UN calls to turbocharge action at landmark 2023 SDG Summit

In the run-up to the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit scheduled during the United Nations General Assembly high-level week on 18-19 September 2023 in New York, the United Nations Office in Kazakhstan hosted the media briefing, bringing together leading media representatives and influencers in Kazakhstan to discuss the imperative issues surrounding sustainable development.

At the mid-way point to 2030, the SDGs are in deep trouble. Only 15% of the targets are on track and some 37% have either seen no movement or regressed below the 2015 baseline. The number of people living in extreme poverty is higher than it was four years ago, and hunger is now back at 2005 levels. It will take 286 years to close gender gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws. For example, in Kazakhstan 10% of the population owns 66% of national wealth, 21.3% of the land is degraded and life expectancy gap between men and women is 8 years. At the same time Kazakhstan is the most urbanised country in Central Asia with almost 62% of the population living in urban areas, has 73% decrease in maternal mortality rate since 1993 and 100% access to electricity.

The SDG Summit will unite Heads of State and Government at the United Nations Headquarters to assess the progress made in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs. The world leaders are expected to make bold global commitments as well as national commitments to SDG transformation. The outcome of the Summit will be a negotiated political declaration.

Addressing the audience, UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey noted: "Halfway towards the 2030 deadline, the promise of the SDGs is in danger. In Kazakhstan, as in many parts of the world, we stand at a critical juncture. As we gather for the 2023 SDG Summit, we acknowledge the unique challenges we face. We are tasked with not only reigniting our momentum but also forging a resilient path forward. Together, we can turn adversity into opportunity, and through concerted efforts, we can build a future that leaves no one behind”.

Government, media, civil society, the private sector, youth and other stakeholders, all have a key role in the implementation of the SDGs. Their participation will be essential to the success of the SDG Summit and its follow-up. The event participants highlighted the global impact of the SDGs and how achieving these goals can lead to a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous world for all.

Background information

2023 SDG Summit

The 2023 SDG Summit will be convened on 18-19 September 2023, during the United Nations General Assembly high-level week. Heads of State and Government will gather at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to follow-up and review the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG Summit will be chaired by the President of the General Assembly. The outcome of the Summit will be a negotiated political declaration. This will be the second SDG Summit since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in September 2015. It will build on other major events in 2023, including international conferences on the least developed countries, water, disaster risk reduction and food systems. It will also be a step towards the Summit of the Future to be convened at the United Nations in 2024.

SDG Summit: https://www.un.org/en/conferences/SDGSummit2023

UNGA High-level week: https://www.un.org/en/high-level-week-2023