New Co-Chairs of the UN SDG Advocates

Guest blog: Lenni Montiel: Senior UN Development Leader (Ret.) | Former UN Assistant Secretary-General |UNDP Resident Representative | Governance, Public Policy & Multilateral Diplomacy | Leadership Advisor & Trainer | Chevening Scholar. Lenni writes on LinkedIn about the UN and international development. Originally published here.

Spain and Barbados. One from Europe, one from the Caribbean.

Now co-leading the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN Secretary-General has appointed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain as Co-Chair of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocates, alongside Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, who has held the position since 2022.

Spain succeeds Canada, with Sánchez replacing former Prime Minister Trudeau in this leadership role.

This pairing is strategic.

Barbados, under Mia Mottley, has become one of the world's leading voices on climate action, debt reform, and financing for sustainable development.

Spain has consistently positioned itself as one of the strongest supporters of multilateralism, the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, gender equality, and the Financing for Development agenda. It has also played an active role in promoting dialogue between developed and developing countries and in supporting the multilateral system during a period of growing geopolitical tension.

Spain has also been one of the leading financial supporters of the MDGs and the SDGs, including through dedicated trust funds.

Together, Spain and Barbados provide a balanced partnership that bridges Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the wider Global South.

It is worth noting that the Secretary-General appoints serving Heads of State or Government to these roles, reflecting the importance of political leadership in mobilising support for the 2030 Agenda.

The SDG Advocates do not negotiate agreements or allocate funding. Their role is to keep sustainable development high on the international agenda, mobilise partnerships, and encourage governments, businesses, and civil society to accelerate implementation.

As the international community falls behind on many SDG targets, this kind of leadership is more important than ever.

For me, this appointment also has a personal dimension.

During my years as Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNDP, I worked closely with both Spain AGENCIA ESPAÑOLA DE COOPERACION INTERNACIONAL PARA EL DESARROLLO - AECID and Barbados. Spain was a long-standing strategic partner across the region, supporting democratic governance, poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, and institutional development. Barbados was an important partner in advancing the development priorities of the Caribbean, particularly the unique challenges facing Small Island Developing States.

Seeing these two countries now working together in this global leadership role is especially meaningful.

It is also a reminder that effective leadership in today's multilateral system is increasingly built through partnerships that connect different regions, experiences, perspectives.

As we approach 2030, that kind of collaboration will be needed more than ever.

Which international partnerships do you believe have made the greatest contribution to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals?