H.E Antonio Guterres, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General (SG) has revealed that midway to the 2030 deadline for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals, far from leaving no one behind, half of the world is being left behind.

The UN Secretary General said this basing on the evolution on poverty and hunger which he said are delaying and in some countries moving into a reverse mode.

He was giving his submission during the opening ceremony of the Third South Summit Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 plus China at Speke Resort Munyonyo on January 21, 2024 that was hosted by Uganda from January 21-22, 2024.

According to H.E Guterres, many of the G77 member countries are suffering with an economic strain which is resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, endless accrued debts, high cost of living and recurrent borrowing.

“Progress on poverty and hunger is stalling and, in some countries, going into reverse. Many G-77 members are grappling with an economic hangover from the Covid-19 pandemic, crippling debts, a cost-of-living crisis and sky-high borrowing costs,” he stated.

He noted that while the South-South is strengthening and deepening cooperation, this doesn’t cater for the commitments of the global North, for sustained engagements to reduce on the poverty and inequality levels, support growth and build resilience in developing countries.

The SG said that climate disasters have affected the economies and increased people’s suffering while investment in sustainable development and climate action are slipping away and can’t be achieved.

On digital technologies, much as they have vast abilities to thrive, they are as well worsening inequities, adding that the International Monetary Fund warns that Artificial Intelligence could make things even worse.

He noted that peace is the foundation for sustainable development, however, he said that it’s breaking down amid what he called a climate of global impunity stating that from Sudan to Ukraine, Middle East and beyond, wars have devastated lives, and contributed to the mass movements of people which has disrupted the global supply chains and threatened to set entire regions ablaze.

The situation in the Gaza Strip, the SG condemned Israel’s military operations in response to the horrific terror attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which killed civilians on a scale unprecedented his time of leadership, where more than 150 of the UN staff lost their lives, which is heartbreaking and unacceptable. He told the assembly that the refusal to accept the two state solution is totally intolerable. He therefore, called upon the member states to prevent the increasing conflicts across the region by calling for an immediate ceasefire.

On the UN Security Council, the SG said that it’s paralyzed by geopolitical divisions.

He, however, called for respect of each and everyone’s rights irrespective of religion, gender, race, among others. He said this when asked on his stand about the LGBTQ issue that has been on a verge.

He commended President Museveni for his humanitarian position by allowing refugees to settle in his country, citing that Uganda is a country with the highest number of refugees.