The Minister of Justice, Integration, Public Transport, and Energy, Mr. Drs. Arthur Dowers, addressed the United Nations in New York on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the high-level meeting commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development.
The meeting is part of the high-level events during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and marks 40 years since the General Assembly adopted the declaration in 1986. The declaration recognizes the right to development as an inalienable human right and places strong emphasis on participation, equality of opportunity, and international cooperation.
During his speech, Minister Dowers emphasized that the right to development is directly connected to various human rights and that sustainable development must encompass civil and political rights as well as economic, social, and cultural rights.
“The right to development is a symbol of the indivisible, interdependent, and mutually reinforcing nature of all human rights.”
Minister Dowers noted that the 2030 Agenda remains the international roadmap for sustainable development, but cautioned that conflicts, climate change, and growing inequality are exerting pressure on the progress achieved thus far.
In his speech, he reaffirmed the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ commitment to the 2030 Agenda and highlighted that Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands, each working from their own context, share a single goal: a just, inclusive, and sustainable future.
“Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands work in their own context, with one shared goal: a just, inclusive and sustainable future.”
Another key point in the speech was cooperation. Minister Dowers stressed that no country can achieve sustainable development alone and that the principle of international cooperation forms a core part of the Declaration on the Right to Development.
He also announced that the Kingdom of the Netherlands will present its third Voluntary National Review on progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) next year. The process will engage youth, the private sector, and civil society to reflect the SDGs as a truly shared agenda.
Furthermore, Minister Dowers expressed the Kingdom’s support for reform processes aimed at making the United Nations more representative, resilient, and effective in tackling today’s global challenges.
At the conclusion of his address, Minister Dowers called for the 40th anniversary to serve not only as a moment of reflection, but also as a pledge to renew commitments to the future:
“Let the 40th anniversary of the Declaration remind us of our common goal to ensure that every person has the ability to shape their own future.”
Minister Dowers’ participation in the high-level meeting is part of his official itinerary in New York during the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, as a member of the delegation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
