By Vittoria Acampora
In implementing the SDGs, the role of global peace stands as an unequivocal prerequisite, as all UN Member States must reaffirm their commitment to peaceful cooperation. Current geopolitical tensions threaten the achievement of the SDGs, as well as divert crucial financial and human resources away from sustainable development initiatives.
Alarmingly, the resources allocated to global armaments exceed those directed towards the SDGs and combating climate change. In response to these pressing challenges, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network is urging all nations to renounce violence, adhere to the principles of the UN Charter, and prioritize diplomacy, particularly through the UN Security Council, as the primary means of resolving conflicts.
Within the framework of the SDGs, Goal 16 highlights the key role of peaceful and inclusive societies, while Goal 17 emphasizes the necessity for global outreach and collaboration to realize these objectives. It is extremely important to recognize that the concept of peace and global cooperation must extend beyond mere rhetoric, as they are increasingly essential for human survival, especially during a century where nuclear weapons and environmental devastation pose existential threats to humanity: the urgency of these ideals cannot be overstated.
In this context, we can recall the powerful speech delivered by John F. Kennedy spoke more than 60 years ago, stating how “[t]he world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life.” Peace and global cooperation are priorities for the eradication of human poverty over the prospect of human extinction.
The world is facing unprecedented threats, characterized by ongoing conflicts in several regions. OCCAM strongly believes in the role of global peace as the main tools to be placed in the centre of international relations and adopted as a core principle by global leaders: it is essential to ensure resources to fight poverty and inequalities.