Federal President Van der Bellen starts the high-level UN week in New York on Monday. Van der Bellen will speak in advance of the general debate at the “SDG Summit” that begins on Tuesday and, according to the text of the speech, will urge action: “In a world in which we are approaching tipping points, we can “We cannot afford inaction.” The current UN summit marks the halfway point in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The general debate is taking place as part of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, which has been running since the beginning of September. Heads of state and government from more than 150 countries are expected. On Tuesday, the Federal President, together with Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP), will confer with UN Secretary General António Guterres.
The focus of the UN general debate this year is, among other things, climate change and the attitude of the international community to the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also expected in New York. Russia is represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“The 2030 Agenda reminds us that we must implement all the Sustainable Development Goals at home and abroad if we want to achieve a sustainable future for all,” was Van der Bellen’s message, according to the script sent to the APA in advance. “Globally, the impact of the climate crisis, Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, the weak global economy and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted our lack of progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
When it comes to implementing the SDGs on a global level, Austria is “a proud member of the European Union – the largest donor in development cooperation and humanitarian aid”, so a little self-promotion was also on the agenda. “At the national level, Austria is spending more money on bilateral development cooperation and humanitarian aid than ever before.”
The Secretary General’s new SDG report makes it clear that the goal of “zero hunger” is at risk, said Van der Bellen. “Austria has therefore decided to increase its support for food security and has made a new commitment to the World Food Program of 60 million euros for the years 2023 to 2025.”
The SDGs are the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations (fighting poverty, quality education, reducing inequalities, clean energy, etc.), which apply to all countries in the world and provide a common framework for implementation, the presidential office reminded in advance the trip.
Van der Bellen was quoted as follows: “Austria is in fifth place when it comes to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. This is encouraging, but it also means that we – like all other countries in the world – have to continue to work on ourselves. Because these 17 goals, that are intended to make our world sustainable and more livable apply to all countries on earth – a global treaty for the future, if you will.”
In general, the Federal President stated that “cross-border cooperation is particularly important in view of the current challenges and the geopolitical world situation.” According to his office, he will hold a series of bilateral talks in New York “that will focus on the fight against the climate emergency as well as the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and its consequences.”
It is important to the Federal President to remain in close contact with heads of state and government and international leaders and to convey Austria’s position to them. On Tuesday, in addition to Guterres, Van der Bellen will also meet heads of state from countries that are particularly affected by the climate emergency or that play an important role on the path to a more sustainable future.
According to the program, talks are also planned with Inger Anderson, director of the UN Environment Program, and Sultan Al Jaber, president of COP28. The Federal President will attend this appointment together with his Slovenian counterpart Nataša Pirc Musar.
“It’s no secret that I was very disappointed with the results of the last UN climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh. This makes it all the more important that the international community takes bold steps to phase out fossil fuels at COP 28 in Dubai in November and to support the global south,” emphasized Van der Bellen. “The severe storms in Austria, in our immediate neighbors and in many parts of the world show how badly we are already affected by the climate crisis.”
The opening of the general debate at the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations will also take place on Tuesday. At the UN headquarters, the Federal President will listen to the speeches by Secretary General Guterres, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Ukraine’s Head of State Volodymyr Zelensky. In the evening there will be a reception for US President Joe Biden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Wednesday will once again be dedicated to the climate: According to his office, the Federal President will take part in the opening of the “Climate Ambition Summit”, with which Guterres wants to encourage states to make particularly ambitious achievements in the run-up to COP-28 in Dubai in November. He will then meet with climate experts at Columbia Business School who are researching the psychology of emissions markets and decarbonization strategies. Van der Bellen’s journey home is scheduled for Wednesday evening (local time).
On Thursday, Guterres will be hosting a kick-off event in preparation for the UN Summit of the Future planned for September 2024. According to UN sources, the future summit is intended to represent Guterres’ legacy as Secretary General. A future pact should meet the demands of the Global South for inclusive institutions and mechanisms that better reflect the multipolar world, but also safeguard the values and role of the law that are important for the liberal West (human rights, responsibility, democracy).
2023-09-18 03:01:47
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