The speaker welcomed participants to a regional knowledge exchange on implementing the 2030 Agenda. The exchange aims to provide an opportunity for countries to learn from each other's experiences in achieving the Agenda's goals of sustainable development and leaving no one behind. However, fully adhering to these principles presents challenges for developing and underdeveloped countries, as they still have large populations in need of assistance and face higher costs to reach isolated groups. The speaker believes countries can overcome these obstacles by reforming short-term decision making and integrating long-term development plans like the 2030 Agenda into their national strategies.