Remarks at the Economic and Social Council Operational Activities for Development Segment

Excellencies, 
Distinguished delegates, 
Ladies and gentlemen, 

For me, it is very important to be here with you today at this session on the MultiCountry office review. No, not just because I am from a SIDS region that haslongstanding experience in this regard. But indeed, this is an especially critical exercise for the SIDS. Let the figures do the talk: 38 of the 41 countries served by multi-country offices are SIDS. As our Secretary- Generaljust highlighted during his very recent mission to the Pacific, the SIDS face very complex, very unique challenges and really are where climate change is a make or break situation. So, the challenge for the MCOsis their ability to enhance and tailor support to all countries served.

There are shared issues of course but there is no one size fits all solutions. As our Deputy Secretary Generalkeepsstressing, “we are at a critical juncture in the implementation of the SDGs”. That fully applies to the SIDS where we are also truly in the midst of the mid-termreview of the SAMOA Pathway. We must prioritizate support to SIDS in line with their needs, capacities and national priorities to ensure no-one is left behind. Allow me to say a word on capacity - I think all of us were encouraged to hear our Secretary Generalstressthat we mustsimplify, we must expedite accessto and implementation of support available to SIDS who are threatened in their very existence by climate change. I have seen it done, it can be done and now it must be done.

I was co-chairing the Senior-LevelSteering Committee with Her Excellency Lois Young, the Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States(AOSIS) and the Permanent Representative ofBelize. This senior level steering committee, was composed of memberstatesrepresentativesfrom the Pacific, the Caribbean, the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIMS) region and El Salvador. The purpose is to provide overall strategic guidance over the course of the review, to serve as a sounding board on findings and recommendations, assurance that the review approach and methodology is robust and impartial, and the framing and content relevant to and addressesthe inputs and interest of the key stakeholders, and keep the membership informed. The Secretary-General and our Deputy Secretary Generalhave been relentless in making every effort to ensure that the review is guided by Member States and the mandates you memberstates gave us in the QCPR and the GeneralAssembly resolution on the reform of the UN developmentsystem. There is just one way forward - full consultations and discussions with all governmentsinvolved.

 Excellencies, The Secretary-General's Report reflectsthe calls of SIDS that we must do more , faster and better to support countriesserved by Multi-Country Offices. SIDS have consistently and for many years voiced the need for a stronger advocate in the international global arena to advance their needs and priorities. I assure you that you can count on us and me. I once more reaffirm my commitment to advancing the calls of small islands to be heard and supported asthey should be. In line with the Secretary-General’srecommendation in his report, I will present at the high-level review of progress on the SAMOA Pathway in September 2019 a clear and detailed roadmap to increase OHRLLS' s capacities in support of SIDS.

I am listening carefully to you and I am looking carefully at where outreach and support can best be deployed and scaled-up. There can only be one goal and that is advance results on the ground for SIDS, working closely with governments, I will also give due consideration to where resource gaps must be bridged to ensure UN coherence in addressing the needs of SIDS. Excellencies, My plea to you is please do make the best of this effort to improve the MCOs.

Advancing is premised on dialogue and I hope for constructive dialogue to seize this landmark opportunity for SIDS. Our SG has been very strong, I even say very passionate in his own plea for the SIDS and so we must ensure that SIDS issues are not lost among the many priorities the system is called on to respond to. The review of MCOs and of the SAMOA Pathway this year are opportunities that we simply cannot afford to miss. Thank you.