THE UNITED NATIONS, April 13. /TASS/. Russia calls on the global community to unite in order to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said during the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development follow-up session.

"It is important not to forget that in many countries people continue to suffer for reasons not related to COVID-19. And with the end of the pandemic, the situation for them is unlikely to change. Therefore, we call on the world community to unite in a renewed global partnership to implement the 2030 Agenda," Pankin said.

The diplomat recalled that "60 years ago, Yuri Gagarin became the first man in the world to fly into outer space. "But even after more than half a century, people still struggle to find solutions to such "earthly" challenges as hunger, poverty, illiteracy, inequality," he stated.

In 2015, the UN member-states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It includes the goals aimed at eliminating poverty, preserving the planet’s resources and ensuring the well-being for all. Each of 17 Goals contains a number of targets, which should be achieved over 15 years.

In June, the UN chief’s special envoy for financing the 2030 Agenda warned that the crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic could prevent the countries from meeting the deadline on fulfilling these goals.