Financing for development, indigenous peoples, Sudan, Colombia, Yemen… The news on Monday

Let’s not let the Sustainable Development Goals become a mirage

This Monday the Financing for Development Forum 2023 of the ECOSOCwhich takes place from April 17 to 20 with the aim of mobilize resources to address the financing gap and promote sustainable development.

In his opening speech, the General secretary He referred to reports showing that, since the pandemic, the world’s richest 1% have hoarded nearly twice as much new wealth as the rest of the world combined.

The UN chief also made reference to the stimulus plan of the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to promote investments that will help achieve them, in addition to alleviating the debt burden of developing countries and improving access to financing.

Guterres called on multilateral development banks, such as the world Bank and the Asian Development Bank, to use their funds to attract more private finance to less affluent countries, and to member states that honor their public aid commitments.

In this sense, the Secretary General explained how last year the International Monetary Fund allocated 650,000 million dollars in Special Drawing Rights, the main global mechanism to boost liquidity during crises. However, based on current quotas, the developed countries received 26 times more than the Least Developed Countries, and 13 times more than all the countries of Africa combined.

“Something is fundamentally wrong with the rules and the governance system that have produced this result,” he declared, calling for a global financial architecture reviewin favor of a system “that is coherent and coordinated, and reflects the current global economic reality.”

Guterres asks to learn from indigenous peoples, pioneers in sustainable management

This Monday the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues began, which this year revolves around the theme “Indigenous peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health, and climate change: a rights-based approach.” This edition focuses its efforts on highlighting the fundamental role that indigenous peoples can play in the battle to mitigate climate change with their knowledge, practices and systems.

During the opening remarks, the Secretary General stressed that, despite the fact that indigenous peoples reflect the magnificent diversity of humanity, “they are losing their lands, their rights and their resources” in many parts of the world.

António Guterres referred to these communities as pioneers in sustainable land management and climate adaptation. However, “it is they who live on the front lines of the climate emergency. This is why we must accelerate efforts to achieve climate justice and increase financing and capacities for adaptation and loss and damage.”

The UN leader urged learn from his wisdomtheir knowledge, their leadership, their experience and their example and expressed their satisfaction with the strengthening of the participation of indigenous peoples through platforms established within the Organization’s processes, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change.

“The United Nations is committed to continuing to promote the rights of indigenous peoples in policy and programming at all levels, and to amplify their voices,” it concluded.

Smoke rises after a shelling strike in the Al-Tajif neighborhood of Khartoum, Sudan.

Guterres calls for an “immediate” ceasefire in Sudan

Clashes in Sudan intensified on Monday as senior UN officials called on rival military factions to protect civilians and respect the country’s international obligations.

“I strongly condemn the outbreak of fighting taking place in Sudan and call on the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RAF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to to immediately cease hostilitiesrestore calm and start a dialogue to resolve the crisis,” the Secretary-General said on Monday.

Before delivering the opening speech at the UN Forum on Financing for Development, António Guterres denounced that the situation “has already caused terrible loss of life, including many civilians”.

“I urge everyone who has influence over the deteriorating situation to press for peace and support the efforts to end the violence, restore order and return to the path of transition”, and warned that “any new escalation could be devastating for the country and the region”.

Serranía del Perijá in Colombia.

The Security Council is concerned about threats to ex-combatants in Colombia

He Security Council has issued a statement on Monday in which it reiterates its support for the peace process in Colombia and stresses the importance of guaranteeing the full application of the Final Peace Agreement.

Council members have welcomed the drive for the comprehensive application of the Agreement and they hope that further progress will be made in resolving the problems of access to land, security and the socioeconomic reintegration of ex-combatants, as well as in accelerating the application of ethnic and gender provisions.

However, they have shown concern about the threats and violence faced by ex-combatants and social leaders and because conflict-related violence continues to have a disproportionate impact on women and indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.

Displaced families continue to live in temporary shelters in Yemen.

UN envoy for Yemen calls for bolder steps towards peace

The United Nations mediator for Yemen affirmed on Monday that there is a most serious opportunity in eight years to move towards ending the conflictbut has warned that “the tide could still turn unless the parties take bolder steps towards peace.”

Hans Grundberg told the Security Council that “the parties have recently shown that negotiations can yield results”. However, this is not enough, she warned, stressing that Yemenis continue to live with unimaginable hardship on a daily basis. In this context, recent events remind us that “escalation can quickly reverse hard-earned gains.”

Hans Grundberg added that any new agreement in Yemen must be a clear step towards a Yemeni-led political process. “The political process must be oriented toward the future that so many Yemeni women and men have told us they want: one of responsible governance, equal citizenship, and social and economic justice.”

He also urged a ceasefire that will permanently stop the violence, guarantee the security of Yemenis and build confidence for a political process. In addition, the parties must refrain from using economic measures as tools of hostility and instead create the conditions that allow individuals and companies to work without hindrance.