Crown Princess Victoria and Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed Participate in Build Back Better Webinar for Finance and Development
On June 3rd, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) organized a conference to discuss the role of long-term investment in sustainable development in recovering from COVID-19. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Advocate alumnus Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) of the UN Amina Mohammed participated in the conference and highlighted financing initiatives required to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Crown Princess Victoria emphasized that despite the pandemic, the world cannot delay achieving the SDGs by 2030. COVID-19 has caused people everywhere to witness the effects of poverty, inequality, and conflict on the most vulnerable and the human and economic catastrophes caused by climate change. Now more than ever, financial actors are aware of the benefits of investing in a sustainable future. The pandemic has created various difficulties but also paved a path to endless opportunities. The global crisis is a chance to set the world on track for a sustainable recovery and ensure that financing for sustainable development is accessible for everyone. This can only be achieved with the collaboration of the private and public sectors.
“The pandemic has provided us with a historic opportunity to advocate for change and invest in sustainable development”, said DSG Amina Mohammed. The UN is providing financial support to Member States’ national authorities to bolster their health response and address current socio-economic issues. Moreover, the UN Framework for Direct response to COVID-19 guides teams helping at the national level along five streams:
Ensuring that essential health services and systems are efficient;
Ensuring social protection and basic services for the most vulnerable;
Financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);
Debt relief and stimulus to the most vulnerable;
Strengthening a multilateral regional response.
Ms. Mohammed underlined that climate change risks and opportunities must be incorporated into the financial system as well as all aspects of public policy-making and infrastructure. Moreover, the DSG emphasized that public–private partnerships (PPPs) need to be enhanced and have a shared aspiration that will align investments with the 2030 Agenda.
Crown Princess Victoria and the DSG emphasised that working together in solidarity as an international community will guarantee a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable global economy for all.