Global partnership for SDGs

World leaders attended the UN Sustainable Development Summit on the occasion of the 70th UN General Assembly and formally adopted the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  These are universal goals and targets which involve both developed and developing countries alike. SDGs aim at creating, between now and 2030, a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace and partnership.
The world leaders have committed themselves to 17 global goals to achieve three extraordinary targets in the next 15 years: ending extreme poverty, fighting inequality and injustice and facing climate change. In general terms, all the 17 SDGs apply to and are relevant for all countries including developed ones. Nature of the challenges are, however, different in different national contexts.
Since many issues affecting the poorest and most vulnerable are interrelated in nature and require multi-dimensional solutions, economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection are projected as the keys for a comprehensive approach to implementation of the global goals. Developed by the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, 169 targets are set forth for meeting the 17 SDGs.
The SDGs are built on the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), deadline of which will end in December this year. The UN vision which was translated into eight MDGs has been the overarching development framework for the world for the past 15 years.
The MDGs were successful in lifting millions out of poverty. The number of people living globally in extreme poverty has declined to more than half, falling from 1.9 billion in 1990 to 836 million in 2015. Proportion of undernourished people in the developing regions has also fallen by almost half since 1990. Developing regions as a whole have achieved the target to eliminate gender disparity in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Women now make up 41 per cent of paid workers outside the agricultural sector, up from 35 per cent in 1990. The number of deaths of children under five has declined from 12.7 million in 1990 to around 6.0 million globally in 2015.
Most of the progress has come about since 2000. But the achievements are uneven. There are shortfalls in many areas. About 800 million people in the world live in extreme poverty and 57 million children are still deprived of primary education. Gender inequality lingers on. And there is the critical challenge of widening economic gaps between the rich and the poor of the world.
The SDGs, with 17 goals and 169 targets, aim to go further than the MDGs.  Between now and 2030, these aim at ending poverty and hunger everywhere, combating inequalities within and among countries, building peaceful, just and inclusive societies, protecting human rights, promoting gender equality, ensuring lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources for shared prosperity and creating conditions for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Bangladesh is already a role model in achieving several MDGs. The country organised a high- level programme titled 'MDGs to SDGs - A Way Forward' on the sidelines of the 70th UNGA on September 29. Addressing the programme, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared that Bangladesh was determined to lead once again in case of the SDGs.
On September 26, Prime Minister Hasina co-chaired with her Belgian counterpart Charles Michel a high-level interactive dialogue 'Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and protection'. She also co-chaired with US President Barack Obama a high-level summit on 'Peace Operations' on September 28. Leaders of over 50 countries from around the world attended the summit. The leaders pledged to mobilise a strong and modern UN peacekeeping force. Bangladesh will facilitate training and skills to emerging Troops Contributing Counties (TCCs) with support from partners. For the purpose, Bangladesh has established the Bangladesh Institute for Peace Support Operations and Training (BIPSOT) and has plans to turn the state-of-the-art institute into a global centre of excellence for training peacekeepers, especially women.
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh was honoured with the highest environmental accolade of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), 'the Champions of the Earth'. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner handed over the award to the PM in the Policy Leadership category for her outstanding leadership in combating the adverse impacts of climate change.
At a special award-giving ceremony held at the UN Headquarters, the PM was honoured with the ICTs in Sustainable Development Award. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) officially recognised nine Heads of State/Government for their efforts to improve access to ICT networks and services. The ITU emphasised the vital role that ICT will play in meeting the new Sustainable Development Goals.
Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in eradicating poverty and hunger, increasing enrolment at primary schools, lowering infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio. The country's leading role in the UN in promoting rights and well-being of persons affected by autism and other neuro-developmental disabilities emanate from the government's efforts to build an inclusive society.
Five years back, when this writer was with the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI), we had arranged a DCCI conference titled 'Bangladesh 2030: Strategy for Growth.' This conference was held on December 07, 2010. The PM honoured the conference with her valuable presence. It may be mentioned that the DCCI is the most vibrant and the largest business chamber in Bangladesh. Main objectives of the DCCI are to promote private sector enterprises and businesses with advocacy, awareness and policy inputs for the government. Now after five years, it is worthwhile to note that the DCCI projections in the Strategy for Growth 2010 were exactly in line with the new global goals for sustainable development.
In the DCCI's Strategy for Growth conference, it was mentioned that "the present government has set Vision 2021 to move Bangladesh to a middle-income country (MIC) by 2021". The debate centres on whether Bangladesh can graduate into a middle-income country (MIC), and if so, by when. Some project Bangladesh's graduation by 2050, others suggest it to be by 2021, and yet some foresee Bangladesh's transition into MIC as early as 2015. Recent graduation of Bangladesh to LMIC status on July 01 this year has shown that the DCCI projections were quite in line with the reality.
Also mentioned in the Strategy for Growth was the observation that "we consider Bangladesh free from major macro-economic imbalances despite several fiscal constraints.... The government of Bangladesh has set a set of visions and perspective plans for 2030 to transform its economy into one of the 30th largest economies in the world, given the existing level of poverty and underdevelopment. The government is also having targets to attain economic efficiency by the year 2021 through expediting country's economic activities in larger scales."
Another excerpt from the DCCI Strategy for Growth 2010 says: "Today Bangladesh is truly positioned in a transition point in its history. It will be interesting to see how this transition and transformation take shape in the coming years for achieving the desired level of prosperity and progress. Bangladesh, as we see things now, is also at the cross-roads of history."
By integrating the right balance among social, economic and environmental dimensions, by thinking in long term and dealing cautiously with risk, by valuing nature as it should be and by creating equity through inclusive policy, we can obviously create a sustainable prosperous world in peace and partnership with all in line with the SDGs.
The writer is former Senior Vice President, DCCI, BASIS and Secretary General and CEO of AMTOB.
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