2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)

Ambassador Samuel Yao Kumah
Ghana’s Representative to the United Nations
Trusteeship Council, UNHQ
July 15th, 2026, New York

Mr. President, Excellencies,
This year’s High-level Political Forum provides a timely opportunity to accelerate action towards the Sustainable Development Goals and translate commitments into tangible progress. Ghana remains committed to advancing Goals 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17.

On SDG 6, Ghana continues to expand access to safe water and sanitation through its Presidential Compact on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. The Compact provides a whole-of-government framework for strengthening institutions, improving service delivery, and accelerating progress towards universal access, while advancing integrated water resources management.
Progress on SDG 7 has also been encouraging. Electricity access has surpassed eighty-nine per cent, among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana is scaling up renewable energy and expanding access to clean cooking solutions as part of a just and inclusive energy transition.

On SDG 11, the Government is repositioning the National Affordable Housing Programme towards the large-scale delivery of mixed-income housing through public-private partnerships. In furtherance of SDG 11, Ghana will, later this month, launch a revised National Urban Policy and Implementation Plan (2026–2035), together with a Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy, to guide more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development.

These efforts are reinforced by broader action to protect our natural environment. Through the Blue Water Initiative, Ghana is reclaiming and restoring degraded water bodies while intensifying action against illegal mining and other threats to our water resources. Climate vulnerability continues to erode progress across the Goals under review. Ghana remains committed to the 1.5-degree pathway and to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. As a member of the Troika of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and V20 Finance Ministers, Ghana calls for accessible and scaled-up climate finance, greater voice for climate-vulnerable countries in global decision-making, and support for the CVF-V20’s bid for permanent observer status at the United Nations.

Progress across the Goals under review will also depend on stronger partnerships. Ghana, therefore, calls for deeper engagement with multilateral development banks and the private sector to accelerate implementation of SDG 17 and help bridge Africa’s infrastructure financing gap. As Co-Chair of the Interactive Dialogue on “Water for People” at the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, Ghana looks forward to working with partners to mobilise renewed investment and accelerate progress on SDG 6.

Mr. President,
The challenges before us are shared, and so too must be our response. Ghana stands ready to work with all partners to translate our shared commitments into practical outcomes that improve the lives of our people and advance the promise of the 2030 Agenda.

I thank you.