20 September 2016: The UN marked the first anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with an update on progress towards implementation, noting that the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “will pass in the blink of an eye.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made the remark at an anniversary event held at UN Headquarters in New York, US. He expressed satisfaction that implementation of the 2030 Agenda is well underway, with more than 50 Member States integrating the SDGs into their development planning, and the Group of 20 (G20) leaders aligning their work programme with its aims.

Ban announced that by the end of 2017, the UN intends to recruit one million “agents of transformation” to raise awareness of the Agenda worldwide through an advertising campaign. He called attention to the role of the Paris Agreement on climate change in sparking action for sustainable development, and the work of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in global follow-up and review. He also highlighted that the Agenda has given impetus for improving the coherence and effectiveness of the UN, and urged all to play their respective part in collaborating towards its effective implementation. [UN Secretary-General’s Remarks] [UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform]