New york: Suggesting five priorities for better financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today urged world leaders to build an economy of dignity, shared prosperity, and resilience, ensuring no one is left behind. “Let us build an economy of dignity, shared prosperity, and resilience, ensuring no one is left behind,” he said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Chief Adviser made the call while delivering a speech at the opening segment of the First Biennial Summit for a Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Global Economy: Implementing Commitments on Financing the Sustainable Development Goals at the UN headquarters in the USA. He emphasized the moment’s promise and responsibility, urging that commitments made at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development must translate into actions.
Prof Yunus highlighted the formidable yet essential task of closing the US$ 4 trillion annual investment gaps for the SDGs. He stressed the importance of heeding the voices of marginalized communities and shared insights from Bangladesh, where poverty is not seen as a barrier to dreams. Financial inclusion and access to resources, he said, are instruments of justice that can lead to real and enduring transformations.
He introduced the Seville Commitment as a renewed framework for stronger domestic resource mobilization, tackling illicit flows, empowering development banks, and ensuring accountability of institutions. Prof Yunus laid out five priorities for better financing the SDGs, starting with fair mobilization of domestic resources supported by international assistance. He called for progressive and transparent tax systems, ensuring multinational corporations pay their fair share, and addressing inequities under the UN Framework on International Tax Cooperation.
The Chief Adviser warned that UN budget cuts or shrinking Official Development Assistance (ODA) would be counterproductive for countries like Bangladesh, which hosts 1.3 million Rohingyas and faces climate shocks and economic challenges. He stressed the necessity of expanding global support.
His second suggestion was leveraging innovative finance and social business, noting that blended finance and enterprises that reinvest profits to solve problems drive jobs, inclusion, and dignity. Thirdly, he called for reforming the global financial architecture and debt governance, advocating for greater voices for developing countries and using debt as a tool for resilience and development.
Prof Yunus also emphasized the enforcement of transparency, prevention of illicit financing, and ensuring citizen participation. He stressed the importance of citizens, especially youth, knowing how resources are used and holding institutions accountable. Finally, he called for accelerating investment for the most vulnerable, including resilient housing, climate-smart agriculture, healthcare, education, and nature-based solutions.