Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the Operational Activities for Development Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council
14 May 2024
[As Delivered]
Under-Secretary General Li
Mr. Vice President of ECOSOC
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, let me express my gratitude to Your Excellency,Tarek Ladeb, Vice-President of ECOSOC, for your leadership in the preparations for this year’s Operational Activities for Development Segment.
I take this opportunity to also acknowledge the continued engagement of the Deputy-Secretary-General as standard bearer of the development pillar manifested in her much-needed oversight of sustainable development at regional and country levels, when it matters most in terms of the impact on real people’s lives.
As we convene here today, let us recall that the SDG Summit Political Declaration adopted last September was a clarion call – and a strategic plan of action to address the lagging progress on the SDGs.
Notably, only 15 percent of targets are currently on track – prompting Member States to reaffirm their support for the reinvigorated United Nations Development System (UNDS), including enhancing the Resident Coordinator system and the Joint SDG Fund.
It was both the imperative and indeed, the urgency of galvanizing efforts towards achieving the SDGs that motivated me to also convene the General Assembly’s first ever Sustainability Week last month – focusing on the critical sectors of debt, tourism, transport, infrastructure and energy.
We know from economic theory and from practice as well that these sectors have the potential to drive economic growth and therefore show good prospects for leveraging development.
We must build on this momentum as we approach the Summit of the Future in September – a Summit which offers an opportunity to meaningfully scale up commitments towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Excellencies,
While acknowledging the setbacks and urgent need to accelerate our efforts, it is important to highlight that we are making tangible progress.
As part of tailored support for each country context, the UNDS continues to provide evidence-based, and integrated policy advice to help countries implement the 2030 Agenda.
I am encouraged to note that a remarkable 78 percent of Governments identified the United Nations as the partner that best supports alignment with national priorities.
The new Resident Coordinator system has proven to be a powerful catalyst for accelerated SDG action – receiving broad support from both host and development partners for enhancing coherence and reducing duplication.
Furthermore, I am pleased that the new Cooperation Framework closely aligns with national priorities – with 94 percent of Governments considering these frameworks well-suited to their needs and effective in addressing national priorities and SDG delivery.
That is up from 81 percent in 2019.
I would highlight that reports on the Cooperation Framework indicate enhanced coherence and complementarity among humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding activities.
Furthermore, 98 percent of host country Governments agreed that the United Nations country teams have effectively strengthened capacity to help build resilience to crises, disasters, and extreme climate events.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
As I conclude, it is notable that the Secretary-General’s report provides useful analysis – underscoring progress we have achieved, including in addressing previous oversight gaps in the development system.
For example, the System-Wide Evaluation Office is now operational – undertaking independent evaluations to inform activities related to gender-based violence and development system reform.
But going forward, improving the means of implementation must remain our paramount focus for accelerating the SDGs.
The upcoming Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review, Summit of the Future, along with the Fourth Financing for Development Conference, will provide opportunities for additional efforts required to secure long-term, sustainable, and efficient funding for SDG acceleration.
This will be critical – as we map out UN System support, for the SDGs through the 2025-2028 period.
These periods will be critical in determining our ultimate success or failure in achieving our SDG targets on time.
This important ECOSOC Segment is the ideal platform for the Member States to ensure accountability for delivery, especially at the country level.
Let us use it to recommit to working with a renewed sense of purpose and collaboration – to deliver a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for all.
I thank you.
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