Engaging the parliaments, acting as legislative and monitoring bodies, is of key importance for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I have consistently stressed the importance of building a comprehensive process engaging all relevant institutions at national level, the UN system, regional organisations, the civil society, business, academia and NGOs. As parliaments have the mandate to adopt the required national legislation, I believe they should be active participants in the development, the implementation and the monitoring of all national plans that would contribute to the successful achievement of the new SDGs.

Parliaments have a vital role to play in national implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Governments’ policies, programmes, and budgets need to be supportive of the SDGs. In their oversight and scrutiny roles, Parliaments can monitor and promote that. Members of Parliament also have a big part to play in lifting the awareness of the people and communities they represent about the SDGs. The UN Country Teams are available to work alongside Parliaments in their efforts.

The Agenda 2030 is our blueprint towards a peaceful and prosperous world where everybody lives in dignity and enjoys human rights.  To make this Agenda become a reality we need each and everybody on board when it comes to its implementation.  Only through an effective dialogue and strong partnership at all levels and among all the members of the society will it be possible to achieve the sustainable development.  By virtue of their mandates, the parliamentarians are critical actors in shaping the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level; therefore the next UN Secretary-General should support their engagement in the delivery on the new global development Agenda.

The landmark agreement on the Agenda 2030 was a truly historic accomplishment. The watchword now must be implementation. The UN must play its part but the main responsibility for success in the implementation of the SDG´s lies first and foremost with Member States. To ensure that no one is left behind it is necessary to mobilize all stakeholders and promote national ownership. It is my firm belief that Parliaments can play an important role in that regard.

As Secretary-General, I would take concrete measures to engage parliaments in the implementation of the SDGs, recognizing parliaments’ unique ability to hold governments accountable for their commitments and to ensure resources for development.  I would advocate for increased parliamentary participation in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and I would be eager to support parliaments in convening regional meetings focused on cross-border initiatives and infrastructure in support of the SDGs.

Not only the 2030 Agenda but also climate change, financing for development, human rights, migration, poverty and the fight against terrorism, extremism and all forms of violence, represent issues where I would count on close cooperation with parliamentarians across the globe, if elected as UN Secretary General. While I was President of the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly, I worked closely with the parliamentarians and stressed how the Inter-Parliamentary Union - a Permanent Observer of the General Assembly - has played a key role in fostering closer cooperation between the United Nations and national parliaments. 

The implementation of the 2030 Agenda will not be possible without active participation of all stakeholders, including national parliaments. Their engagement will be crucial in developing internal policies and allocating resources for the new action plans at national level. The partnership and cooperation among national parliaments can greatly contribute to effective delivery of new sustainable development goals globally. The new Secretary-General will have an important task of making sure the UN is an effective component of the revitalized global partnership for sustainable development.

Since the role of parliaments in the implementation and monitoring process of the new development framework is clearly stipulated in the 2030 Agenda, if elected, I will be advocating for the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda, thus meeting all commitments contained in it. In this context, parliaments, as powerful driving forces, should be important player in ensuring country ownership, government accountability and national policy for achieving the SDGs, through lawmaking, budgeting, and oversight functions.

As a long-time member and deputy speaker of Parliament I fully understand the importance of parliaments in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Indeed, most if not all of the goals cannot be fulfilled without strong involvement and a leading role of national parliaments. I am strongly committed to transferring this idea into good practice of full engagement of the parliaments with the 2030 Agenda as well as other United Nations projects.

The short answer is - yes, and there are fundamental reasons for this. The implementation of SDGs vitally depends on member states of the UN and they, in turn, depend on decisions, in particular reforms decided mostly by parliaments. So, as UN Secretary-General, I shall work with national parliaments. Only this way can we devise adequate tools for effective implementation of SDGs.