National Statement by Finland at the High-level Political Forum 2026 General Debate "Delivering Better: Accelerating urgent and transformative action to achieve the SDGs by 2030"
Delivered by Vice Minister of Climate and the Environment, Mr. Mika Nykänen in New York on July 13, 2026.
Mr. Chair, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
Today, we face more complex global challenges than ever before: the triple planetary crisis, persistent armed conflicts as well as economic shocks. They all have a severe impact on the prospects of achieving the SDGs. To resolve the pressing issues of our time, we need a truly global platform for our work: the United Nations.
The 2030 Agenda is seriously off-track and requires urgent measures to ensure delivery. We also need to ensure that international law, including the UN Charter, is respected everywhere.
Armed conflicts around the world continue to drain the critical resources needed for sustainable development. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East and the war in Sudan have wide-spread global consequences in our interconnected world.
Gender equality and investing in free and inclusive education lie at the heart of Finland’s own development story over the past 80 years. Gender equality is a human right. All SDGs can only be fully realized when women and girls have equal access to opportunities, resources, and decision-making.
The SDGs are deeply interlinked. For example, ensuring access to clean water and safe sanitation boosts gender equality by enabling women and girls to attend work and school.
Education, in turn, is pivotal for democracy and for making evidence-based decisions. Finland underlines the importance of education as the backbone for prosperity of any nation. It is also required to build reliable institutions which in turn create trust and stability in societies.
To accelerate the SDGs, government measures and leadership are essential. Concrete actions, however, also need to be taken by companies, civil society, cities and municipalities, along with citizens. A whole-of-society approach can drive the necessary changes to boost SDG implementation. It is not too late to act.
A reformed, more inclusive United Nations is better equipped to spearhead action. Finland resolutely supports rules-based multilateral cooperation, where we can together design a more determined path towards sustainable development.
Thank you.