Can the 'Global Goals' be achieved in a peace-deficit world?

September 25, 2016 marked the first anniversary of the launching of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On this day last year, the 193-Member United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda with a new set of SDGs, also known as Global Goals. World leaders pledged to the 17 SDGs to overcome poverty and restore human dignity by 2030. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hailed the Global Goals as "a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world".

It is rather premature to take a stock of how much progress has been made in terms of achieving the SDGs just after a year of their launching. However, the growing concern around the world that the prevailing global state of affairs is impeding the progress of SDGs cannot be ignored. Political and economic stability is critical and central to the implementation of the SDGs. Unfortunately, however, the world has only witnessed a growing deficit of those during the past twelve months. Self-serving interests of individual nation-states, groups, and in some cases, even individuals seem to have obscured the shared vision of development and dignity for all individuals across the globe. Increasingly, the world is becoming a less safe place to live in for a growing number of people.  Values of diversity, tolerance, plurality and co-existence are eroding fast, creating space for selfishness, intolerance, barbarism, extremism, xenophobia and bigotry. Under these circumstances, and in the midst of so much violence and instability around the world, implementation of the SDGs has become extremely challenging.

Today, the world is experiencing the most severe and widespread refugee crisis since the World War II. According to the UN, there are now 244 million migrants in the world. Civil war and violence have displaced 65 million people, half of whom are children. Eighty-six percent of these displaced people are sheltered in the developing regions of the world, imposing a heavy burden on their economies and social infrastructure and undermining their efforts towards achieving the SDGs. Tackling the root causes of human displacement on this massive scale is as important as responding to the immediate humanitarian needs of the refugees. It is also in line with Goal No. 16 of the SDGs, which urges all countries to "establish peace, justice and strong institutions to promote peaceful and inclusive societies". Elimination of the root causes of human displacement is dependent on fast and full achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs are not merely confined to any particular aspect (social, economic, political, cultural etc.) of human life, but they encapsulate the entire gamut of all peoples' well-being across the globe.

Armed conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere; civil wars and anti-regime violent protests in South Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Libya; and global terrorism causing loss of human life and property at an unprecedented scale and destabilising economic and social activities in many regions are not conducive to the implementation of SDGs. Tensions emanating from the manoeuvres of the big powers to establish their supremacy over the South China Sea, escalation of unease in the relationship between the two nuclear powers in South Asia, growing tensions between North and South Korea, the potential of the Syrian crisis to turn into an even larger catastrophe, are all contrary to Goal No. 17 of the SDGs, which calls for global partnership for sustainable development. 

The continuing sluggish global economic growth and increasing unemployment and under-employment both in the developed and developing countries are not conducive to materialisation of Goal No. 8 of the SDGs that seeks to 'promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth' along with 'full and productive employment and decent work for all'.  The economic shock emanating from Brexit is being felt not only in the UK and EU, but in countries and regions far away from Europe. The recently concluded G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China, did not produce any concrete plan or strategy to boost global economic growth and to accelerate trade and investment. Even for many the G20 countries, the growth forecast is not at all encouraging.

The good news, however, is that efforts are underway at various levels, particularly under the auspices of the UN, to restore peace and stability in the volatile regions of the world. The UN trucks with humanitarian aid have again started rolling into Aleppo, Syria, under the shadow of the fragile truce brokered by Russia and the US.  At the first-ever UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants held in conjunction with the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, governments from around the world have pledged to do more to address both the symptoms and root causes of the refugee crisis. In a recent inter-faith dialogue with more than 500 top representatives from different religious traditions, Pope Francis denounced war by declaring that there is 'no God of war', and urged people to unite for peace. China and the US have formally accepted the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The 120-member group that constitutes the Non-Aligned Movement concluded its latest summit meeting in Venezuela recently, with a call for peace while voicing concern over violence in Syria, Iraq and the Palestinian Territories.

For Bangladesh, implementation of the SDGs remains high on the national development agenda. An inter-ministerial committee on SDGs' monitoring and evaluation has been constituted by the government. Some senior parliamentarians and government officials of the country have been taking keen interest in the implementation of the SDGs. The UN has recently commended the Government of Bangladesh for its commitment to the SDGs. However, more inclusive efforts are needed to stay on the right course for achieving them. The government has to proactively engage the private sector, and create meaningful space for civil society input to achieve the targets of SDGs. Public-private partnership (PPP) will have to be strengthened, and the private sector will have to commit much larger financial resources for the SDGs.

At the international level, Bangladesh's commitment to the SDGs, and to the creation of a congenial global atmosphere for their smooth implementation, has been both laudable and visible. In 2015, after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda at the UN, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a clarion call to the international community to come forward with united and coordinated efforts for the success of the SDGs. This year, Bangladesh has taken a firm stand in major global forums, including the UN in favour of restoring global stability and peace urgently for the sake of global development. Speaking at the ' Leaders  Summit on Refugees' organised by US President Barack Obama at the UN, and referring to the refugees, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "We need to treat them with compassion, solidarity and fairness". It is also noteworthy here that a Bangladeshi girl, Shougat Naznin Khan, has been selected by the UN as one of 17 youth leaders to support SDGs.

SDGs and peace are interdependent and mutually inclusive and reinforcing. Every single sustainable development goal can contribute to achieving peace and restoring human dignity. Similarly, without restoration and sustenance of peace, the SDGs cannot be implemented. On the first anniversary of SDGs, let the global community renew its commitment to both SDGs and peace, and thereby fulfill its obligations to the coming generations.

The writer is a teacher of Development Studies and a development activist.

Email: rhaque55@gmail.com