ASTANA — United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua delivered a stark warning on April 22 in his remarks to the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana, saying the world is falling dangerously short of its 2030 sustainable development targets, with more than 700 million people still living in extreme poverty and over two billion lacking safe drinking water.
Li Junhua. Photo credit: Aida Dosbergenova/ The Astana Times “Kazakhstan has long stood at the edge of the crossroads of the continents, bridging cultures and ideas, advancing progress, and championing new principles of unity, solidarity, and shared purpose. This summit reflects our shared commitment to cooperation over division in pursuit of a resilient future,” Li said, addressing the summit delegates.
He pointed to Central Asia as both a climate front line where rising temperatures and retreating glaciers threaten livelihoods and an emerging hub of solutions. “Central Asia is not merely a region of vulnerability. It is a region of leadership. Through sustainable Cooperation, you have proven that long-term commitment can restore the ecosystem and rebuild livelihoods,” he said.
Li urged robust investment, expanded climate financing and stronger regional cooperation to close what remains a widening global gap. “It also demands equitable access to green and frontier technologies through partnerships, and crucially, equipping people with the skills to turn those innovations into lasting impact,” he added.
Li also expressed optimism about the UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, which, he noted, would play a “transformative role.” “The United Nations is fully committed to supporting it as a premier hub for regional cooperation, knowledge sharing, and accelerated SDG implementations,” he said.
Li also supported Kazakhstan’s initiative to establish a water-focused organization under the auspices of the UN. “Water defines borders, and our solutions must do the same. Central Asia’s experience and leadership will be indispensable in shaping the global water agenda.
In this regard, I welcome President Tokayev’s visionary call for a dedicated international organization on water,” he said. “The United Nations looks forward to the further deliberations among member states on this important initiative,” he added.