Statement Delivered By H.e. Dr. Julius Maada Bio, President Of The Republic Of Sierra Leone, In His Capacity As Chair Of The Group Of Seven Plus (g7+) At The High-level Political Forum On Sustainable Development Held On 18th September 2023

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the g7+ Member States at this High-Level Summit convened at the mid-point in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, a critical juncture characterized by recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and environmental threats.

The 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, the agreed global plan, adopted in 2015 was conceived with the objective of leaving no one behind in countries around the world and supporting global public goods as it relates to peace, environment and an inclusive economy.

The g7+, made up of countries affected by or recovering from conflict, were among the major advocates of the SDGs, with specific reference to SDG16. As a group of countries, we have collectively learned through our experiences that lasting peace, effective state institutions and access to justice are key pillars to stability, development and resilience.

However, since the start of the implementation of this global blueprint, fragile and conflict-affected states are the furthest behind in meeting the SDGs and this dilemma only worsened with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crisis.

Against this backdrop, the Member States of the g7+ hereby recommend the undermentioned as the possible pathway toward the realization of transforming our world and leaving no one behind in this decade of action:

1.Firstly, the promotion of peace and stability should continue to be at the center of implementing the SDGs, as violence and insecurity undermine development gains. In advancing the development agenda, we must seek to promote and support peace efforts that address the root causes of conflicts and tackle economic and social inequalities and exclusion; especially in countries contending with high levels of threat and fragility that require heightened attention.

2.Also, resilience founded as an inherent potential of every country should be one of the guiding principles to achieving the SDGs. In this age of complex crises, we must deliberately embrace resilience as it helps to ensure progress is not totally derailed or reversed in times of adversity. For instance, ending extreme poverty, and thriving in complex and adverse environments requires building capacities, mechanisms, and institutions that will promote a sustainable future for all. That’s why we will continue to advocate for debt financing and relief, and technology transfer, for the Least Developed and Conflict-affected countries. The debt financing and relief of these countries would unleash the resources that could be used to realize the ambition of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

3.Lastly, we call for a joint commitment by partners to work through and support government-led country platforms in conflict-affected and fragile countries with the view to enhance development cooperation by addressing complex political, social and economic realities. While we acknowledge the trend of support for country platforms over the last five years, it is imperative to raise awareness for governments and partners to embrace this mechanism that is collaborative, risk-informed and flexible. It ensures development agendas are localized.

Let me conclude by stating that, meeting the SDGs in this decade of action could be challenging, but with sustained multilateral support to a holistic national ownership of the 17 SDGs, distinct global leadership, resource mobilization, capacity building and mutual accountability, certain progress is envisaged, no matter the scale.

I thank you.