President Mahama To Address UN General Assembly

President John Dramani Mahama will address the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Meeting on September 30, 2015.

This year’s UN summit would focus on the adoption of a new set of universal sustainable development agenda.

According to a statement issued in New York last Thursday, President Mahama was one of the more than 100 Heads of State and Governments who had confirmed to attend the summit.

Summit outcome document

“The summit outcome document, entitled: “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” was agreed on by 193 member states of the UN, and includes 17 sustainable development goals,” the statement said.

By the document, world leaders have committed themselves to working tirelessly for the full implementation of the new universal development agenda by 2030.

The UN Secretary General is quoted in the statement to have said that the summit would chart a new era of sustainable development in which poverty would be eradicated, prosperity would be shared and the core drivers of climate change would be tackled.

The new universal development agenda has become necessary as 2015, the year set as the target for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), comes to a close.

General debate on SDGs

The general debate on the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, the new universal development goals, which will succeed the MDGs, has been scheduled from September 28, 2015, to October 3, 2015.

“A new agenda is needed to address the interconnected elements of sustainable development comprising economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability,” it said.

Throughout the period 2000 to 2015, the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have managed to focus the world’s attention on the key challenges faced by humanity.

Eight goals united the world in an unprecedented effort to make people’s lives better. These goals were: to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, to achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women.

Others were to reduce child mortality, to improve maternal health, to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, to ensure environmental sustainability, and to develop a global partnership for development.

The SDGs

Between 2016 and 2030 the SDGs are expected to be at the centre of the global political agenda.

The new goals of the new development agenda to be adopted during the UN summit on September 25, 2015, in New York include ending poverty in all its forms everywhere; ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.