Highlights and images for 23 July 2025

“UN75 gave young people a promise of reinvigorated multilateralism - UN80 must not take away that hope.” This call from a representative of the Children and Youth Major Group concluded a marathon final session of the “General Debate” at the Ministerial segment of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).

The two-minute window allowed for statements by non-state actors added a sense of urgency to the exchange, which addressed the overall theme, ‘UN@80: Catalyzing Change.’ Across many other speeches by high-level representatives of Member States, intergovernmental organizations, UN entities, and civil society representatives, speakers repeatedly called for the multilateral system to do better in upholding justice and the rule of law and ensuring that no person or place is left behind.  

These themes were further expressed during presentations of the nine final Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), which took place in parallel to the Ministerial discussions. The peer exchanges sought to identify lessons learned and examples of best practice on such shared challenges as how to ensure holistic and integrated SDG processes that address the needs and priorities of all segments of the population in order to ensure no one is left behind.  

During the closing plenary in the evening, Jakub Kulhánek, Permanent Representative of Czechia to the UN and one of the Co-Facilitators of the HLPF 2025 Ministerial Declaration, introduced the draft document, noting it represents a “carefully calibrated consensus.” 

Several delegations expressed their opposition to specific sections of the Declaration, which led to successive votes on specific paragraphs of the text, touching on: access to medicines (SDG 3); gender equality (SDG 5); and decent work for all (SDG 8). Others expressed disappointment at weakening of language referring to the 2030 Agenda, sexual and reproductive health, as well as the lack of reference to the Paris Agreement on climate change, food security, and other topics adopted in other multilateral agreements. 

Following a final vote on the Declaration in its entirety, the Forum adopted a 130-paragraph Ministerial Declaration, which is structured around three main sections:

• An opening section titled, "Current trends, challenges and their impacts on accelerating the implementation of the SDGs";
• A section outlining priority actions for advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with five sub-sections outlining specific actions under review at HLPF 2025; and
• A final section on the VNRs.

In closing statements, some Member States dissociated themselves from specific paragraphs. Others expressed disappointment that the Forum did not adopt the Ministerial Declaration by consensus. 

In his closing remarks, Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said the HLPF brought together over 6,000 participants, including 100 ministers. He said the 35 VNRs presented provided inspiring examples of policies and actions in advancing the SDGs, and add to a valuable database for joint learning, currently containing than 400 VNR reports. Li commended the dedicated engagement of Major Groups and other Stakeholders and described the final outcome as a “powerful reiteration” of multilateral resolve that reaffirms collective commitment to the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs.  

Thanking all participants and organizers, Chair Bob Rae gaveled the meeting to a close at 6.02 pm.