Âé¶¹´«Ã½

The SDGs National Forum 2025

Video Message

Osaka, Japan

Excellencies,
Distinguished participants,

It is an honour to address the SDGs National Forum 2025 in Osaka. 

I commend the organizers, stakeholders, and the Government of Japan for your relentless commitment to sustainable development. 

Your collaboration with the UN Centre for Regional Development has built significant momentum for the Sustainable Development Goals. 

A decade into the 2030 Agenda, significant challenges persist. Only 35 per cent of measurable targets are on track or making moderate progress, underscoring the urgent need for accelerated action.

In September last year, the Summit of the Future marked a significant milestone with the adoption of the Pact for the Future ¨C a global commitment to accelerate SDG implementation through stronger cooperation.

This global ambition hinges on local action. With nearly 65 per cent of the SDG targets closely linked to the mandates of local authorities, your role is more critical than ever. 

The community-driven initiatives across Japan¡¯s municipalities prove that you are turning global goals into tangible, local impact.

This Forum is a vital space to share these successes, exchange knowledge and foster collaboration across sectors and borders.

To continue this work, I warmly invite you to the 2025 International Mayors Forum in Toyota City in October. 

Organized by UN DESA in partnership with the UN Centre for Regional Development, the UN Office for Sustainable Development and the Toyota City Government, this event will bring together mayors and local leaders from around the world to amplify the voices of cities and communities in the global development agenda. 

Let us reaffirm our shared commitment to building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies for future generations, leaving no one behind. Your leadership is the key to our collective success. 

I wish you all a productive and inspiring Forum.

Thank you.

File date: 
Friday, September 5, 2025
Author: 

Mr. Junhua Li