During his visit to New York, Prime Minister Edi Rama addressed to the special session on the implementation of the post-2015 Development Agenda at the United Nations Summit, which was attended by world leaders from all member states. This special session, which was greeted by the Pope, focused on sustainable development issues.

After more than three years of intense negotiations, an ambitious and transformative agenda was agreed on Sustainable Growth to be achieved by 2030. The new agenda, which includes 17 Sustainable Growth Objectives and 169 other targets, in addition to following the Millennium Growth Goals, aims at going beyond them, because for the first time it addresses the economic, social, environmental and sustainable development dimension in an integrated manner.

The objectives and targets aim at eradicating extreme poverty, in addition to fighting disparity, empowering women, protecting natural resources, improving governance, encouraging a sustainable and inclusive economic growth, as well as focusing collective efforts for equal opportunities for all. They will stimulate action and development for the next 15 years in areas of fundamental importance.

The new agenda is guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including full respect of international law. It is also based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Millennium Declaration, the World Summit Outcome document of 2005, international treaties on human rights and other instruments such as the Declaration on the Right to Development.

To Albania, the new global Agenda will serve as a starting point for a new commitment to a more ambitious growth program in a number of areas that will harmonize European efforts with the need to take the country to the level of developed countries in the continent.

In addition to defining it an incredibly bold agenda, Prime Minister Rama said in his speech that it is the way to move from a simple cooperation in a global partnership. The Albanian Premier stressed also that sustainability means strengthening the rule of law and democratic society values. “This new bold, ambitious, transformative global development agenda is our commitment to lift people from exclusion to inclusiveness, from poverty to the path of prosperity, from insecurity to predictability and solutions, to move from the simple collaboration to global partnership.

It is the pact of a generation turned into its future in a world that moves forward with a faster pace. It is a new global deal with a solemn promise that no one should be left behind.

The new agenda is universally applicable and it concerns all of us, all countries, with all our differences and distinct nation realities. It certainly concerns my country, Albania. Let me briefly explain why, what sustainability means to us for the present and the coming years. It means reinforcing the rule of law, strengthening our democratic society values, deepening our broad-based social harmony. These are the foundations of our development path and the guarantees of our social cohesion. Social cohesion, religious coexistence and cooperation, are one of the main assets of the Albanians wherever they live, not only in Albania.

Albania has been, still is and it will remain an example of coexistence as it is based on a real and touchable part of history.”

Later on, the Prime Minister noted among others that the upcoming Justice Reform will bring the state and citizens closer. “At present, we are embarking into a transformative judicial reform, a vital process that will bring the state and the citizens closer, will give justice its true meaning, and will deeply and positively impact the way the country will move ahead in the coming years.”

While referring to religious harmony, the most featuring value of the Albanians over the centuries, the Prime Minister said that during his visit to Albania, Pope Francis defined it as an inspirational example. “In his visit to Albania, his very first visit in Europe, Pose Francis stated that Albania’s interreligious harmony is an inspiring example for the world, showing that Christian and Muslim coexistence wasn’t only possible, but beneficial for a country’s development, and that it is a unique country where peaceful coexistence and collaboration exists among Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox Christians and people of no faith at all.”

In addition to considering the cooperation among Western Balkan countries as a necessity for coexistence in peace and harmony, the Prime Minister said that it is essential for sustainability.

“Albania evolves within a region, the Balkans, that is still going uphill to find its prosperous place into the united Europe. Yet, while qualifying for EU membership, we are doing everything we can through concrete initiatives to bring all the countries of the Western Balkans closer, increase cooperation in every field of life. It is common knowledge, the more we cooperate with each other, the more we share, the more we get interconnected, the more we know and accept each other, better the chances to live and work together in peace and harmony. It is, of, course, key to sustainability.”

The Prime Minister will address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on October 2.