Remarks by the UN Development Coordinator on Kosovo’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals

Good afternoon esteemed guests,

Honorable Prime Minister Albin Kurti,

Dear ministers, and Members of the Assembly,

Dear President Jahjaga,

Excellencies ambassadors,

Dear Heads of UN agencies,

Dear partners, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to this event marking Kosovo’s progress towards Sustainable Development.

We've reached the midpoint of Agenda 2030, but sadly many Sustainable Development Goals are either stagnating or going in reverse.

The pandemic, climate change, Russia’s war on Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East are major setbacks to global development. Gender equality is shrinking. Starvation is on the rise.

These days, the UN itself is under attack.

Israel has banned UN personnel from entering the country.

39 UN staff working for UNWRA in Gaza have been killed.

My colleague in Niger, Resident Coordinator Louise Aubin, was recently declared Persona Non Grata.

By contrast, in Kosovo, I as Development Coordinator, and the entire team, enjoy a solid partnership with the government.

I wish to thank the Prime Minister for his personal leadership in this regard.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called upon world leaders to accelerate sustainable development in the 7 years remaining of Agenda 2030. He specifically urged us to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and end the war on nature.

He asked to leave no one behind,

strengthen gender equality,

expand social protection,

create jobs,

transform education,

digitalize,

make the transition to green energy,

and tackle climate change.

32 Member States heeded that call by formally recording their commitments to action at the SDG Summit, including Great Britain, whom we will hear from shortly.

I’m proud of Kosovo for also recording its commitments to accelerate the SDGs.

I’d like to hand the floor to Prime Minister Kurti, who will share with us these commitments.

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Kosovo’s targets to reduce poverty and inequality are ambitious but achievable.

With continued economic growth and reform, Kosovo is on the right track.

A key building block is reforming Social Assistance.

The social safety net is a lifeline for people who struggle to make ends meet and who suffer the worst impact of shocks.

25% of the population currently live in poverty. They all need to be granted access to social assistance. At the same time, they need incentives to work.

Social assistance, remittances, and unemployment benefits help people survive, but do not lift them out of poverty.

What lifts them out of poverty is jobs.

Job creation is key. This means growing businesses, agriculture, productivity, foreign investment and export.

Equally important is addressing the mismatch in the labor market.

The UN is doing its part through active labor market measures, education, internship programs, economic empowerment of women, strengthening institutions, legislative work on employment and – soon - rolling out the Youth Guarantee.

We are grateful to the EU, Multilateral Banks and Member States for continued investment in development. Development sustains peace and vice versa.

Let us re-double our efforts in the coming months and years to ensure a cohesive and prosperous future for all the people of Kosovo.