United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday announced the appointment of Turkish businessman Hamdi Ulukaya as an “advocate” for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a bid to galvanize efforts for the achievement of these objectives undermined by a cascade of crises.
In a statement, Guterres said he was happy to welcome Ulukaya to the team of advocates for the SDGs, which are the “global blueprint” for building a healthier, greener and more sustainable future by 2030.
“With time running out and multiple crises derailing us even further, we must do everything in our power to achieve the SDGs,” insisted the UN chief.
The Sustainable Development Goals Advocates Group was officially launched on January 21, 2016 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It is made up of 17 personalities who assist the UN SG in the campaign to achieve the SDGs.
For his part, Ulukaya said he was honored to join the United Nations SDG Advocates, “a distinguished group of leaders, thinkers and activists”, expressing his commitment “to work for actions that will shape the future and build a healthy, safe and prosperous world for our children”.
Hamdi Ulukaya is a businessman, activist and philanthropist dedicated to the global integration of refugees and access to good quality food for all, the UN says, adding that his foundation, Tent Partnership for Refugees, mobilizes the private sector to provide economic opportunities for more than 25 million refugees worldwide.
At the annual High-Level Policy Forum on Sustainable Development held last week in New York, Guterres acknowledged that the SDGs are going through a “rough patch” due to a cascade of crises and uncertainty that shake many parts of the world.
Achieving the SDGs requires $4.3 billion a year, “more money than ever before”, he said, explaining that the international community is simply not keeping pace with the commitments it has made .
In order to overcome these crises, Antonio Guterres insisted on the need to ensure global and equitable access to anti-Covid vaccines, to find a solution to the current food, energy and financial crisis and to invest in human capital. It is also regarding stepping up efforts for ambitious climate action, he said.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by world leaders at the historic Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015. These goals mobilize efforts around the world to end all forms of poverty, fight inequality and poverty. climate change by 2030, while ensuring that no one is left behind.