Address to the Second Committee

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly

New York,

October 20,  2021

Her Excellency Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta, and Chair of the Second Committee,

Excellencies,

Distinguished delegates,

I am pleased to address the Second Committee today.

I congratulate Ambassador Vanessa Frazier and the Bureau Members on your election to the Second Committee. I also offer additional congratulations to all of you, for making history, as the first all female Burearu of a Main Committee in the history of the United Nations.

Distinguished delegates,

The overarching role of the Second Committee in the General Assembly touches the very fundamentals of sustainable socio-economic growth and development – it serves as a linchpin towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

Since its inception in 2015, the implementation and progress of the SDGs have gained momentum.  This has, however, been challenged by a global pandemic.

The double threat of COVID19 and climate crisis have further constrained the financial capacities of countries in special situations, including LDCs, LLDCs and the SIDS. 

For these vulnerable economies to recover sustainably, actions and commitments on access to finance and resources is prudent. For this reason, I will continue to champion actions to tackle fiscal constraints at every available opportunity.

Distinguished delegates,

I commend the choice of the theme for the Second Committee this session, “Crisis, Resilience and Recovery – Accelerating Progress Towards the 2030 Agenda,”.

With the world slowly but surely starting to recover from a pandemic, our common appetite to build back sustainably is an opportunity for change. 

Given the mandate on economic and financial issues, the work of the Second Committee is ever-so-critical in this endeavor, and must be fully maximized to guide and support sustainable development efforts of member states. 

In this context, allow me to make four key points.

• First, recognizing that vaccines are our only reliable tool against the pandemic, affordable and accessible vaccines for all should be a priority. The Second Committee must address this important fact in the relevant discussions and resolutions.
• Second, in noting the adverse effects of climate change towards the progress of SDGs, the Second Committee must galvanize commitment of the international community towards renewable and sustainable efforts. We simply cannot achieve our 1.5 Celsius target without transitioning sustainably.
• Third, for low-income economies, technological advancement remains an unattainable development frontier. It is important for the Second Committee to harness support of the international community towards equitable access to sustainable technology. We must work to close the digital divide, which has become a new face of inequality.
• And lastly but equally important, is the need to address constraints on fiscal space and access to financing. I strongly encourage discussions by the Second Committee on developing strategies that will assist economies to recover sustainably.

Distinguished delegates,

In support of these proposals, I will use my Presidency to call on the Member States to support measures that help alleviate the burden on LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDs, ensuring they are armed with the capacities to respond effectively.

I hope to achieve this through the dialogues that I will convene. This includes the upcoming High-Level Thematic Dialogue on “Delivering Climate Action for People, Planet and Prosperity” on October 26.

Likewise, on vaccines, I intend to host a high-level thematic debate in early 2022 to address vaccine inequity. This will build on many past events, and is predicated on the premise on no one is safe until everyone is safe.

Distinguished delegates,

The COVID-19 crisis was the first major stress test for the reformed UN development system.

It is pertinent for the Second Committee to review the revamped UN development system, to assess if these system reforms have effectively helped countries respond to the unprecedented emergency posed by the pandemic. 

As the reforms continue to mature, member states must provide guidance, and exercise oversight, to ensure that UN Country Teams remain fit for purpose and able to deliver expected outcomes.

Before I close, allow me to share a short synopsis of a valuable lesson I took away from my recent trip to the Maldives.

In my meeting with the Maldives Honorable Chief of Justice, I learned of his contribution to the planet by always switching off the light and opting for the use of daylight over electricity whenever possible.

He understood that this was a small, relatively insignificant act. But he also felt, and I agree, that every little act counts. A billion little actions can have immense, transformational potential.

Following this meeting, was my meeting with a group of schoolchildren, who asked of what I and the UN can do to save the planet.

I told them of my meeting with the Chief Justice and asked them: what can YOU do to help save the planet?

I want everyone here to think of what we can do – however small it may seem – to make a difference at the UN and in the Second Committee. What change, however little it may seem, can be achieved this session that will, in turn, echo in countries far away, in communities, even more remote.

Distinguished delegates,

The blueprint of our collective endeavor to effectively respond to many of the global common problems are embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Sendai Framework.

We have the capacities and knowledge, we have the blueprints, how we use these to deliver concrete outcomes remains the key workings of the Second Committee together with the support of the international community.

I repose my full faith in the Committee Chair and its Bureau to overcome the impasse created over CPC’s unfinished agenda items and conclude the committee’s works as scheduled. 

My final point is this: given the importance of the upcoming conference on Least Developed Countries in Doha next year, I call upon member states to contribute meaningfully towards the deliberation of the outcome document. The outcome document will be crucial for the next ‘Decade of Recovery’ for the LDCs.

Thank you again for this opportunity, Madam Chair, and I look forward to a successful conclusion of the Second Committee deliberations.

I thank you.