by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang
UNITED NATIONS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- "Development in the 21st century will need to be anchored in sustainability," Denis Francis, president of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), said on Friday.
During an exclusive interview with Xinhua at the UN headquarters in New York, Francis emphasized the stark contrast between the development models of the 20th and 21st centuries, stressing the urgent need to shift economic strategies and behaviors towards more sustainable patterns of production and consumption, both at the individual and national levels.
"Our experience has demonstrated dramatically that the nature of development in the 20th century has, in fact, created enormous problems and challenges for society and civilization," said Francis.
"Sustainability really is the anchor for development in the 21st century," Francis reiterated, underscoring the critical importance of aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Francis is set to host the inaugural Sustainability Week on April 15-19, themed "Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future." It will spotlight economic sectors like tourism, transport, infrastructure, and energy, and seeks to tackle pressing challenges such as debt sustainability and socio-economic equality to lay down a blueprint for subsequent initiatives.
During the interview with Xinhua, Francis highlighted global debt as a major obstacle to sustainable development, especially for developing nations. He warned that this crisis hampers progress and worsens dire circumstances for many countries.
Francis lamented the dilemma faced by developing countries: "You either pay the debt, and you have no money to finance development, or you finance the development, and you default on your debt."
The UN seeks to engage the international financial system to help restructure the debt system by "facilitating lower rates of interest" and "longer amortization periods" for developing countries so as to allow these nations to pay debt while retaining resources for development, said Francis.
"Payment of debt is important, it's crucial, but we must keep in mind that behind those numbers are the lives of people," said Francis, underscoring the human dimension of economic policies.
Regarding tourism, Francis recognized its substantial economic contributions and its role in promoting cross-cultural understanding and peace.
Highlighting tourism's vulnerability to external shocks like the pandemic, Francis advocated for a transformative approach aiming for a "quicker recovery, a less costly and a higher level of guarantee that the people employed in the sector will be able to maintain a reasonable standard of living."
Speaking of technology and innovation, Francis praised their benefits, saying, "Technology is all around us, and most of the time, it creates benefits and advantages for society."
However, Francis urged caution with Artificial Intelligence (AI), emphasizing the necessity for "guardrails" to prevent potential societal harm.
The purpose, he noted, isn't to minimize the contribution of AI but rather optimize its value while safeguarding society and individual privacy.
While AI is "inevitable for development," it must enhance rather than undermine society, he said.
"We need AI to contribute to better growth, better sustainability, better quality of life," and foster "peace, harmony, and stability in the world," said Francis.
On financing the SDGs, Francis stressed that it requires "a significant commitment of funding" to achieve the SDGs. In the meantime, he acknowledged "reforms come with a cost" and "there is no free lunch."
It necessitates a "multi-stakeholder approach" where governments must take ownership and not rely on a "cookie-cutter arrangement," said Francis.
Each government will shape their national policies uniquely but must "commit financially" to the goals, Francis added.
"The world is not short on resources," he said, asserting that collective efforts can indeed finance the ambitious goals set by the global community. ■
