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UN representative urges Latin America and Caribbean to accelerate action to meet 2030 Agenda
Summary
At the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, a United Nations representative warned that the region is off track to meet the 2030 Agenda, highlighted country initiatives on education, oceans and finance, and called for new financing approaches ahead of a July financing-for-development conference.
At the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, a United Nations representative urged countries in the region to speed efforts on the 2030 Agenda, saying progress is "dangerously off track."
The representative, speaking at the forum convened by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), said only 23% of Sustainable Development Goal targets in the region are on track, while "more than a third have stalled or regressed," and noted that there are five years remaining until the 2030 target date. The speaker highlighted recent country-level initiatives—Chile chairing the SDG 4 education steering body, Costa Rica co-organizing the UN Ocean Conference, Mexico co-facilitating the outcome document for the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, and Barbados advancing the Bridgetown Initiative on financial reform.
The representative pointed to a regional achievement on hunger: "This is the only region that has reduced hunger and food insecurity, with 2,900,000 fewer people facing food shortages," while warning that economic instability, organized violence and rising displacement risk reversing gains. The speaker also noted that, despite contributing about 10% of global emissions, the region has suffered significant losses from climate disasters.
On financing, the speaker said official development assistance alone will not meet needs and called for "innovative ways to harness domestic resources and attract private" finance ahead of the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development scheduled for July. The representative urged building on reforms by Secretary-General António Guterres to strengthen links between regional economic commissions and resident coordinators to better align policy and operational work.
The forum remarks offered a mix of regional data, country-level examples and a policy push for accelerated action and financing. The speaker repeatedly framed the meeting as an opportunity to ensure the region's priorities are reflected on the global stage during upcoming international conferences on financing, oceans and social development.
The forum address did not record any formal motions, votes or binding decisions; the remarks were presented as a call for heightened cooperation and mobilization across countries and development partners.
