[ 2012-06-24 ]

UN conference sustainable development ends
Rio de Janeiro, June 23, GNA – The United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development has ended in
Rio de Janeiro, with the commitment to establish
universal sustainable development goals to create
a stronger international architecture to support
sustainable development.

Delegates have also affirmed their support for
gender empowerment, the right to water and food
and the need to address poverty.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, in his
closing remarks said the outcome document provided
a firm foundation for social, economic and
environmental well-being.

He said it was the responsibility of global
leaders to build on it, since the conference
affirmed fundamental principles, renewed essential
commitments and has given new direction.

“Nearly 700 commitments worth hundreds of billions
of dollars have been publicly announced here in
Rio by governments, multilateral development
banks, the private sector and civil society,” he
noted.

He said these huge numbers gave a sense of the
scale and growth of investment going into
sustainable development.

Mr Ban commended world leaders for their renewed
commitment which would benefit all humanity now
and in the future.

“Rio+20 has given us a solid platform to build
effective sustainable development and it has given
us the tools to shape the implementation,” he
added.

Mr Sha Zukang, the Secretary-General of the United
Nations conference on sustainable development
(Rio+20) expressed the hope that the outcome
document adopted at the conference would provide
an enduring legacy for the historic Rio +20
Conference.

He said it was time to take that framework and use
it to guide the actions as an international
community, as national governments, and engage
stakeholders from all sectors.

He called on world leaders to strive for
sustainable consumption and production to ensure
food security, clean water and sanitation and
affordable and sustainable energy for all.

Mr Zukang, urged delegates to strengthen social
protection issues and tackle global unemployment,
especially youth unemployment,

He said the conference secretariat has registered
692 voluntary commitments to advance sustainable
development.

“Sustainable development is the only option for
humanity for our shared planet and for our common
future, “he noted.

From Morkporkpor Anku, GNA Special Correspondent,
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Source - GNA

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