UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe President Robert Gabriel Mugabe on Thursday called for deeper cooperation and more multilateralism among countries in order to reach the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Mugabe told the United Nations General Assembly that the current global development agenda differs in significant ways from all those that preceded it as "it is ambitious, revolutionary, transformative, universal, and encompassing every single facet of human life."
That is why the agenda requires reinforced solidarity, partnerships and cooperation, according to Mugabe.
On equality, Mugabe said that deeper international cooperation and genuine reform of the existing inequitable international system are necessary in the process to halt or reverse the persistent widening gap between the rich and the poor among the nations.
"The current system is inherently structured to enrich a few and impoverish the many. It cannot, therefore, deliver on a key aspiration and watchword objective of the 2030 Agenda, that of leaving no-one behind," he said.
Talking about climate change, Mugabe urged the delegates to acknowledge the present reality and assess its effects and impacts.
He said that climate change is global and dealing with the issue requires global efforts.
"We cannot remain silent when a major economic power in the world, or any other state for that matter, decides to abandon the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and thus put our countries at further risk of the effects of climate change such as more frequent and severe droughts," said Mugabe.
The General Assembly of the United Nations kicked off its annual general debate on Tuesday, with heads of state and government representatives gathering at the UN headquarters to present their views about pressing world issues.
