Joining hands with its South Asian neighbours Sri Lanka and Pakistan, India has appealed to the United Nations to ensure that economic prosperity, social cohesion and environmental protection remain in the core of its efforts in achieving sustainable development targets.

Taking part in the UN General Assembly’s debate on sustainable development goals (SDGs), Manjeev Singh Puri, the Acting India Permanent Representative to the UN stressed that issues like poverty eradication must be the overriding priority towards achieving the targets of sustainable growth.

Speaking on behalf of the three South Asian countries at the first meeting of the Open Working Group on SDG, Puri said the sustainability agenda must enhance the option of livelihoods and inclusive growth.

“Meeting our water, food and energy needs, imparting access to health and education to those still lagging behind, strengthening gender equality, youth empowerment, creating opportunities for the burgeoning youth population, and protecting our habitat and ecology are certain issues that appear to us being central,” Puri said.

He emphasised on the need to put in place a global economic environment provides adequate policy space for developing countries to combine the benefits of economic growth, social equity and environmental opportunity.

Puri also batted for restructuring of the global financial infrastructure that is conducive to development.

“In this regard, ensuring financial stability, meaningful and effective market access for developing countries, early conclusion of the DOHA round, agreement on a debt settlement mechanism and greater say for developing nations in global governance structures remain fundamental,” he said.

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