Slovenia
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2017 HLPF
General Debate
SLOVENIA
Intervention by H. E. Ms Alenka Smerkolj,
Minister for Development,
Strategic Projects and Cohesion
New York, 17 July 2017
Mr President,
Excellenc
i
es,
Ladies and Gentlemen
More than ever before our world and humanity is being torn between the gravity of man
-
created
problems and natural catastrophes on one hand and the inability to overcome those challenges on the
other.
In this context,
the 2030 Agenda is a sign of hope
for
the world as it stands at a crossroads.
Slovenia is determined to
grasp this opportunity and chose to continue the path towards sustainable
development, at home as well as
abroad
through international development
cooperation
and
humanitarian assistance
.
In our contribution to
global
poverty eradication and
all
-
embracing
development, Slovenia places
women and children
, stable societies and environment first.
To be
success
ful
, we
will
need to
work
together, learn from each other and build strong partnerships among all of us
–
governments, citizens,
private companies, civil society, parliamentarians, local authorities, academia, international and regional
organizations and youth.
Slovenia is
strongly committed to implementing the Agenda 2030
.
F
or
us
sustainability has long
been both the state of mind and a way of life.
According to the latest SDG Index
,
Slovenia ranks
among
the top 10 countries regarding the performan
c
e in achieving the 2030
Agenda.
We will continue our path
of
sustainable
, inclusive and responsible development
.
At the same time:
we will continue to
support
and evolve innovative approaches, programs and ideas that will further build Slovenia as a
green
reference country in
a
digital Europe.
We want to build a
responsible and innovative business sector,
strong culture of collaboration and
with the use of
modern digital technologies
improve the quality of life
of all.
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In this regard, w
e are developing a strong model of cooperation among the business sector,
science and the
government
to introduce the modern digital solution
s in everyday life that will ease
people’s lives, make public services even more equally accessible and will be env
ironmentally friendly.
We believe
that
circular economy,
social innovation, new concepts of green mobility and
sharing
economy that will
all
contribute to changing the consumpt
ion and production patterns
–
can help to tackle
many of our challenges
–
from high
youth
unemployment,
and
hig
h
carbon
footprint to
issues stemming
from
aging
and rapidly growing population.
Slovenian companies with support of the government recently
launched project EDISON (
E
co
D
riving
I
nnovative
SO
lutions and
N
etworking)
. It
aim
s
to bring the
electric
ity powered
mobility
closer
to the mass users in a user friendly and competitive way
.
This
initiative
answers
to
some
key mega
trends
,
which will
drive
the mobility in the next
decades.
It will contribute to better and
more affordable
living with an advanced infrastructural and digital system in a wider South
-
East Europe.
Slovenia has a
strong potential to become the reference laboratory of green mobility and help
the world to
develop new
technologies that will
tackle
the challenges of carbon emissions, energy consumption,
resilient and
modern infrastructure,
automotive driving,
driving security and accessibility of green
vehicles.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Humankind is faced with a difficult dilemma. It is not clear whether our knowledge, discoveries
and
technological innovations are going to help us overcome our biggest challenges or will create an
equal amount of new struggles. The speed of technological c
hanges has well surpassed our ability to
adapt. Can we learn to learn faster and how can we govern smarter? These are the question on the
table today.
And they might be wrong questions, because it is not
if we can
, but rather
how
can we
learn faster and govern smarted.
T
he
2030 Agenda
is already a driver
of transformation
of
the world
towards more sustainable, fair, peaceful, green and prosper place
.
This year’s theme of the High Level Political Forum reminds us
that eradicating
poverty in all its
forms and dimensions is the greatest global challenge a
nd an indispensable requirement for sustainable
development as well as a precondition for prosperity of every individual, society, country and the world.
Let us therefore BE BOLD and COURAGEOUS and
l
et
’
s
begin
transforming the world
TOGETHER
now.
Thank you.
Stakeholders