Ávarp Katrínar Jakobsdóttur forsætisráðherra á leiðtogafundi um heimsmarkmiðin á allsherjarþingi Sameinuðu þjóðanna í New York 19. september 2023

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues.

Iceland is steadfast in its support of the Secretary-General and the joint determination to strengthen the multilateral system.

Multilateralism is our best chance of meeting today´s challenges and ultimately achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Everything we do must be firmly rooted in respect for the UN Charter and international law. This is why Iceland stands firm against the war of aggression in Ukraine, and all other wars and conflicts. The number of conflicts in the world hasn´t been higher since the end of World War II.

We also stand firm against the global backlash against gender equality, LGBTI rights and other human rights. We are experiencing that backlash everywhere – and the voices of those who think that human rights should be a privilege of some have sadly grown louder.

There is an urgent need for more resolute action on SDG5, as ensuring gender equality helps us reach other SDGs goals. Gender equality is not only the smart thing to do because it has a profound positive effect on society and economy – it is the only right thing to do. Gender equality is about the human rights of half of mankind – and we have so far to go to reach that goal.

Internationally, Iceland commits to substantially increase climate finance. This includes doubling our contribution to the Green Climate Fund and contributing to the financing of the Early Warnings for All.

My government aims for a significant further increase of our official development assistance, with emphasis on gender equality and actions to combat climate change, including a just and inclusive green energy transition.

We continue to advocate for the highly underfunded SDG14. Healthy oceans and aquatic blue foods have enormous potential to contribute to food security, economic wellbeing and combatting climate change.

Nationally, we are committed to revising the national action plan for accelerating sustainable development by 2030. A newly established multi-stakeholder platform, Sustainable Iceland, will be part of revising our national action, guided by the SDGs.

Last week, my government decided to integrate the principles of the wellbeing economy to our national budget in addition to our five-year fiscal strategy, building on the positive experiences of gender budgeting. This way, we want to measure more than economic growth alone, namely the health and happiness of our nation.

We must also manage our so-called spillover effects and work to minimize the negative impacts felt in other countries from lifestyle within our own. My government will continue to address this.

This concludes my national statement.