22 September 2022

Excellencies, Dear Friends,

 

It is my great pleasure to participate in the Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Least Developed Countries.

 

Let me begin by commending the Foreign Minister of Malawi, The Honourable Nancy Tembo, and her country’s Permanent Representative in New York for championing the causes of the least developed countries.

 

I express my sincere gratitude to the State of Qatar for agreeing to host the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, in March 2023.

 

I intend to participate in this pivotal Conference – and would like to encourage high level participation from Member States and stakeholders alike.

 

I also congratulate Ambassador Rabab Fatima of Bangladesh for her appointment as Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the UN for the least developed countries. I look forward to working with you, Ambassador, on this most important agenda.

 

Excellencies,

 

Even before the pandemic, many least developed countries were off-track in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and had limited capacity to tackle complex challenges such as climate change or food insecurity.

 

However, this year’s Ministerial Meeting assumes unique significance as it takes place amid a whole range of interlinked crises rippling through our world.

 

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the rising cost of food and fuels are severely and disproportionately affecting the LDCs.

 

These external shocks have upended people’s lives, reversed decades of development gains, and destabilized governments around the world.

 

The good news is that we have the tools at hand to encourage transformation.

 

The Doha Programme of Action – adopted in March during the first part of the Fifth UN Conference – provides an important blueprint for LDCs to overcome the impacts of these global crises.

 

It charts a path for LDCs to build resilience and realize the Sustainable Development Goals.

 

To get there – we must work together to ensure the Doha Programme of Action is implemented.

 

There is no time to waste.

 

LDCs must do their part and in turn, development partners must follow through on their unequivocal commitment in the Doha Programme of Action.

 

As the most vulnerable countries struggle to tackle global problems not of their making, now is the time for solidarity and support.

 

The 77th session will be key to shape the future we want.

 

For my part, I pledge that the LDC agenda will remain a priority of my Presidency during this session.

 

As a start, I intend to reconvene the Board of Advisers for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS to support me with substantive inputs on the needs and priorities of these countries in the context of General Assembly processes and events.

 

We will host consultations to prepare the SDG Summit in September 2023 and the Summit of the Future in 2024.

 

The Assembly will assess SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation at the first UN Conference on Water to be held since 1977.

 

And our focus will also turn to the Sendai Framework as we work to create a planet more resilient to disasters.

 

In all these efforts, integrated risk assessment, knowledge and management are essential.

 

I will do my utmost to support you all in ensuring that these events are well prepared and lead to tangible outcomes.

 

I look forward to listening to your ideas and walking this road together.

 

I thank you.