Second Committee (Economic and Financial Committee)

– As delivered –

Address by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72^nd Session of the UN General Assembly, to the Second Committee (Economic and Financial Committee)

Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

Let me first congratulate Ambassador Jürgenson on his election to Chair this Committee. I also congratulate the bureau members and recognise the Secretary and her able team.

I am pleased to address the Second Committee this morning. Your work in the coming weeks will make a significant contribution to our priority focus for this Session.

There are two areas I would highlight.

The first is Taking Forward the Sustainable Development Agenda.

Implementation of the 2030 Agenda is now underway. It is imperative that we maintain and build on the momentum of SDG implementation. The Agenda’s goals and targets are interlinked and universal in nature. We should ensure that due attention is paid to each subject in order to make progress across the whole.

We cannot let any region or group fall behind. The upcoming High Level Political Forum under the auspices of the ECOSOC in 2018 and under the auspices the General Assembly in 2019 should serve to keep us on track.

Climate change remains one of the global challenges in our lifetime. During this session, we should reinforce the commitments made in Paris. We must scale up action and ambition on mitigation, adaptation as well as means of implementation.

At the same time, the issue of SDG financing remains critically important. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda continues to provide the guidance needed on Financing for Development. The Committee can move us forward through examining innovative ways to ensure that our ambitious agenda can actually be implemented.

In this session, I will be placing a special emphasis on youth education and inclusion. Youth must be integrally involved in our development plans and implementation.

I will also actively contribute to the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028”. It will be launched on the World Water Day on 22 March 2018.

The work of this Committee has great potential to positively impact the quality of life of our people and promote the sustainability of our planet.

It will be critical to arrive at agreed commitments during this time when multilateralism is being challenged.

My second point relates to the UN Development System.

The work of the Second Committee comes at a crucial moment. We are embarking on many processes to reform the way the United Nations is delivering on the development agenda. There is the Alignment process, the ECOSOC Review, and the Secretary-General’s reform initiatives to name a few. We also have the implementation and follow up of the mandates from Resolution 71/243 on Quadrennial Comprehensive Periodic Review.

You will also continue constructive discussions on the reform of UN-Habitat. I look forward to the outcome that you will achieve.

We need to ensure that the UN development system is more strategic, accountable, efficient and results-oriented. This will enable this organization to better meet the development hopes of our people.

With the many concurrent processes underway, we should be careful to ensure coherence in the outcomes.

I intend to work closely with the Committee Chairs, the ECOSOC President as well as the General Committee to explore options on the alignment of agendas to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Before closing, I want to touch on a few specific issues related to the Committee’s work.

Technology and innovation are impacting people’s lives and prosperity. Mr. Chair, I welcome the meeting you are convening with the ECOSOC President to discuss access to the benefits of technological advancements. I look forward to hearing the ideas that will arise.

I trust that the Committee’s work will continue to take into account the specific challenges countries face. In particular, African countries, Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, Small Island Developing States and countries in conflict or post-conflict situations, as well as middle income countries.

I am also aware that you are deliberating on many other critical issues for the development Agenda. Eradication of poverty, macroeconomic issues, global governance, and south-south cooperation are but a few. Let us recall that each of these areas have a special impact on the development aspirations of our countries and peoples.

As you work through these often contentious matters, keep in mind that the aim is not merely the adoption of a text. Adoption is good. Consensus is even better. But what is best is meaningful impact on policies and programmes to improve people’s lives.

To conclude, I encourage you to conduct the Committee’s work in an inclusive and transparent manner.

I also implore all delegations to work towards the timely conclusion of the Committee’s work.

We are at a critical juncture. The Second Committee’s work connects people to the UN and the UN to the people. I urge all delegations to engage constructively through meaningful dialogue.

Let us all work towards agreed outcomes that can make a concrete difference in the lives of the people we serve.

You have my full support in this endeavour.

I thank you.