World leaders met for the opening day of the 2023 SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Summit on September 18 at the United Nations.
France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, commented in her speech to delegates on factors that have undermined progress towards the sustainable development goals.
“The fragile progress made has been undermined by wars such as the war of aggression launched by Russia and Ukraine, by pandemics, climate change… and therefore vulnerable people, particularly women and girls, are systematically paying the highest price,” she said.
Colonna said France was one of the highest donors of ODA (official development assistance) in 2022 and praised the Paris Pact for People and the Planet for launching new momentum towards an environmental transition.
She concluded by calling for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games to contribute to “progressing the SDGs.”
(Inputs from Reuters)