they are better equipped to carry out such noble assignments. In the same vein, Zambia sees counter-terrorism initiatives as critically important in preserving peace and stability. In collaboration with regional and international partners, Zambia remains committed to ensuring that we curb that scourge. In conclusion, Zambia pledges to give primacy to SDG implementation as a means to stimulate its development trajectory, which takes into account all three pillars of sustainable development. I also call upon the United Nations to ensure follow-up actions and review processes so as to promote the cross- pollination of ideas and the exchange of best practices. That will enable better global outcomes on the SDGs and the post-2015 development Agenda. I am confident that this Summit will provide us with an opportunity to emerge stronger and more focused on fulfilling the post-2015 developmentAgenda.

I thank the President of the Republic of Zambia for his statement.

The Assembly will now hear a statement by the Vice-President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea congratulates the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda on their successful work. We also wish to congratulate His Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on his foresight in designating that High-level Panel, which, with the effective support of the team of negotiators, has prepared and brought us to the recent adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their financing mechanisms (resolution 70/1). Fifteen years after the Declaration of the United Nations on the Millennium Development Goals (resolution 55/2) and on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, whose fundamental objective is to create a world of peace and well-being for humankind, it is logical to ask ourselves whether we have, in fact, risen to the challenge of creating a peaceful, stable and developed world that guarantees the well-being of human persons. It is obvious that, despite the efforts made by our States to achieve those goals, major challenges persist that make it difficult to achieve the goals of an inclusive and sustainable development. In that regard, we appeal to the international community to act on the principle of solidarity so as to end terrorism, piracy, organized crime, man-made instabilities, interventionism and the inefficiencies of the international mechanism of development assistance, among others, which currently represent obstacles to the development of countries. With regard to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we would like to point out that, in adopting in 2007 the national plan for economic and social development entitled Horizon 2020, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea formalized the means to achieve the MDGs, and as a result, the pace at which they were achieved was sped up considerably. In fact, one of the four main objectives of the national plan for economic and social development consists in strengthening human capital and improving the quality of life of our citizens. Our national plan reflects all of the aspects included in the SDGs, which we have just adopted, such as building infrastructure to improve productivity, scaled up diversification and economic growth, and implementing the sort of governance that guarantees the representation and participation of citizens. Success in implementing the first phase of the national economic and social development plan has led to significant progress towards achieving the MDGs. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is proud to have achieved the following: a reduction by more than 50 per cent in the number of persons living below the poverty line, improved access by children to education, an increase in the literacy rate of women to 96 per cent, a reduction in child mortality of more than 50 per cent, a reduction in maternal mortality of 81 per cent, the improvement of health services and infrastructure as well as access to them, a reduction in the incidence of malaria and the strengthening of public awareness of the dangers of HIV/AIDS as well as free access to treatment, improved conservation of nature and a cleaner environment, and improved public finances through increases in exports and lower costs for telecommunication services. A report on the achievement of the MDGs in Equatorial Guinea has been submitted to this high-level meeting for its consideration. Coming to the end of the period for achieving the MDGs, which focused to a great extent on combating poverty, it is obvious that we need to devise a new global development strategy to include the current and future concerns of humankind, such as climate change, sustainable consumption, innovation and the importance of peace and justice for all. Against that backdrop we would like to conclude by reiterating the commitment of the Government and the people of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which we have just adopted.

I thank the Vice-President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea for his statement.

The Assembly will now hear a statement by the Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi.

The preparatory process for the post-2015 development agenda was very long and arduous, but the determination and commitment of the various delegations remained unshakeable. That is an eloquent sign that proves that, if we remain guided by this spirit and maintain this dynamic, the poverty of our peoples will be eradicated by 2030, and this we believe. Members will recall that many times during the past three years, it seemed almost impossible to conclude an agreement among the 193 Members of the United Nations on a large and significant development agenda that would take into account all the aspects of well-being for humanity and the planet. The way to the post-2015 development agenda began, we could say, on two parallel paths, and for many years no one could see how those two paths would join together into one agenda or if that joining could even happen. One path began when the General Assembly adopted resolution 64/236 in 2009 and decided to hold the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in 2012. The second path began in 2010 during the Review Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), when in the outcome document the Secretary-General was asked to elaborate recommendations to move forward on the development agenda for the United Nations beyond 2015 (resolution 65/1). It was only in 2014 that a way forward was found, combining the two paths and creating a new and vast programme that was built on the MDGs and would complete what they were unable to achieve, all the while taking into account the three dimensions of sustainable development and not leaving anyone behind. That project was said to be, like most things, easier said than done, but thankfully the final results represented a good balance between the interests and concerns of those involved. Burundi welcomes the progress achieved during the final negotiation session on the post-2015 agenda, which has brought together the paths of the environment and development. We welcome the fact that the post-2015 era rests on two types of heritage, that of the Millennium Summit and that of the United Nations conferences on sustainable development. Just three months before the end of the MDGs, optimism reigns, with the knowledge that the works launched and implemented has led to an unprecedented global commitment. Reports on this issue note that poverty has decreased over the 15 years that followed the start of the new millennium. In short, significant progress has been made on the basis of new approaches generated by the MDGs in terms of great changes in methodologies to combat poverty. Despite tangible progress made through the MDGs, the world still faces a multitude of challenges, such as extreme poverty, climate change, environmental degradation and health crises. In our globalized world, no State can find a solution to these transborder problems by acting alone. Contrary to the MDGs, which were focused on the poor populations of the South, the strength of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) lies in the balanced integration of the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development, which are universally applicable. Africa remains the poorest continent on the planet. The challenges to overcome for sustainable development remain at the forefront. The results of the MDGs have certainly shown that progress has been made, but the gap between Africa and other regions of the world is quite large. If the developed countries plan to continue to assist developing countries, notably those of Africa, with the SDGs, those concerned must take ownership of discussions on their own development and work towards it. Thus ambitious programmes for education, health care, economic infrastructure and employment must be developed, with coherent financial plans that are sustainable over the long term. The main priorities for Africa should be to improve security, economic and political governance and the fiscal system so that countries can free up more domestic resources. We hope that this Summit will be marked not only by great steps forward but also by concerted action very much expected by the peoples and their planet. The world is meeting here to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is a universal agreement that is decisive, even revolutionary, and that helps us to celebrate this occasion. It is a well-deserved and well-received gift for a world fraught with wars and humanitarian crises, sectarianism and violent extremism, new types of international domination, poverty, inequality, climate change and environmental degradation. By adopting this accord, Governments resolutely commit to act for dignity, security, prosperity and the rights of men and women in our common humanity. The challenges that we will face in the next days is to mobilize all stakeholders to move quickly to put into play the promises made in this Agendam with its unequalled ambitions. Like other communities of nations throughout the world on all five continents, Burundi will design its development efforts taking into account the unanimous will to implement a new global partnership based on the common goal of the eradication of poverty and the transformation of economies through harmonious, sustainable development that leaves no one behind. Long live the family of the United Nations! Co-Chair Rasmussen: I thank the Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi for his statement.

Fifteen years ago, I addressed this body on the occasion of the Millennium Summit (see A/55/PV.5), which adopted the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). I said then that we were gathered to reconfirm that the principles of the United Nations system could lead our world into a new millennium with an expectation of freedom from poverty, freedom from hunger, freedom from war, freedom from the dictatorship of the mighty, freedom for us to enjoy our right to development. I spoke of the unique challenges confronting small island developing States (SIDS) like mine. Fifteen years later, very little has changed for most small island developing States. My country’s share of the global space has never before been more affected by policies and decisions taken beyond its borders. We are affected by multiple economic, social and environmental crises that are having profound impacts on our Caribbean island States. Despite some progress in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, the promise of a world free of poverty, hunger, war and dictatorships, in the words of the late Haile Selassie and brought to verse by Bob Marley, remains but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained. This year is particularly important for developing countries that are grappling with the challenge of charting a viable path to balanced, sustainable development. In March we gathered in Sendai to agree on a global framework for disaster risk reduction. Yet, events in Saint Lucia’s sister island of Dominica following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika just over one month ago serve to underscore just how vulnerable our countries are to natural disasters. The storm killed dozens of citizens and displaced hundreds, who are now unable to earn a living, and resulted in damage to almost 100 per cent of that country’s gross domestic product. Unfortunately, Erika was merely one in a long and continuing series of extreme weather events that wreak havoc with lives, livelihoods and economies across our region. My own country, Saint Lucia, has suffered through two major storms and three severe droughts in the past five years. That means we are constantly going through debilitating cycles of repair and recovery, which are primarily responsible for the massive public debt overhang that constrains our best development efforts. In July in Addis Ababa the international community agreed to a new global framework for financing development in the post-2015 period. That is expected to take cognizance of the special needs of small island developing States, as clearly articulated in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action Pathway, and will provide access to the financing necessary to realize the goals set out in that Pathway. I can only hope that this is not another example of the pious, self-serving declarations that have come to typify these organs of the international community. We need action and commitment, because our countries’ existence may well depend on it. Our adoption of these 17 Sustainable Development Goals suggests that we have progressed in our understanding of the profound challenges that face developing countries. It is also instructive that several of the Sustainable Development Goals speak directly to environmental issues. That gives me hope that we may be finally embracing the advice of the World Commission on Environment and Development in its seminal publication in 1987 entitled “Our common future”, when it spoke of the interconnectedness of ecology and economy. However, actions in another negotiating theatre have caused me to question whether this critical connection between ecology and economy is fully appreciated. I am concerned at the slow pace of the negotiations towards a new climate change agreement. I am beginning to despair that some among us may not yet have grasped the urgency of the situation for small island developing States. I want to believe that it is not that we are simply being ignored. There are roughly two months until the opening of the Climate Change Conference in Paris. However, the current pledges of cuts in greenhouse gas emissions are nowhere close to keeping global warming within the threshold that has been set for the survival of small island developing States. Additionally, the lethargic pace at which climate-finance instruments are being capitalized indicates that the rhetoric of good political intentions is meaningless without demonstrated and tangible collective action. Our pronouncements and commitments must be given substance if people in small island developing States like mine are to have any hope that this post- 2015 development agenda will amount to something meaningful for them. We cannot continue with this diet of rhetoric, platitudes and broken promises. The arbitrary blacklisting of some Caribbean countries as harmful tax havens, the cynical use of an inadequate GDP-per-capita metric to determine our eligibility for concessional financing, and the apparent lack of appreciation of the urgent need for a solution to the heavy debt burden being carried by nearly every Caribbean country all militate against the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. What should happen if our small States collapse? Are our people to face becoming refugees on the shores of other lands? All we ask is that the world give a fair chance to our small island developing States. We have a post-2015 development agenda in our hands that must be treated with a renewed sense of purpose. We must put an end once and for all to hollow promises that are more honoured in the breach than the observance. We are here at a special, historical juncture. We have a chance for new beginnings. We should not evade today’s responsibilities, for they will surely catch up with us tomorrow. We small island developing States are not the cause of climate change, but we will be part of the solution. My country can only pray that we have not been called once again to craft and agree to fleeting illusions to be pursued but never attained. Co-Chair Rasmussen: I thank the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Social Security of Saint Lucia for his statement.

At the outset, let me take this opportunity to thank you, Mr. co-Chair, for giving me this occasion to address this gathering on behalf of the Government and the people of Vanuatu. Today we are meeting at a critical juncture in history, one which presents us with a unique opportunity to positively change the lives of millions of people throughout the world, especially those categorized at the bottom of the development ladder. This year, 2015, three important global agendas have been in parallel discussions at the United Nations. They include the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the recently concluded Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the climate change agreement to be concluded in Paris later this year. The post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, which will replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), are promising for humanity’s development for the next 15 years. The MDGs ignited unprecedented human progress and improved the lives of hundreds of millions of people, mobilizing development efforts through and towards an emphasis on outcomes. They have inspired and contributed to the empowerment of whole populations, including women and children, by providing standards to which Governments can be held accountable. They also provide an excellent platform on which SDGs can be built. I am delighted to see that the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals have incorporated the unfinished business of the MDGs and that they clearly reflect the unique and special case of least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS). Post-2015 success in any country will depend on three main factors: access to financial resources, access to appropriate technology, and country capacity. As regards access to financial resources, the recently concluded Addis Ababa Action Agenda is important to SIDS and LDCs, as it provides a foundation for implementing the SDGs we have just adopted. I call on all developed countries to meet official development assistance (ODA) commitments as agreed to in the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Declaration. The ODA targets of 0.7 per cent of gross national income (GNI) and also the increased ODA target of 0.20 per cent of GNI to LDCs by 2020 must be met. Meeting these targets is paramount to realizing the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals. Climate change remains a major global challenge for humanity, and it is important that we address this urgently. For small island developing States like Vanuatu, climate change is one of the biggest threats to achieving our sustainable development. The linkage between climate change and sustainable development is well documented. Without addressing climate change, sustainable development in SIDS cannot be achieved. Our recent experience clearly demonstrates this. In March this year Vanuatu experienced an unprecedented Category 5 tropical cyclone. It affected 60 per cent of our population and reversed multiple years of economic progress. I take this opportunity to thank the global community for the overwhelming humanitarian assistance rendered to our people in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Pam and for ongoing assistance in our recovery and reconstruction efforts. Global and country ownership of the SDGs is important. The United Nations system needs to be reformed in order to realign so as to implement these SDGs effectively. Lessons learned from the implementation of the MDGs should assist us going forward. These reforms must be extended to all regional arrangements as well. Allow me to reiterate again that Vanuatu welcomes the 2030 Agenda Goals. We believes that they will lead to a renewed global partnership and form new types of cooperation which we hope will expedite the implementation of the post-2015 SDGs. It is now time for more action and less rhetoric. Co-Chair Rasmussen: I thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu for his statement.

Our global community is at a fork in the road. Do we act wisely to preserve the resources of planet Earth for generations to come, or do we continue to consume the Earth’s heritage as if there were no tomorrow? We all need to assume responsibility for taking action to end poverty and hunger, to promote the well- being of all, to preserve the ocean and its precious resources, and to use our imagination to fuel the innovations that will ultimately make our countries. The 17 Goals and 169 targets represent the forward thinking and compassionate nature of human beings, the principles of fairness and equality as applied to our global community. Regardless of whether we wake up in Suva or New York, Buenos Aires or Dakar, Nairobi or Paris, London or Honiara, we are all in the same boat, all brothers and sisters on this oasis in the universe called Earth, and we must act collectively. These arrangements to which we commit amount to our basic economic, political and social contracts with Mother Earth over the coming decades. They give us a chance to right the wrongs of the past. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals that we have adopted at this Summit meeting constitute the road map of hope and transformation. We can wait no longer to actually begin this journey. Time is of the essence, and time is not on our side. To accomplish these Goals we must take stock of the systemic issues that create the obstacles that are slowing us down. Many developing countries do not have the financial resources to do what is needed to fulfil the Goals. Many countries have the ideas, the plans and the resolve to act but do not have the financial backing they need. If we can recognize that the lack of funding is what can hold many of us back, then it should be one of the key critical issues to be discussed at this Summit. We have our Goals. Now, how do we get there? We must make affordable financing for sustainable progress a reality. Developing countries must prove themselves trustworthy in order to receive grants and loans. Governments must operate on the principle of transparency, and corruption must be stamped out and punished without exception. In Fiji we are determined to eradicate the remnants of the past. My Government is transparent for all to see, and the corruption that was endemic in previous Governments is being weeded out by its roots. My country is a small island nation. We are not rich, but we are doing what we can to work towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The action we are calling for has already begun in Fiji. We are putting our green growth framework into practice. Fiji has a master plan and an economic model that links economic growth and environmental protection. Our goal is to build an economy that nurtures the interests of all our citizens and establishes strict environmental criteria for all development projects. I think of the ocean I knew as a child and wonder if my grandchildren will ever see it the way I did. Fiji is especially keen on Sustainable Development Goal 14, on the conservation and sustainable management of oceans and seas. Fiji has established a partnership with the Government of Sweden to establish the triennial United Nations conferences on oceans and seas, which we believe can bring accountability to an effort that will require cooperation among every nation in the world as well as all non-State actors. This new global Agenda will succeed step by step, community by community and country by country, but it will require patience, persistence and single-minded commitment. It will require sure and steady programmes of outreach and education to recruit the hearts and minds of every man, woman and child. It will require political and national action to secure the participation of our largest cities and our most isolated villages and communities. It will require genuine strategic partnerships with the private sector, youth and women’s groups, faith-based organizations, media, academia and civil society. We have a chance to make change, to transform our world, to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, and to bring all people into a future of hope. I believe we can. If we have political will and courage and if we act with the leadership we were elected to show, together we will reach our goals. I join other world leaders in committing Fiji’s full support towards the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, at this United Nations sustainable development Summit. Co-Chair Rasmussen: I thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji for his statement.

It is with a sense of both great honour and responsibility that, as the Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tomé and Principe, I take part in this great forum that will inaugurate a new process that, I am sure, will lead us during the next 15 years to a world that is better, one free from the spectre of poverty that unfortunately continues to reign over a great part of the world. Indeed, this global meeting to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is an excellent opportunity for us, as members of the international community and being responsible for conducting development policies, to analyse our performance vis-à-vis the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to put into perspective new strategies for the full achievement of the Goals we have now defined for 2030. Like all other Members of the United Nations, in September 2000 Sao Tome and Principe committed to the implementation and achievement within 15 years of the eight Millennium Development Goals. After 15 years the first and most crucial of these Goals, the reduction of poverty and hunger, has not been achieved. Nevertheless, it is to be noted that of the eight Millennium Development Goals, my country completed three, namely, primary education for all, reducing infant mortality, and improving maternal health. We are particularly pleased with the fact that significant gains were made in universal education, maternal and infant health, a school attendance rate for primary education of about 98 per cent, the registration of almost 98 per cent of births, and a drastic reduction in the rate of infant and maternal mortality. It is also important to note that even if our country was unable to achieve all the Development Goals, good trends were seen in some of the Goals, for example in combating HIV/AIDS and malaria, and as a result our country has seen a net improvement in the standard of living of our citizens. Nevertheless, after 25 years of true democracy, with one of the best indicators of Internet coverage in Africa, after five years of a growth average of 4.5 per cent, inflation below 8 per cent these past three years and foreign debt of 30 per cent of gross domestic product, compared to 349 per cent 15 years ago, my country continues to see a poverty rate of about 62 per cent. The road is therefore long and will be even longer unless public and private investment is increased, especially in the economic sector, and unless there are public policy reforms that lead to job creation, especially for young people. Another no less important aspect — and this must be stressed — is the time factor. It was on 8 September 2000 that our Organization adopted the MDGs (see resolution 55/2), and, given that time is a rare and non-renewable resource, we must draw our conclusions from the past 15 years in terms of their implementation and endeavour to apply the best of what we learn to the 15 years to come. We no longer have the time to take our time as we face many examples of social destructuring and implosions. The SDGs for 2030, which were negotiated and adopted in a consensus-based manner, are more ambitious and more numerous than the MDGs. The fact that the debate did not give rise to any significant contradictions is, I dare to hope, a good sign. And while we are aware of the fact that the rich, emerging and poor countries will be working together to overcome those challenges, it is the leaders of the poorest countries who will have to be the most strongly committed. It is understandable to doubt whether those who failed to achieve the eight earlier Goals in 15 years will now be able to achieve 17 new ones during the same length of time. The Agenda that we have just adopted contains challenges that are not unfamiliar or new. It is crucial that they be prioritized and that we identify development accelerants and catalysts. In that context, we cannot avoid the topic of creating a new type of global governance, one that is less self- serving, more inclusive and especially more realistic and proactive, and one that is committed to seeking political stability and the resolution of conflicts, which are the cradle of opportunistic and devastating extremism and prevent any type of development. The strengthening of multidimensional regional and global cooperation is essential. The search in each Member State for a national consensus on the SDGs through inclusive dialogue among all political actors, whether in power or in opposition, and civil society, is crucial. We have come here to the Assembly to endorse the Sustainable Development Goals of the post- 2015 development Agenda, to which my country, the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, has also contributed. We therefore solemnly reiterate, on behalf of the national Government, our commitment to reducing poverty in our country by 2030. To that end, we will constantly strive for economic diversification, the improved management of public finances, the modernization of economic and social infrastructure, digital inclusion, the promotion of the private sector as the main vehicle for creating wealth and employment, and the unconditional conservation of the environment. We want a healthy environment that can guarantee respect, dignity and the right to happiness for all our citizens. Co-Chair Rasmussen: I thank the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe for his statement.

I have the honour to deliver this statement to the General Assembly for the first time in my capacity as Head of Government, on behalf of the people and the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga. At the outset, please allow me to congratulate the President of the General Assembly on his outstanding effort in convening this Summit. Likewise, I should like to extend my congratulations and appreciation to our previous President, Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his outstanding efforts in overseeing the process that produced the outcome document that we unanimously endorsed yesterday (resolution 70/1). Additionally, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge with thanks the considerable efforts made by the co-facilitators of the process for their long hours and dedication in bringing us to this moment. The newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development represents an attempt to radically move on from business as usual. For the first time, we have gathered to affirm a truly universal outcome, one that holds the key to a prosperous and sustainable future for us all. The universality of this agreed document is a reflection of the diversity of the needs it addresses across the three dimensions of sustainable development. But the universality of the new Agenda also recognizes that, as the connections between us deepen, so too do the common challenges that we face. Chief among those challenges is the irreversible threat to our people, society, livelihoods and natural environments posed by climate change. Indeed, as a small island developing State, we are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change and are already experiencing its effects, including sea-level rise, more frequent and extreme weather events, and ocean acidification. We know that those effects will intensify over time. While the 2030 Agenda does indeed recognize that we must take urgent action to combat climate change, it should be stressed that it is an imperative that we must all address if we are to attain the aspirations set out today. The new Agenda reaffirms the need for the strongest possible agreement to be reached in Paris later this year, as the challenges we face as a result of climate change will only intensify as we approach 2030. During the process of crafting a universal agenda, the Pacific small island developing States stood at the forefront in declaring that our oceans are central to sustainable development for all. We stressed that their conservation and sustainable use was critical to poverty eradication and sustained economic growth, and we did so knowing that mounting human impacts have come to threaten the oceans that sustain us all. We are pleased to see before us an Agenda that moves forward in addressing threats to our ocean, including marine pollution, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and ocean acidification, while harnessing our marine and coastal resources for sustainable development. Our Pacific Ocean is one of the greatest natural endowments in the world. It not only sustains our islands but also forms an enormous component in our global environment. Careful and responsible stewardship of that asset is not merely our responsibility, it is also an indispensable key to the success of our Agenda. My country is highly dependent on imported fossil fuels to meet our energy requirements, and for that reason we responded with the Tonga energy road map, not only to reduce our vulnerability to energy shocks but also to increase access to modern energy in an environmentally sustainable manner. We welcome support for this and other such steps detailed in the new Agenda. We further recognize that the ambitious decisions being advanced here are only as good as the commitments we make for the purpose of implementation. A key to the promise of this document to transform our world is the unprecedented attention paid to each means of implementation, found both in the Agenda itself and in the related commitments undertaken in the financing for development process. As a small island developing State in the Pacific, we face additional financing challenges that deserve the close attention provided here. We must follow through on those commitments and translate the road map that we have put forward into concrete and tangible actions that will transform the lives of those we serve. In the time since the adoption of the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2), Tonga has made significant strides towards the attainment of sustainable development. More must be done. At the dawn of the next 15 years, the challenges we face are more difficult than ever. Our aspirations are high. Yesterday, we listened to leaders who spoke about poverty and the lack of any signs of hope. Some spoke about the forced massive exploitation of resources by multinational companies. We also heard that in many countries in Africa inequality had widened and poverty increased. Similarly, we heard of the mixed effects on global sustainable development of the world’s total spending of more than $1 trillion on military might. In the Pacific, the threat of climate change, marine pollution, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and ocean acidification still pose real threats to the people in our region, let alone to our sustainable development. Others emphasized the prolonged delay in implementing the Millennium Development Goals and other commitments. I associate myself with the sentiments expressed by leaders that multinational companies, and their partners and supporters, must be reminded that a refusal to act promptly would lay them open to the perception that they are more sensitive to other interests than the interests of the people. We must remove unfair monopolies and always put justice before interests. Allow me to remind the Assembly that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Whatever affects one country directly, affects all countries indirectly. The international system, as it is now, does not adequately provide for a fair, justifiable and equitable solution for a small island developing State such as Tonga, or for small island developing States generally. However, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted yesterday, with its Goals and targets, shines a light of hope and reflects humankind’s desire to live in and enjoy a world of peace, justice and harmony. We entrust all States, both developing and developed, working together in genuine and durable partnerships and in a reformed United Nations that is fit for purpose, with ensuring that the new Goals are met over the next 15 years. Co-Chair Rasmussen: I thank the Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Education and Training of the Kingdom of Tonga for his statement.