Delegates to the Sixth Meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development emphasized the need for forward-looking, high-impact initiatives involving all relevant actors, to enable the structural transformations Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) needs to “resume and sustain the path to 2030.”

The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) convened the LAC regional forum on sustainable development (RFSD) from 25-28 April 2023 in Santiago, Chile.

Discussions at the Forum focused on the findings from the regional progress report titled, ‘Halfway to 2030 in Latin America and the Caribbean.’ According to the report, in LAC, 24.6% of the SDG targets have been achieved or will be achieved if the current trends continue. While the trend is positive for 48.4% of the targets, progress is not moving quickly enough for them to be met by the 2030 deadline. The report warns that for 27% of the targets, the region is backsliding.

“We must achieve transformative change … [for] a better future, or let it fall by the wayside,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed addressing the Forum. ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs called for public strategies, policies, and programmes to be strengthened by transformative initiatives, partnerships with the private sector and civil society, and international cooperation, to achieve full implementation of the SDGs by 2030.

At a high-level panel discussion, speakers discussed ways to “strengthen commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its full implementation at all levels.” Salazar-Xirinachs recalled the transformative initiatives identified in the LAC progress report, underscoring their “capacity to produce synergistic and multiplier effects to drive the achievement of several SDGs at once.” The seven transformative initiatives are:

• The energy transition and related industries;
• The bioeconomy: sustainable agriculture and bioindustrialization;
• The digital transformation;
• Promoting exports of Internet-enabled modern services;
• The care society and gender equality;
• Sustainable tourism; and
• Regional economic integration.

The Forum also reviewed progress towards SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals). Representatives of government, international organizations, the private sector, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders shared experiences, challenges, good practices, and lessons learned in their implementation.

At the conclusion of the Forum, ministers and high-level representatives adopted an 18-page-long outcome document containing a set of intergovernmentally agreed conclusions and recommendations, in which they “reaffirm [their] commitment to effectively implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ensuring that no one is left behind.” They highlight the eradication of poverty “in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty [as] the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development,” where the furthest behind are reached first and those in vulnerable situations are empowered.

Noting with concern that “the SDG targets with a 2020 deadline have not been fully achieved,” delegates call for actions to: protect biodiversity; develop disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies; increase the availability of timely, quality, and disaggregated data; engage youth; and enhance financial and capacity-building support and technology transfer to developing countries.

Recognizing that inequalities in LAC “remain pervasive,” the document identifies the need for further investment in social services and economic opportunities through partnership between governments, national and local authorities, the private sector, the international financial system, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders.

The Forum’s conclusions and recommendations will serve as an input to the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July and the SDG Summit in September. [UN News Story] [ECLAC RFSD Briefing Note] [Publication: Halfway to 2030 in Latin America and the Caribbean: Progress and Recommendations for Acceleration]