The United Nations (UN) has called on countries to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders last year, which officially took effect at the start of the year.

The development agenda expects countries to work on efforts to achieve 17 so-called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the next 15 years.

It said the Paris Conference on climate change was seen by many as the first test of political will to implement the agenda.

“The 17 SDGs are our shared vision of humanity and a social contract between the world’s leaders and the people,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement on Monday.