New Delhi, Sept. 12 -- Leaders of BRICS countries on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to working tirelessly for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its far-reaching, people-centric goals and targets in a balanced and integrated manner.
In a declaration, the leaders acknowledged that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.
"We recognise the importance of promoting the 2030 Agenda in an innovative, coordinated, environmentally sound, open and shared manner. We take note of ongoing high-level discussions on global inequality and we recognise that inequality within and among countries is at the root of most challenges addressed by the 2030 Agenda, including by specifically addressing the drivers of inequality and prioritising its reduction (SDG 10) in all its forms and dimensions.
"Expressing our resolve to act in a collective manner and take concrete steps to tackle inequality, we take note of the proposal of South Africa and Brazil to establish an international panel on inequality. We also look forward to close cooperation and substantive contribution of BRICS countries to shaping the global agenda for the sustainable development beyond 2030," the declaration said.
The leaders noted that the current global challenges are complex and interlinked, and impede economic growth and sustainable development of countries, while accentuating persistent development gaps across countries and regions.
"We acknowledge that practical and actionable responses, taking into account national priorities, national ownership and different stages of development, are key to addressing these challenges and reiterate the particular importance of sustainable development and inclusive growth in the UN agenda. In this context, we reaffirm that BRICS remains an important platform for dialogue, diplomacy and cooperation in advancing practical solutions to common challenges," they said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.