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UN states set goal to end poverty, hunger in next 15 years

The eight MDGs will be replaced by the resolution, although the UN states that the new targets will reaffirm the targets set out in the MDGs and will strive to achieve progress in those areas where the high profile goals were not met.

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With a prominent UAE contribution, the United Nations yesterday (Monday) concluded negotiations on the landmark Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the most far-reaching worldwide decision on development in the 70-year history of the organisation.

“This is the People’s Agenda, a plan of action for ending poverty in all its dimensions, irreversibly, everywhere, and leaving no one behind”, proclaimed Ban of the multitrillion-dollar initiative.

“The Summit will chart a new era of sustainable development in which poverty will be eradicated, prosperity shared and the core drivers of climate change tackled”, Ban said in the statement.

Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encompasses a universal, transformative and integrated agenda that heralds an historic turning point for our world.

“The agreement also lays a sound foundation for a successful summit on development in September”, he said, referring to the Summit on Development at the UN Headquarters, where world leaders are expected to adopt the post-2015 development agenda.

The draft which outlines 17 ambitious sustainable development goals ranging from issues of poverty, gender equality and economic development to climate change and ocean resource protection has several indicators too. I look forward to joining Heads of States and Government, civil society, faith and business leaders, and peoples around the world for the adoption of this new agenda in the historic Summit in New York, added the UN chief. For example, goal two promises to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”, while goal six commits to ensuring “availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”.

Agreement on the new goals is the culmination of years of negotiations among United Nations member states.

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This agenda reflects our evolving understanding of how development works, beginning with local empowerment, ownership, and leadership, and made real through strong partnerships among governments, multinational institutions, nonprofit organizations, private companies, and individual citizens, which instill accountability and drive inclusive economic growth. Agreed at the Third global Conference on Financing for Development, which took place last July in Addis-Ababa, the Mechanism will have an inter-agency task team, a forum on science, technology and innovation, and an online platform for collaboration. It also strengthens our collective fight against those challenges we know keep setting us back, like conflict and climate change.

UN aims to 'end poverty' with 2030 agenda for sustainable development