BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, SEPTEMBER 30TH 2014 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett has called on the United Nations to ensure that the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals recently formulated are effective in building on the foundation laid by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Addressing the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday night, Foreign Minister Nisbett said his delegation’s hope that the agenda as developed will be transformative in nature, with a high degree of success in the eradication of poverty and hunger, and promotion of sustained and inclusive economic growth as its overarching objectives.
“We are mindful that MDG 8, which calls for the strengthening of global partnerships, remains one of the ‘unfinished business’ of the Millennium Development Goals, established at the Millennium Summit in 2000. It is therefore highly important that we take great care in ensuring that the first sixteen (16) goals are buttressed by a robust suite of implementation tools that will effectively serve as the catalyst for achieving success in the post-2015 development agenda,” he told World Leaders.
“St. Kitts and Nevis can never overemphasize the importance of rendering Goal Seventeen (17) effective and operational. Indeed, this goal calls for the strengthening of the means of implementation and the revilatisation of the global partnership for sustainable development. We are therefore heartened by your expressed plan to convene three High-Level Thematic Debates and one High-Level Event geared towards inter alia, strengthening the means of implementation in order to achieve sustainable development in its three dimensions,” said Minister Nisbett, who made history by being the first Nevisian appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and the first Nevisian to address a United Nations General Assembly.
St. Kitts and Nevis he said will pay keen attention to the first event on the means of implementation debate and is of the view that achieving sustainable development will require mobilization and effective use of financial resources, technology development and transfer, in addition to capacity building at all levels.
“It will also entail increased investment in the social sectors, infrastructure, community development, climate financing, and the protection of global common goods. The key question before us in relation to means of implementation is how we mobilize the significant sources that will be needed to turn the aspirations of the post-2015 development agenda into tangible outcomes. I wish, Mr. President, to pledge my government’s support in advancing the basic thrust of your presidency,” the Foreign Minister said.
He emphasised that a strengthened global partnership should foster close collaboration between and among governments; provide for an increased role of the private sector; ensure a fair international trading regime; and foster national and foreign direct investments.
“My government wishes to reiterate its firm commitment to doing its part to ensure that we achieve the goals developed to sustain economic and social development, in a manner which will preserve the environment and ensure stable, safe and peaceful societies,” said the St. Kitts and Nevis Minister of Foreign Affairs.