On 13 July 2021, Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), which is the top UN platform for reviewing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Prime Minister will outline his vision for dealing with the triple challenge faced by the world today: the COVID-19 pandemic; the reversal of economic progress; and the existential threat posed by climate change. He would suggest measures that need to be taken at the national and international level for an effective response to ‘build back better.’
The theme of the 2021 HLPF is achieving a sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that puts us on a path for achieving the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. The Prime Minister has been regularly addressing this theme at various international fora and has put forth several practical recommendations in that regard, many of which are in the process of implementation.
The HLPF will discuss the policies that have been implemented so far to respond to the pandemic and its impacts. Many countries will also present their Voluntary National Reviews on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the ongoing crisis at the Forum.
A Ministerial Declaration will be adopted by the HLPF to make recommendations on how to address the impacts of COVID-19 while making the transformation needed to achieve a more sustainable and inclusive economy, building robust and universal healthcare and social protection systems, and protecting the planet.
The HLPF is convened every year under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – which is currently presided over by Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN in New York.
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