Closing Remarks at the Twentieth Inter-Agency Consultative Group Meeting of the United Nations System and International Organizations for LDCs

Closing Remarks by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

16 June 2020 
New York, USA

Excellencies, 
Colleagues, 
Ladies and gentlemen,

We are now closing our meeting.  

We have a challenging road ahead.

But this is a challenge we must live up to. The challenge is to work as one and for us to put into action once more, on  this 75th anniversary of the United Nations, the values and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Déclaration of Human Rights.

In the short term, we have signs that the COVID19 outbreak is being brought under control in some parts of the world.

This seems far from being the case in the LDCs. Availability and reliability of data remain an issue but the outbreak is spiraling upwards in some cases.

The social, economic and governance impacts continue to unfold on a daily basis.

The task ahead is utterly complex. The task does not come in neat little, segregated boxes of individual sectors. The task is all encompassing.

So, thank you all for your unprecedented level of participation today. Please do convey my sincere appreciation also to your principals.

This gives me hope that we share the same determination to all work together as ONE because we stand for the inclusion of all in a sustainable and equitable development path.

We all share the determination to continue to give the best of support we can to the LDCs travelling once more through yet another crisis.

The advocacy and support of the UN system are even more important under the present circumstances.

As we move forward in adjusting  plans and working methods, OHRLLS will keep you in a timely manner fully informed on any revised dates and organizations arrangements for LDC5 and its preparatory process.

TOGETHER, let us build stronger and even more effective partnerships.

To do so, we will shortly circulate draft terms of reference for the IACG. We seek and welcome your comments and additional suggestions on ways in which we improve the effectiveness of the IACG’s work.

My Office will remain in contact with all of you in the intersessional period and we will convene our next formal meeting in the fall as usual.  

I  remind participants that the next meeting of the IACG on LLDCs takes place in a week’s time, on 23 June 2020.  

So, let our motto be “time is now for action.”

I thank you all and this meeting is adjourned.