Opening Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,

at the Informal Dialogue on Building Resilience and Promoting Sustainable Development Through Infrastructure Connectivity
18 April 2024
[As Delivered]

Your Excellency, Mr. Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland,

Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General of the UN-DESA,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome you all here today for this Informal Dialogue on Building Resilience and Promoting Sustainable Development through Infrastructure Connectivity.

I should like to particularly thank Your Excellency, Mr. Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, for taking time out of your very busy schedule – to honor us with your presence at this important dialogue.

The topic of today’s dialogue is a crucial one.

This is evident when we consider that resilient infrastructure is integral to attaining all the SDGs – and in fact, it is one of the key sectors of the economy where the concepts of resilience and sustainability are deeply interwoven.

Indeed, the interconnectedness of all the SDGs permeates our discussions throughout this ongoing Sustainability Week.

Quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure – including regional and transborder infrastructure – is important to sustain trade and commerce, facilitate effective transportation, connect us to virtual grids, maintain energy flows, and make populations safer against natural hazards.

At a very fundamental level, it can support a country’s overall socio-economic development – while safeguarding assets and minimizing risks to our populations.

 

Excellencies,

The interconnectedness of today’s globalized economy necessitates sustainable and resilient infrastructure for reliable transportation.

The recent bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, demonstrated how damage to vital infrastructure carries far-reaching economic reverberations inter alia through disruptions to supply chains, at national – and indeed, global levels.

And in recent years, we are confronting alarming new disruptions – not only from man-made devastation of war and conflicts, but also from extreme natural weather events and disasters – whose frequency and intensity are amplified by an escalating climate crisis.

Therefore, it is crucial to establish a structured framework for assessing climate-related impacts – and identifying priorities for adaptation to enhance the connectivity and resilience of transport infrastructure.

Persistent infrastructure gaps exacerbate global inequalities, disproportionately affecting countries in special situations – SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs – which are most vulnerable due to peculiar constraints and resource limitations.

The SIDS, in particular, often confront more intense and frequent natural hazards – making their infrastructure susceptible to damage and destruction. In some instances, the annual cost of damage amounting to almost 10 percent of a country’s GDP.

In some SIDS, loss from transport assets can account for up to 46 percent of the total annual non-agricultural asset losses – primarily resulting from natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods.

In LDCs, the United Nations Development Programme reports that over 70 percent of people lack access to basic infrastructure services such as electricity, clean water, and sanitation. 

And in LLDCs, the World Bank estimates that their transportation costs are 50 percent higher on average – making them less competitive in global markets, compared with countries with direct access to the sea.

As we approach the SIDS4 Conference and the LLDC3 Conference in May and June, respectively, there is an increasing urgency to reflect on and indeed to address these regional and global challenges.

It is crucial for the upcoming successor programmes, for SIDS and LLDCs to identify measures that ensure inclusive and sustainable access to infrastructure for these vulnerable countries.

 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It would be remiss to close my remarks without underscoring that advancing infrastructural resilience and sustainability requires financing and investment in quality and reliability.

Our discussions today must delve deeper into how we can implement innovative financing mechanisms, leverage blended finance models, and create dynamic and productive partnerships – including with international financial institutions and the private sector.

We must use this occasion to generate the political will and ambition needed to deliver on our goals on infrastructural resilience – given the cross-sectoral benefits that would accrue to the economy.

I look forward to your discussions to enrich this milestone Sustainability Week.

 

Thank you.

 

* *** *