Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,

Mr. Dennis Francis,

at the Informal meeting of the plenary to hear a briefing by the Co-Chairs of the High-Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) for Small Island Developing States

28 March 2024

[As Delivered]

 

Your Excellencies, Gaston Brown and Erna Solberg, Co-Chairs of the High-level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) for Small Island Developing States (SIDS),

Under-Secretaries-General of UN-DESA and OHRLLS,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Welcome to today’s informal plenary meeting – which is intended to allow the Co-chairs of the High-Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States to present their final report.

I extend a warm welcome to the esteemed Co-Chairs – His Excellency, Mr. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and  Barbuda, and Her Excellency, Ms. Erna Solberg, former Prime Minister of Norway – and the Panel members joining us today, both virtually and in-person, with sincere thanks for the opportunity to engage with them on their important work.

As you will recall, in 2022, the President of the General Assembly at the 76th session appointed the High-Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States.

Its 12 members – world leading experts from the public sector, academia, civil society, and the private sector – have spent the last two years developing a proposed structure for the MVI.

On behalf of the General Assembly – and indeed on my own behalf – I wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Co-Chairs and the entire Panel for their exemplary work in producing the final report, which, inter alia, contains the MVI and recommendations for advancing the Index.

 

Excellencies,

The need for the MVI stems from the necessity to recognize that vulnerability to exogenous shocks, itself, is an impediment to a country’s sustainable development.

Vulnerability, therefore, should be considered a factor in determining a country’s eligibility for development assistance – particularly if the country lacks resilience.

We know that the exorbitant costs of climate change, debt burden, health emergencies – and especially, disaster prevention, preparation, and recovery – are an increasing burden on countries that are the most vulnerable to external shocks.

This is especially true for countries in special situations – that is, the Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries.

And against this backdrop, I wish to particularly highlight the tireless efforts of Small Island Developing States – for being at the forefront of advocacy for the establishment of the MVI.

To fulfil my mandate and commitment to addressing the special needs of the most vulnerable countries, I have convened my Board of Advisors on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, as well as organized a morning Gayap Dialogue in February, to gain insight and guidance on the best ways to advance the MVI.

Because one thing is clear: traditional measures of development – such as the GNI per capita – simply do not fully capture a country’s risk of harm from exposure to adverse external  shocks.

 

Excellencies,

The final edited version of the High-Level Panel’s Final report was circulated a few weeks ago – on 4 March 2024.

Earlier on 6 February, I appointed His Excellency, Mr. Walton Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda, and Her Excellency, Ms. Ana Paula Zacarias, Permanent Representative of Portugal, as co-facilitators of the intergovernmental process, mandated by resolution 78/232, to consider the recommendations contained in the final report.

I sincerely thank the Co-Facilitators for accepting this role – and I trust that they will receive the full support and cooperation from the Member States and other stakeholders in this important undertaking.

I welcome this final report as a starting point – a valuable tool to advance the development of the MVI, which in turn, can assist countries in gaining access to the development support they need before a crisis hits.

It can also aid in the formulation of evidence-based and risk-informed policies to help countries reduce their vulnerabilities.

I strongly encourage Member States to use today’s excellent opportunity to engage with the High-Level Panel co-chairs to better understand the MVI and the recommendations contained in their report.

The opportunity is timely – as Member States will soon embark on the important process to consider the MVI’s applicability, scope, custodianship and governance, as well as ways to improve the MVI that would allow for its implementation, with the duty of reporting back to the General Assembly by the end of the 78th session, in accordance with resolution A/RES/78/232/.

 

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

I trust that today’s meeting will serve as a solid start to this essential process – with the aim of building consensus to advance the MVI.

Together, let us build a more resilient, prosperous future for the LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, ensuring that no nation is left behind.

 

I thank you.

 

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