The United Nations (UN) representative noted that only 35 percent of the targets set out in that roadmap are on track or making moderate progress, with only five years to go before the deadline.

“Let’s be clear: we are not where we need to be,” he said, noting that while some progress has been made, nearly half of the goals are moving too slowly and 18 percent are in reverse.

“We are in a global development emergency, which is measured by the more than 800 million people who continue to live in extreme poverty,” he said.

In addition, he warned of the intensifying consequences of climate change and debt that “drains the resources countries need to invest in their people.”

“Progress is impossible without unlocking financing,” he said and reiterated his call for a reform of the international financial architecture, relief measures and a tripling of the lending capacity of multilateral development banks.

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