EU at the 78th UN General Assembly

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the forefront of the EU's internal and external policymaking, influencing important initiatives such as the European Green Deal, the European Skills Agenda, and the Global Gateway – the EU's strategy for sustainable infrastructure investments worldwide.

The SDG Summit in September 2023 is a crucial milestone in reigniting momentum and accelerating action to set the SDGs on a path to success.

The EU stands committed to this cause, actively engaged in negotiations for the Political Declaration and mobilizing vital resources in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Building on this commitment, the EU has recently released the outcomes of its voluntary review assessing the progress made towards achieving the 2030 Agenda.

EU Voluntary Review on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity need to be respected, as enshrined in the UN Charter and international law. Upholding global support for Ukraine is of outmost importance for global peace and security.

EU’s commitment extends beyond Ukraine.

The EU and its Member States have been actively working to assist partners and the most vulnerable populations affected by the consequences of Russia's war of aggression, addressing critical issues such as food security, ensuring a stable energy supply, mitigating disruptions in supply chains, and addressing macroeconomic fragility.

• €18 billion pledged by the EU and Member States in grants to tackle food insecurity from 2021 to 2024
• Over €1 billion of EU funds dedicated to humanitarian food and nutrition assistance

Find out more about EU's support to Ukraine.

The EU is committed to remaining at the forefront of global climate action, working with partners in the multilateral system to promote a UN system-wide approach to climate and create synergies with other relevant international processes.

The EU and the UN collaborate on addressing climate change by implementing the Paris Agreement, advancing sustainable land and ocean management, and preserving biodiversity.

Under European Climate Law, EU countries must cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

In June 2023, the Treaty of the High Seas (BBNJ), long promoted by the EU, was adopted during a UN meeting marking an important milestone in the protection of the world’s oceans.

The EU is the world’s biggest contributor of public climate finance at EUR 23 billion per year.

Learn more about EU external climate policies and actions.

Global Gateway is the new European strategy to boost digital, energy and transport links and to strengthen health, education, and research systems worldwide. We aim to mobilise €300 billion until 2027 as Team Europe, from both public and private sources, at least half in Africa.

Global Gateway is about increasing investments, promoting democratic values and high standards, good governance, and transparency.

Global Gateway's investments are sustainable both for the environment and for our partners' finances.

This means investments in clean energy, in roads and bridges that are flood-proof, or buildings that can withstand extreme heatwaves. But also, investment to prepare health systems for the pandemics of the future, and to adapt farming to drier conditions. Or investments in digital infrastructure.

Find out more here.

The EU works closely with the UN to deliver emergency relief, rebuild critical infrastructure, and assist vulnerable populations in the aftermath of conflicts or natural disasters.

The EU and its Member States are among the world’s leading humanitarian aid donors:

• €8.4 billion pledged for 2023;
• The EU has mobilised €2.1 billion towards the urgent needs of those affected by man-made crises or natural disasters;
• In 2023, the EU is allocating €331 million to programmes in East and Southern Africa and EUR 382 million to the Middle East and North Africa.

Many humanitarian operations funded by the EU are implemented by its partners, notably UN agencies. Furthermore, the EU and the UN work together to support vulnerable populations affected by conflict and/or climate change. The EU and the UN also cooperate closely on refugee protection.

Learn more about EU's humanitarian and emergency response.

The EU, together with its Member States, is committed to a robust post-pandemic recovery by investing in health systems, local manufacturing capabilities and ensuring equitable access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies, all while future pandemic preparedness. To this end, we have mobilised €1.1 billion to ramp up vaccine production for Africa, in Africa.

We partner with the UN on a wide range of health-related issues, aiming to address global health challenges and promote public health. The EU and its Member States stand as the largest donors to the WHO, collectively providing more than 20% of its funding.

The EU promotes global health as a public good, not least advocating for universal health coverage and the implementation of the “One Health” approach.

The EU leads the way towards an ambitious and legally binding instrument focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, as well as for strengthened International Health Regulations, both set to be adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2024.

Find out more about EU's contribution to Global Health.