Statement by the Director-General, Ms. Jan Beagle
17 June 2026
United Nations Headquarters, New York
Vice Minister Cirielli,
President of the General Assembly,
President of ECOSOC,
Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
Ambassador Marrapodi,
Administrator De Croo,
Under-Secretary-General Li,
Excellencies, Friends,
It is a pleasure to add my words of welcome.
I would like to thank the Government of Italy and UN DESA for their continued partnership and support for this important conference.
With just four years remaining for the completion of the 2030 Agenda, the gap between ambition and implementation is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
SDG 16, with the rule of law at its core, remains our most strategic asset to overcome the confluence of crises that the world is currently facing.
Whether the goal is to reduce conflict and violent extremism, eradicate poverty, promote gender equality, combat corruption, or foster stable environments for investment and trade, we need trusted institutions, clear rules, and fair processes.
Drawing on IDLO’s experience working in some 100 countries, let me offer three ways in which we can leverage SDG 16 to rebuild trust and accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda.
First, we must focus relentlessly on results.
People judge institutions not by declarations, but by the solutions they deliver in every day life.
And results are the most powerful currency of trust.
Justice that is accessible and timely for everyone, particularly women and girls, institutions that are accountable and transparent, and services that are fair and visible – these are at the core of IDLO’s people-centred approach.
Second, we need to make the contribution of SDG 16 more tangible across the entire 2030 Agenda.
At a time when issues like food security, access to land, and the rising cost of living are at the top of people’s minds, the vital role of enabling legal and regulatory environments is often overlooked.
To tackle complex development challenges and maximize impact, we must partner across silos.
When IDLO works on land reform, investment support, or public health, we aim to complement rather than duplicate, and to bring the legal infrastructure and expertise that is often missing.
My final point is that we must reinvigorate political and financial support for peaceful, just and inclusive societies.
At a time of expanding priorities and shrinking resources, we need to make a stronger case for keeping the rule of law high on national and global agendas, and for investment in SDG 16 as a driver of resilience, stability, and sustainable development.
And if I might add, as an International Gender Champion, in SDG 5. These Goals are truly crosscutting and transformative.
Since its first edition in 2019, this Conference has provided a space for multi-stakeholder dialogue to share evidence, exchange experiences, and strengthen partnerships for implementation.
It is a genuine pleasure to see so many longstanding partners from governments, the multilateral system, civil society and academia, as well as several new faces, here today.
My colleagues and I look forward to our discussions and to working with you to accelerate progress on SDG 16, and to keep it at the centre of efforts to advance peace and development to 2030, and beyond.