 Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen and the many friends here today, I'm pleased to send greetings to this important conference which has drawn such a diverse range of actors. Two years have passed since the world came together to adopt a truly remarkable framework for common progress, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda is a blueprint for a future of peace, prosperity and dignity for all on a healthy planet. It's a transformative and inspiring agenda in its own right. That it was agreed at a time of severe political divisions on so many other issues was especially encouraging. Since then, there has been a very promising momentum around the world. The Sustainable Development goals have jumped from the General Assembly Hall to communities across the world. They are taking hold among policymakers and in global public awareness. However, we still need to accelerate the pace of transition of the SDGs to achieve the Sustainable Development goals. Progress has not been even within countries across regions between the sexes and among people of different ages, and inequalities have increased, and too many people remain destitute and vulnerable. To ensure a sustainable future where no one is truly left behind, we need to intensify efforts at all levels. Looking ahead, we know that population is projected to grow to nearly 10 billion by 2050. Coupled with economic growth, this will exert increasing pressure on the environment in the form of increased air pollution, land degradation, marine pollution, water stress and biodiversity loss. And as we all know, climate change is a growing threat. I'm therefore pleased that this conference is focusing on scalable new solutions for achieving the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. Innovation will be essential, and multi-stakeholder partnership will be key. I hope this conference provides a platform to build innovative new partnerships for sustainable development. Finally, let me underscore the important role of one key partner, our youth. Today, 1.8 billion young people are between the ages of 10 and 24. Every one of them has hopes, everyone has aspirations, everyone has his or her own unique dream. Young people shape the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and they are central to it, as beneficiaries of the dividends we expect and as actors and influencers in their own right to ensure the promise becomes a reality. But for that to happen, we need to continue to empower youth by giving them a voice, by listening to their legitimate concerns, and by further developing inclusive decision-making mechanisms and processes. To all the students that are here today, I appeal to you to nurture innovative and critical thinking that can support transformational change. The future isn't easy, not now, not ever, but the SDG roadmap gives us direction and it gives us hope. Let us follow its guidance to build the future that we want. Thank you.