At the start of the G20 ‘Development’ ministerial meeting in India (Varanasi, 11 and 12 June), the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, called for a recommitment by the 20 richest economies to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing assurances that the EU will do its part.
This G20 meeting is devoted to the many development challenges compounded by the economic slowdown, excessive debt, the impact of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, rising poverty and inequality, food and energy insecurity, and conflict. It should be an opportunity to agree collectively on the measures to be taken to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and promote synergies between development, environment and climate programmes, while avoiding costly compromises that hamper the progress of developing countries, according to the Indian Presidency of the G20.
“I have asked the G20 ministers to recommit themselves politically and financially”, said the Commissioner on her Twitter account.
A champion of “reinvigorated and more inclusive multilateralism to put the SDGs back on track”, she stressed the “need for collective action to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, while taking human rights into account”, and welcomed the G20’s new 2023 action plan for accelerating progress.
The EU will present the first voluntary review of its implementation efforts at the UN High Level Forum in July (see EUROPE 13189/11).
Insisting that “development aid alone is not enough”, she pointed out that the EU’s ‘Global Gateway’ investment strategy, which has been allocated €300 billion until 2027 to support major infrastructure projects in emerging and developing countries, “aims to help partners achieve the SDGs and implement the dual transition”, both digital and green, by mobilising private funds to complement those of the EU, its partners and its financial institutions. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)