Mr. Chair,
Your Excellency, Philémon Yang, President of the General Assembly,
Your Excellency, Robert Rae, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council,
Your Excellency, Giorgio Silli, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy,
Ms. Jan Beagle, Director General of the International Development Law Organization,
Distinguished delegates,
Dear colleagues,
Welcome to the SDG 16 Conference 2025.
My sincere thanks to the Permanent Mission of Italy and the International Development Law Organization, for co-organizing this global event with UN DESA.
Today’s Conference has three key objectives:
First, to provide an inclusive space for diverse stakeholders to share concrete experiences and highlight good practices on SDG 16.
Second, to examine current trends, challenges, and opportunities, seeking pathways to accelerate SDG 16 implementation across all its targets.
Third, to underscore SDG 16’s indispensable role in advancing the entire 2030 Agenda and to champion the necessity of inclusive, whole-of-society actions and partnerships.
Building on past momentum, this Conference gathers a diverse and distinguished array of voices— government officials, international organizations, civil society leaders, academic experts, and youth advocates—to ignite dynamic dialogue and forge meaningful collaboration.
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
The Pact for the Future, adopted last September, clearly signals the urgent need for decisive action to achieve the SDGs by 2030. The Pact emphasize that building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, ensuring universal access to justice, and establishing effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions— all while upholding human rights—are critical. This firmly positions SDG 16 as central to the 2030 Agenda.
However, the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals Report revealed a sobering reality. Only 17 per cent of measurable SDG targets are currently on track. Progress on SDG 16 itself is inconsistent and insufficient in many aeras. This is exacerbated by intersecting global crises that erode trust in public institutions and intensify challenges to justice, accountability and human rights. With only five years remaining, we stand at a critical juncture. This moment demands urgent and robust collective actions to steer the Goals back on course.
Let us use this space to honestly assess our progress on SDG 16—acknowledging achievements while addressing the obstacles to advancing peace, the rule of law and effective and accountable institutions. Let us draw lessons and wisdom from national experiences where strategic investments in SDG 16 have delivered tangible results, such as fostering inclusive economic growth and advancing gender equality. And let us explore how SDG 16 can be a powerful lever to accelerate progress on our shared priorities, in line with the Pact for the Future and other multilateral commitments.
Looking ahead, your insights from this Conference can significantly inform two major events: the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Spain in July, and the 2nd World Summit for Social Development in Qatar in November. The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July offers an immediate opportunity to amplify the key linkages between SDG 16 and other Goals under review.
I encourage you to generate concrete lessons and actionable proposals that can resonate with these vital intergovernmental processes, contributing to a bold, coordinated, and ambitious path forward towards the full realization of the 2030 Agenda.
Thank you.