NEW YORK, WILLEMSTAD – The Social and Economic Council (SER) of Curaçao is participating in the ministerial segment of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York as part of a delegation from the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS).
The forum opened with a strong warning from United Nations leaders that global progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is falling behind. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President of the 80th session of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, and President of the UN Economic and Social Council Lok Bahadur Thapa all emphasized the same message: the world has solutions available, but implementation remains too slow and fragmented.
For Curaçao, the message directly relates to major policy challenges such as water security, energy transition, infrastructure, housing, digitalisation and employment.
This year’s HLPF is reviewing progress on several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, industry and innovation, sustainable cities and international partnerships.
The latest figures show the urgency of accelerating action. Of the 139 SDG targets with sufficient available data, only 36 percent are currently on track or showing moderate progress. Nearly half are advancing too slowly, while 15 percent have moved backwards since 2015.
Guterres highlighted several global challenges slowing progress, including high debt levels, rising financing costs, climate change and armed conflicts. According to the UN secretary-general, these pressures are limiting countries’ ability to invest in education, healthcare, social protection, energy security and infrastructure.
He stressed that sustainable development requires a coordinated approach. Water, energy, innovation, urban development and social protection cannot be addressed separately but must strengthen one another.
Guterres also pointed to renewable energy, digital technology and artificial intelligence as important opportunities for economic development. These technologies can increase productivity, improve public services and create jobs, but only if countries ensure broad access to infrastructure, data, skills and financing.
At the same time, he warned that the environmental impact of digitalisation must be considered, including the energy and water consumption linked to digital systems.
Baerbock called on countries not to lose confidence as the 2030 deadline approaches. She noted that progress since 2015 in areas such as drinking water, sanitation, electricity and internet access demonstrates that international goals can be achieved when political commitment, investment and cooperation come together.
She also stressed that governments cannot achieve sustainable development alone. Employers, workers, civil society organizations, research institutions and financial institutions all have a role to play.
According to Baerbock, economic progress should also be measured beyond gross domestic product (GDP), taking into account factors such as health, education, inequality, living conditions and resilience.
Thapa focused on implementation and results, calling on countries not to reduce their ambitions but instead remove administrative, financial and institutional obstacles that delay progress.
He highlighted the specific challenges faced by island economies, including high financing costs, limited implementation capacity, natural hazards and repeated external shocks.
The participation of Curaçao through the SER allows the island to contribute the perspective of social and economic dialogue to the international discussion. Economic and social councils can help translate global agreements into practical policies by bringing together governments, businesses, workers and civil society.
The central message from New York is clear: the remaining years toward 2030 must focus less on new declarations and more on concrete priorities, financing, implementation and measurable results.