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  4. Prime Minister advances progress and prosperity at the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future
New York City, United States of America

Progressive leadership is driven by a shared belief that we cannot falter – on rights, on equality, and on an economy that works for everyone. We must keep moving forward.

That’s the message the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, delivered as he concluded his participation in the 79th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA) and the Summit of the Future, in New York City, United States of America. During UNGA, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to advancing progress, prosperity, and fairness for every generation.

Prime Minister Trudeau joined global leaders at the Summit of the Future, which concluded with the adoption of the Pact for the Future – an ambitious pact that will see countries work together to tackle shared challenges. At the Summit, the Prime Minister delivered a statement affirming Canada’s support for the Summit of the Future, its call for nations to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its commitment to investing in our workers, our communities, and our future.

Building on the progress made at the Summit of the Future, Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders and prominent advocates at UNGA to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He emphasized Canada’s commitment to unlocking increased financing to achieve the SDGs globally, particularly through his role as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group. He also underscored the central role of gender equality as a pathway to achieving sustainable development, and made clear that women and girls must be able to make choices about their bodies, their lives, and their own futures. Canada announced over $112 million to help protect the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls worldwide. We will also invest $58 million in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will fulfill its $100 million commitment to address issues in unpaid and paid care work in low- and middle-income countries.

For tens of millions of people across the globe, including in Canada, climate change is not an abstraction. It is real, it is costly, and it does not stop at our borders. To successfully tackle climate change, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of global, collective climate action. He highlighted industrial decarbonization as one such approach to fight climate change, including through innovative tools such as carbon pricing. He also welcomed six new members to Canada’s Global Carbon Pricing Challenge, which calls on countries to put a price on carbon to cover 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030. The Prime Minister also announced $3.9 million to be delivered through Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program so we can more effectively respond to wildfires and advance international leadership on sustainable forest management.

Prime Minister Trudeau, alongside the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, convened a High-Level Meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security, and stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister highlighted ongoing work to respond to the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people and Canada’s continued support of the Multinational Security Support mission in the country. He emphasized the criticality of Haitian-led solutions to the conflict. He announced over $16 million to support the transitional government’s election preparedness, increase humanitarian aid, reduce gang violence, and expand access to justice for women and youth detainees while supporting their reintegration into society. These measures will make a meaningful difference in helping Haiti address its immediate needs and create a better, more prosperous future for its people.

At UNGA, the Prime Minister also announced $3.6 million in new wide-ranging investments to strengthen global peace and security, including on land mine clearance, and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly women affected by conflict. He emphasized the role of UN agencies in accomplishing this important work, announcing a $9 million investment to support the UN’s efforts to strengthen development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding assistance in countries across the globe.

The Prime Minister participated in a leaders’ roundtable titled In Defense of Democracy: Fighting Against Extremism, where he engaged with world leaders on challenges facing democracies, such as inequality, polarization, disinformation, and violent extremism, including online. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order and multilateral institutions, like the UN.

Throughout his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with international counterparts to discuss pressing geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and its global impacts, as well as the evolving situation in the Middle East. He emphasized the importance of protecting democratic institutions from emerging threats, including misinformation and election interference, and safeguarding peace and security around the world.

At UNGA, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, among others. 

In the face of global economic and social insecurity, Canada chooses to invest in our country. Whether it’s national $10-a-day child care, an ambitious housing plan, a national dental care program, or an industrial strategy that creates good-paying jobs while fighting climate change – these are choices that will make a positive difference in the lives of Canadians and help solve global challenges.

Quote

“Canada chooses to invest in our people, in our future, and in progress. That was my message at UNGA and at the Summit of the Future. Our government is taking action to fight climate change, break down barriers, solve the world’s most pressing challenges, and deliver fairness for every generation.”

— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Quick Facts

  • While in New York City, Prime Minister Trudeau had bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, the Mayor of Kitchener, Berry Vrbanovic, the Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, the President of Kenya, William Ruto, and Malala Yousafzai.
  • The Prime Minister also had interactions with other leaders, including the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, the Taoiseach of Ireland, Simon Harris, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, the President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, and the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
  • As a founding member of the UN since its creation in 1945, Canada has actively contributed to the organization, playing a key role in drafting the UN Charter, the treaty that is the cornerstone of the rules-based international order.
  • Canada is the sixth-largest donor to the UN, including voluntary and assessed contributions totalling over US$2 billion in 2022.
  • In 2015, Canada joined all UN Member States in adopting ambitious goals for sustainable development, as outlined in Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda centres on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encompassing the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Taken together, the SDGs aim to improve the lives of all people, while protecting the planet.
  • Released in 2021, Moving Forward Together: Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy builds upon 30 actions and five core principles to create and foster an enabling environment for ongoing dialogue and participation to encourage Canadians to take action to realize the SDGs.
  • In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau was named Co-Chair of the UN SDG Advocates group by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley. SDG Advocates work to raise global awareness of the SDGs and of the need for accelerated action by using their respective platforms.
  • Prime Minister Trudeau is also Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group alongside the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness. The group advocates for equipping developing countries with the financial resources to invest in the 17 SDGs and secure a more just and equitable future for all people.
  • At the Summit for the Future, global leaders enhanced co-operation on critical challenges and addressed gaps in global governance. They reaffirmed existing commitments – including to the SDGs and the UN Charter – and moved toward a modernized UN system that can effectively tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.
  • At the Summit, leaders adopted the Pact for the Future  and its annexes – the Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The Pact is a global framework to bolster global co-operation and address critical challenges facing the world, such as climate change, global inequality, and the need for stronger multilateral co-operation, for the benefit of all and for future generations.
  • In 2021, Canada launched the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. This partnership aims to expand the use of pollution pricing by strengthening existing systems and supporting emerging ones. The Challenge, which has a collective goal of covering 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030, also serves as a forum for dialogue and co-ordination to make pricing systems more effective and compatible while supporting other countries in adopting carbon pricing and cutting emissions on the path to net-zero by 2050.

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