Austria's Minister for Europe at the UN Forum for Sustainable Development in New York
In New York, the UN Forum on Sustainable Development discussed progress on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Austria's Minister for Europe, Karoline Edtstadler, attended the event. The current discussion focused on how the COVID 19 pandemic impacts the implementation of development goals.
The HLPF serves as a follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. / Picture: © Bundeskanzleramt (BKA) / Hans Hofer
In New York, the UN Forum on Sustainable Development discussed progress on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Austria's Minister for Europe, Karoline Edtstadler, attended the event.
The current discussion focused on how the COVID 19 pandemic impacts the implementation of development goals.Karoline Edtstadler, Minister for Europe, represented Austria at the event. The current discussion focused on the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the implementation of the development goals.
In her speech at the United Nations Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Edtstadler said: "The 2030 Agenda is our compass for shaping a more equitable and sustainable future. Austria is actively working to achieve the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals - from more efforts worldwide in education to the advancement of women to the important issue of energy security."
She noted that it is more necessary than ever to stand united for democracy, the rule of law and human rights, as the multitude of current conflicts and wars threaten to torpedo the achievements of the so successful recent past.
"Without strong democratic institutions, without equal participation in political life, lasting peace in the world is not possible. This is precisely why it is necessary to also network at the UN level and advance the goals of the 2030 Agenda," she said.
Karoline Edtstadler also tried to emphasise Austria's role for a successful path to 2030. Above all, she said, an ongoing dialogue with stakeholders is necessary when it comes to resilience in the face of future challenges. She also referred to the "SDG Dialogue Forum" taking place for the second time in October, which is organised by government and civil society to promote dialogue.
Austria is actively committed to achieving the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. I reaffirmed this today in my speech at this year's United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. /1 #hlpf #SDGs pic.twitter.com/f3FgKaWCkm
— Karoline Edtstadler (@k_edtstadler) July 14, 2022
On the sidelines of the conference, Austria and Jordan, together with UN Women and SDG Watch Europe, brought together international experts in a "side event" to highlight and improve the situation of girls and women in conflict regions.
Edtstadler used her presence in the United States not only for the UN forum. A second focus of the trip was the promotion of Jewish life and stronger networking with Jewish organisations. Meetings with representatives of the Anti Defamation League, the World Jewish Congress, B'nai B'rith, the National Council Supporting Eurasian Jewry and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations were on the agenda.
The Minister also presented Austrian citizenship to descendants of those persecuted in the Holocaust.
What is the UN Forum for Sustainable Development?
The UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), whose creation was one of the key outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012, has since replaced the former UN Conference on Sustainable Development (CSD).
The HLPF serves to follow up and review the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015.