09/18/2023 05:00 (current 09/18/2023 05:10)
Van der Bellen begins UN week in New York with the “SDG Summit” ©APA/AFP
Federal President Van der Bellen kicks off the UN’s high-level week in New York on Monday. Van der Bellen will speak before the general debate at the “SDG Summit” that begins on Tuesday and, according to the text of the speech, will call for action: “In a world where we approach inflection points, we can” We cannot allow inaction.” The current UN summit marks the halfway point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The general debate takes place within the scope of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, which has been taking place since the beginning of September. Heads of state and government from more than 150 countries are expected. On Tuesday, the Federal President, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP), will speak with the UN Secretary General, António Guterres.
The focus of the UN’s general debate this year is, among other things, climate change and the international community’s attitude towards Russia’s war of aggression against 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 previously sent to APA. “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 globally, 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 than ever on bilateral development cooperation and humanitarian aid.”
The Secretary-General’s new SDG report makes clear that the goal of “zero hunger” is at risk, Van der Bellen said. “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 United Nations sustainability goals (fighting poverty, quality education, reducing inequalities, clean energy, etc.), which apply to all countries in the world and provide a common framework for implementation, he recalled. the presidential office 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 every other country in the world – have to continue to work on ourselves Because these 17 goals, which aim to make our world sustainable and more liveable, apply to every country on the planet – a global treaty for the future, so to speak.”
In general, the Federal President stated that “cross-border cooperation is particularly important taking into account current challenges and the global geopolitical 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 for the Federal President to remain in close contact with heads of state and government and international leaders and convey Austria’s position to them. On Tuesday, in addition to Guterres, Van der Bellen will also meet with 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 Programme, and Sultan Al Jaber, president of COP28. The Federal President will participate in this meeting 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 even more important that the international community takes bold action to phase out fossil fuels at COP 28 in Dubai in November. and support the global South”, emphasized Van der Bellen. “The severe storms in Austria, our direct neighbors and many parts of the world show how much we are already affected by the climate crisis.”
The opening of the general debate at the 78th United Nations General Assembly will also take place on Tuesday. At the UN headquarters, the Federal President will hear speeches by Secretary General Guterres, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the Head of State of Ukraine, 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 participate in the opening of the “Climate Ambition Summit”, with which Guterres wants to encourage states to achieve particularly ambitious achievements in the period leading up to the COP -28 in Dubai in November. He will then meet with climate experts from Columbia Business School who are researching the psychology of emissions markets and decarbonization strategies. Van der Bellen’s trip home is scheduled for Wednesday evening (local time).
On Thursday, Guterres will host a launch event in preparation for the UN Future Summit planned for September 2024. According to UN sources, the future summit aims to represent Guterres’ legacy as Secretary-General. A future pact must satisfy 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 law that are important to the liberal West (human rights, accountability, democracy). .