UN RC HC Isaczai’s Speech at the National Workshop for the National VNR Taskforces in Jordan

Your Excellency Marwan Al-Rifaie,

Distinguished colleagues,

It is such an honor to be giving my first speech since coming to Jordan in this important event on SDGs.

I would like to commend all of you for your determined efforts to prepare Jordan’s 2nd Voluntary National Review report, or VNR, at a time when the world and Jordan continue to face the unprecedented crisis of the Pandemic.

The findings of the VNR in Jordan, along with those of 44 other countries, will be presented at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in July in New York under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) focusing on the theme of “Building Forward Better after Covid -19 towards achieving the 2030 Agenda”.

Dear Participants,

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Goals provide a comprehensive blueprint for the Hashemite Kingdom for sustainable recovery from the Pandemic which is grounded in social inclusion, and equality while at the same time preserving our environment and leaving no one behind.

Since Jordan’s presentation of its first VNR in 2017, the world has gone through successive financial, humanitarian and the latest health crises which have hampered the realization of the 2030 Agenda.

Many hard-won gains are threatened as means of implementation are diverted to combat the impact of the pandemic on health and socio-economic areas.

Dear Colleagues,

The VNR is not an end in itself but a means to exchange experiences, identify challenges and accelerate implementation of the SDGs.

This upcoming HLPF will focus on the availability of data and national capacities for data collection.

Therefore, greater efforts will be required to collect disaggregated data that clearly reveals the situation of the most disadvantaged and discriminated groups and to address inequalities and leave no one behind.

The HLPF will also be more closely analysing the interlinkages of the SDGs and their policy implications in the Covid-19 context. 

This will be an opportunity to express your concerns on how the pandemic has adversely impacted Jordan’s progress towards the SDGs and disrupted the advances made, as well as exacerbated the existing structural issues that hinder the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Globally, we need to reverse years of underinvestment in economic, social and cultural rights, and be bolder in repositioning public expenditure to prioritize people’s needs and their rights.

The pandemic has forced us to revisit our values and accelerate our investment in public health systems, education, care work, housing, water, sanitation, electricity, environmental protection, digital and public infrastructure.

Integrated solutions are the only way in which we will be able to build a greener and more inclusive future to help countries meet the 2030 goals.

Now more than ever, we need a holistic approach to human development – to create the space to address structural issues, support innovative policies that work for all and can adapt to a fast-changing world, and ensure civic space and meaningful participation as a vital foundation for sound public policies and decision-making.

Excellencies and Colleagues,

Jordan’s submission of its second VNR report is a demonstration of its commitment to the 2030 Agenda and an opportunity to showcase its progress, and how economic, social and the environmental dimensions of the SDGs have been integrated into national strategies, such as the Jordan Vision 2025.

The UNCT extends its full support to the Government’s undertaking of the VNR process to ensure it is participatory and includes Government’s commitment to “leaving no one behind.

The UN Country Team in Jordan is currently developing its Cooperation Framework with the Government of Jordan to identify the key areas for our support to Jordan’s national priorities over the next five years.

And we see this VNR and the Voluntary Local Review processes as another opportunity for informing our joint work and strategic positioning of the UN system in support of Jordan’s development.

My colleagues at the Resident Coordinators Office and focal points from different UN agencies are ready to work with you in this exercise, as demonstrated by our presence and participation in today’s event. 

I wish you all success in determining the future roadmap towards achieving the 2030 Agenda through this process.

Thank you.