– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Tijjani Muhammad Bande, President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
19 May 2020
Honourable Ministers
Excellencies
Distinguished colleagues
I wish to express my appreciation to Foreign Ministers Champagne and Johnson-Smith and to Ambassadors Blanchard and Rattray for their leadership in SDG financing here at the United Nations.
This meeting comes at a critical time, as the COVID-19 pandemic puts our economies and health systems under severe stress and disruptions. More than ever, we need to stand together and fight to return our countries to normalcy. Mobilizing sufficient resources for implementing the SDGs remains a major challenge and must be at the centre of our efforts to build back better.
It is incumbent upon each of us to ensure that the important progress achieved is not lost. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to moving forward towards our common objective of implementing Agenda 2030 and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. We must now take urgent and effective steps to reestablish financial stability, build strong and resilient financial systems, facilitate inclusive economies, and prevent a potentially devastating and deepening debt crisis.
Your Excellencies
The upcoming High-Level Event is a timely and welcome initiative which will highlight some of the most pressing issues we are facing as an international community.
No country is spared from the economic impact of this pandemic, and we must ensure that developing countries that are hit hard due to the lack of appropriate fiscal space and vital finances needed for crisis response are helped.
Therefore, I am pleased to see particular attention being devoted to the urgency of debt relief and debt standstills for the poorest countries. This is critical in the fight against COVID-19. We must step up our commitments on sustainable debt management and alleviation. We cannot risk turning an already dire situation even more so for many developing countries. This could fundamentally threaten our prospect of achieving the SDGs.
I also welcome the focus on inclusive growth, credit and capital, and efforts to expand liquidity for developing countries.
It is incumbent upon each of us to ensure that the important progress achieved is not lost. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to moving forward towards our common objective of implementing Agenda 2030 and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
Excellencies,
Achieving the SDGs is also partly dependent upon combating illicit financial flows and asset recovery. I am pleased to see the continued commitment to this important issue during next week’s high-level event.
We must be guided by the principles spelled out in the Financing for development Agenda. Let us heed our pledge to achieve the SDGs and build a financial system and world fit for future generations.
It is encouraging to see that so many have stepped up in the past few weeks and have committed to provide crucial financial and technical support to countries in need. We cannot miss this opportunity to shift the world towards a more sustainable and resilient path to a better future. Solidarity and mutual support is at the center of that world.
In this 75th anniversary of the United Nations, we must uphold the values of the founders of our Organization and strive together to deliver for all.
I thank you.
