Today, with one-third of all food produced globally ending up lost or wasted and more than three billion people unable to afford healthy diets, the question of how we produce, trade and consume food in a sustainable manner has come to the fore.
The world needs to focus on the transformative entry points that can have catalytic impact for achieving the Goals: food systems; energy access and affordability; digital connectivity; education; jobs and social protection; and climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This action has already begun. At the country level, Resident Coordinators and UN country teams have been on the ground working with host Governments to boost SDG progress and engagement in the areas it matters the most.
Current projections show that by 2030, nearly 660 million people will continue to live without electricity and 1.9 billion without clean cooking fuels. The world needs a transformed global energy system, that prioritizes access and affordability. We can get there with the right energy access policies and regulations, focusing on the needs of vulnerable communities.
The participation of women in politics is a priority for the United Nations and should be so for society as a whole. For the first time in its history, Costa Rica, in an effort to acknowledge it, will be holding gender-balanced elections in 2024, thereby ensuring an unprecedented space for women's political participation in the country. However, this significant achievement faces a massive and growing challenge: hate speech, discrimination, and digital violence against women.
From the food we eat, water we drink and energy we consume, biodiversity and nature fuel so many parts of life on earth. With only seven years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, investing in key transition areas, such as biodiversity and climate change adaptation and mitigation, can be a game-changer to advance the SDGs and protect our only planet.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Mr. Dennis Zulu of Zambia as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, with the host Government’s approval. Mr Zulu will also be responsible for coordinating UN work in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos and Cayman Islands.
The Otgun family became one among 56000 vulnerable families, who received emergency financial assistance in the amount of MDL 4900 (US$275 approx) during November 2022 - May 2023 within the UN Moldova Solidarity Program.
In Kigoma region, the UN in Tanzania launched a joint programme which gave birth to a new market structure, benefitting around 3,000 traders, the majority of whom are women. The joint programme, which involves 17 UN agencies in Tanzania, complements humanitarian efforts by boosting economic development in the region, ensuring human security and providing support to some of the 250,000 refugees, migrants and host communities currently residing in the Kigoma area.
Our UN teams are on the ground in 162 countries and territories, coordinating joint programmes and tackling a range of priorities and initiatives — from climate action and food security to gender equality and safety of civilians.
