Photo by Andreas Dress on Unsplash
The European Committee of the Regions’ willingness to participate actively in the UN-led processes for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2024 European Summit of Regions and Cities were the main themes of the meeting between President Vasco Alves Cordeiro and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres.
The meeting, in the United Nations Headquarters, took place on the margins of the participation of the President of the European Committee of the Regions in the UN High-Level Political Forum.
Following the meeting, President Vasco Alves Cordeiro stated: “I was very pleased and grateful for this inspiring exchange of views with António Guterres on the occasion of my participation in the High Level Political Forum at UN Headquarters.
“Cities and regions around the world are crucial stakeholders in implementing the Global Agenda for Sustainable Development. As a key force in the implementation of the SDGs, local and regional authorities should be better included in the governance of these processes that have a global dimension.
“Our commitment must never cease – this challenge is a challenge for decades to come. Most Sustainable Development Goals can be better addressed at local and regional level by strong communities, aware of their overall impact. The more we deepen local partnerships between cities and regions around the world, the better we can learn from each other how to make our communities sustainable.
“As stated in the Secretary-General’s priorities for this crucial year of the UN SDG Summit, it is our duty towards future generations to achieve these goals at all levels. At the meeting, I expressed my deepest respect for António Guterres’ work for sustainable peace and promotion of the 2030 Agenda and reiterated the European Committee of the Regions’ commitment to making sustainability a tangible reality and a real=life change for the people we represent.”
The participation of the CoR delegation in the High Level Political Forum is integrated into the wider representation of the European Union in the event and in the presentation, for the first time, of the European Union’s Voluntary Review on the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda. Its main focus is to highlight the role and contribution that the Union’s cities and regions make to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN High Level Political Forum meets annually, at Ministerial level, under the aegis of the UN Economic and Social Council and, every four years, at Heads of State and Government level to assess the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
