Statement by David Abesadze, Charge d’Affaires of Georgia to the UN at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development: Ministerial segment of the HLPF and the high-level segment of ECOSOC General Debate
Charge d’Affaires of Georgia a.i. to the United Nations, David Abesadze underscored Georgia's unwavering dedication to the 2030 Agenda and the pressing need for global solidarity and multilateralism to achieve its goals. David Abesadze began by acknowledging the sobering reality that with only five years remaining until the 2030 deadline, a mere 35% of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are on track. He attributed this to the multitude of interconnected crises facing the world today. To combat these challenges, he emphasized the critical importance of joint solidarity, global cooperation, and multilateralism, particularly in line with the "Pact for the Future."
Highlighting Georgia's concrete progress, the Georgian delegate referenced the country's firm dedication to the 2030 Agenda's core principle of "leaving no one behind." He noted that following the presentation of its 3rd Voluntary National Review last year, the Georgian government has approved a new 2025 Action Plan to ensure the effective implementation of its "Vision 2030 - Development Strategy." Furthermore, he revealed that Georgia is on track to fully localize the SDGs in all 64 of its municipalities by the end of 2025.
In his address, Mr. Abesadze specifically singled out SDG 16, which focuses on peace, justice, and strong institutions, as a "backbone for the advancement of all other SDGs." He reiterated Georgia's ongoing efforts to strengthen effective, accountable, transparent, and corruption-free institutions. In a testament to this commitment, he announced that Georgia looks forward to hosting the UN Public Service Forum in Tbilisi in June 2026, with preparatory work of which already well underway.
David Abesadze also addressed the critical issue of environmental sustainability, emphasizing Georgia's commitment to achieving SDG 14 (“Life Below Water”) in the face of a global climate crisis. He outlined how this commitment is reflected in the country's Fourth National Environmental Action Programme (2022-2026), which promotes the sustainable management of interconnected freshwater and marine systems. Additionally, he noted Georgia’s active advancement of sustainable fisheries management.
Charge d’Affaires of Georgia a.i. to the United Nations brought attention to the human cost of the Russian occupation of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. He stated that this illegal occupation tragically deprives people on the other side of the occupation line of the possibility to benefit from the positive developments taking place in my country. He stressed that these individuals continue to be "left behind," facing grave humanitarian and human rights challenges.
In his concluding remarks, David Abesadze called upon the international community to foster new partnerships and catalyze transformative change, in the context of several significant anniversaries: the UN’s 80th anniversary, the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and a decade since the adoption of the landmark 2030 Agenda.