ASEAN is Committed to Achieve SDGs Target, Minister Retno Says
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19 September 2023 12:33 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi delivered ASEAN's joint statement at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit in New York, US, on Monday. Retno stressed ASEAN's commitment to attain SDGs targets in front of world leaders. "ASEAN's commitment and effort to achieve SDGs is adjusted with ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and ASEAN Community Vision 2045," she said as quoted from the ministry's press release on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.
SDGs Summit is a quadrennial UN meeting to review the development and challenge of the SDGs target implementation by 2030.
Retno explained at least three of ASEAN's commitments to advance sustainable development. First, ASEAN is committed to narrowing the development gap, and enhancing SDGs localization while continuously empowering our youth, women, elderly persons, MSMEs, and migrant workers.
Second, ASEAN is committed to becoming a resilient community by bolstering investment in human resources development, improving regional health systems, digital transformation, strong supply chains, and sustainable energy security.
Third, ASEAN strives to strengthen multilateralism and honor the UN Charter. "Thus, we emphasize our resolve to bring the trajectory of SDGs implementation back on track," Retno said.
Challenges faced by developing countries
During the summit, Retno also stated that the global challenge faced by developing countries is the unequal opportunities given to the countries, making it difficult to achieve SDGs implementation target by 2030. She alluded to the trade discrimination faced by developing countries, and how these countries need the opportunity to implement downstream industry.
Indonesia as the acting Chair of ASEAN pushes for the region to become the "Epicentrum of Growth".
Meanwhile, Indonesia has achieved 63% of the total 216 SDGs action plan indicators for the 2021-2024 period. However, the number is unable to boost the regional SDGs achievement, considering the significant development gap in ASEAN.
The slow global development
UN SG António Guterres mentioned in his opening remarks that the global SDGs achievement has only reached 15% of the target. According to a report by the UN, 50% of countries experience slow development while 30% are stagnant or regressive.
In Asia-Pacific, SDGs achievement is at 14.4%. According to a study by UNESCAP, 90% of the target won't be reached by 2030. Thus, the UN is initiating a rescue mission of a yearly US$500 billion stimulus to encourage SDGs target implementation by 2030.
NABIILA AZZAHRA
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