Good afternoon, dear members of the press,
As the Secretary-General noted, we stand at a defining moment. This report serves as both our compass and call to action, providing the critical evidence needed to guide discussions at the HLPF and beyond.
The data reveals a story of positive progress alongside turbulent challenges. Over the past decade, we have seen following tangible achievements:
? New HIV infections have decreased by nearly 40 per cent since 2010.
? Malaria prevention efforts have saved more than 12 million lives since 2000.
? 54 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease.
? An additional 110 million children have enrolled in school since 2015.
? Access to electricity has reached 92 per cent of the global population, with 45 countries achieving universal electricity access in the past decade.
? Internet use has increased by 70 per cent ¡ª reaching 68 per cent today.
These are not mere statistics; they are the stories of lives transformed¡ª more children in school, more families protected, and more communities empowered.
But the report also lays bare a harsh reality: a challenging global context is stalling progress. Conflicts are escalating, temperatures are breaking records, and debt burdens are rising, while developing countries face an annual 4 trillion US dollars SDG financing gap.
The world is not moving fast enough to achieve the SDGs amid overlapping crises. Just share some sobering facts from the report:
? Over 800 million people remain trapped in extreme poverty.
? Billions of people lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.
? Women continue to devote 2.5 times as many hours to unpaid domestic and care work as men.
? Climate change is accelerating, with 2024 marking the hottest year on record at 1.55¡ãC above pre-industrial levels.
? Low- and middle-income countries faced record-high debt servicing costs of 1.4 trillion US dollars in 2023.
Despite these monumental challenges, the path forward is clear. The report shows that progress is possible if we scale up solutions and build on hard-won gains.
We must focus our efforts on six key transitions that represent our most promising levers for systemic change: food systems, energy, digital connectivity, education, jobs and social protection, climate and biodiversity.
Recent global events such as UNOC3 and FFD4 have demonstrated a renewed spirit and commitment to collective action.
Let us seize this moment to re-commit, to act decisively, and deliver on our promise.
Thank you.