Special Attention to Most Vulnerable States Critical in Implementing Sustainable Development Goals, Speakers Say as Second Committee Begins General Debate

With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the international community’s focus must shift from “what” to “how”, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) heard today as it began its general debate for the seventieth session.

Abhijit Banerjee, Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told delegates that when it came to solving socioeconomic problems, what mattered was “not the will but the way”.  With too many fires to fight on a daily basis, many Governments did not have the capacity and intellectual space to take ideas and turn them into transformative programmes.

But solutions to big problems could be found at small levels, he added.  Illustrating such “small interventions”, he spoke of a subsidy programme in Indonesia where mailing a plastic card to beneficiaries had improved access.  In Kenya, children given de-worming pills went on to make more money 10 years later than children who had not been given the medication.

Also emphasizing the power of measurement, he added that data was important for accountability but also prevented the human tendency to make up stories about problems.  The development business had produced many myths and it was necessary to be sceptical.

The 2030 Agenda’s ambition was a two-edged sword, he said, and to prevent the international community from sliding back, he encouraged delegates to focus on small and specific strategies that worked, instead of putting bandages on big problems.

In his opening remarks, Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, highlighted the many challenges facing the international community, from weak economic growth to geopolitical tensions and climate change.

Calling for special attention to the poorest and most vulnerable countries, he added that they must be given policy space and opportunities for engagement in the political process.

“We in the Second Committee must step up to our responsibilities” and take the lead in providing political guidance on the development issues addressed by the 2030 Agenda, the Committee Chair, Andrej Logar (Slovenia) said.  During the upcoming session, the Committee would review matters as diverse as macroeconomic policy questions and the digital divide.  Highlighting the importance of gender equality, he added that the full participation of women in decision-making and policy development was fundamental to poverty eradication.

In the debate that followed, delegates emphasized the importance of global partnerships in achieving poverty eradication, one of the key Sustainable Development Goals.

Emphasizing the hard work that “lies ahead of us all”, the representative of South Africa, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, called on developed States to demonstrate leadership and commitment in eradicating poverty.  He drew attention to the unique vulnerability of African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States, those affected by terrorism and people living under colonial occupation.

Africa would have enough food for its people, the representative of Sierra Leone, speaking on behalf of the African Group said, if agricultural measures taken at the recent African Union summit were implemented.  Emphasizing the need for the timely fulfilment of all official development assistance (ODA) commitments, he said that poverty eradication required the mobilization of resources from all sources.

The representative of Belize, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), encouraged the Committee to determine how the key deliverables from the Third International Conference on Financing for Development would be realized.  The United Nations had been “sidelined” while self-appointed clubs of economic powers grew in strength, she said, referring to the European Union’s blacklisting of the tax jurisdictions of her region.

The representative of the European Union delegation said it was necessary to reform the United Nations system to make it more fit to address the complex, multi-sectoral challenges of the 2030 Agenda.  It was time to rethink current programmes in order to embrace the future and move beyond the past.  The Union called for a fair and ambitious agreement at the upcoming twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris, with leaders facilitating a transition to a low carbon and resilient economy.

Speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the representative of Indonesia said that the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the 2030 Agenda would unite economic, social and environmental pillars.  It was necessary to create an enabling environment, with financing, a technology facilitation mechanism and capacity-building.  He also emphasized the need to prepare the follow up and review framework and looked forward to the completion of a global indicator framework.

Also speaking today were representatives of Bangladesh (on behalf of least developed countries), Maldives (on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States),Zambia (on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries), Ecuador (on behalf of CELAC), Egypt, Nicaragua, Belarus, Peru, Morocco, Colombia, Mexico, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Lebanon, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Venezuela, Republic of Korea, Brazil, Norway, Myanmar, Algeria, Uganda, Georgia, Maldives, Pakistan and the United States.

The Second Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., on 8 October to continue its general debate.

Opening Remarks

ANDREJ LOGAR (Slovenia), Chair of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial), stated that with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Committee would take a lead in providing political guidance and engaging dialogue on many pressing development issues.  Under the agenda item on the eradication of poverty, all sustainable development policies and frameworks must include explicit commitments to gender equality.  The full and equal participation of women in all aspects of decision-making and policy development was fundamental to the goal of poverty eradication.  The Committee would also review many pertinent macroeconomic policy questions from international trade and development to external debt sustainability.  Further, the Committee would review progress on Agenda 21 and the Samoa Pathway.

While there had been considerable growth in information and communications technology, he added, the digital divide remained an insurmountable challenge and the least developed countries were falling behind.  Turning to working methods, he added that the 2030 Agenda had provided an added impetus to revitalize the work of the Second Committee.  Recalling General Assembly resolution 68/1 which stated the Committee should take steps towards the rationalization of its agenda in order to eliminate duplication, he said the focus of its work must also be in line with the requirements for the follow-up and implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  The Committee would hold a session on 9 October to address that objective.  “We in the Second Committee must step up to our responsibilities” and find new ways of addressing the challenges facing people and the planet.

WU HONGBO, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, pointing out it took world leaders only 10 days to adopt the 2030 Agenda, said that now was an important time as the international community faced major challenges.  Economic expansion remained weaker than before the global financial crisis, and, over the past year, the growth outlook for many developing economies had deteriorated even further.  That reflected adverse global factors, such as subdued trade volumes, a decline in the prices of oil and other commodities and volatility in international capital flows.  Moreover, “geopolitical tensions” had led to a dramatic increase in the numbers of refugees and international migrants around the world.  Meanwhile, climate change was having a significant impact on the world.

The overarching goal of the 2030 Agenda was to “leave no one behind”, he continued, emphasizing that special attention must be dedicated to the poorest and most vulnerable countries.  Granting them policy space and opportunities for engagement in the political process was critical.  Revitalizing global partnership was also necessary to engaging civil society, the private sector and philanthropic organizations.  He looked forward to deliberations on the establishment of the Financing for Development Forum and a more ambitious outcome at the upcoming twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate in Paris.  The Department of Economic and Social Affairs stood by to assist Member States in preparing for the 2016 high-level political forum on sustainable development.  In addition, the Department was also working to improve the availability and quality of basic data.

Keynote Address

ABHIJIT BANERJEE, Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, speaking on “Vision 2030:  Eradicating Poverty and Advancing Sustainable Development” stated that the ambition surrounding the 2030 Agenda was a two-edged sword.  Given the scale of the Agenda, it could seem that the goal posts were too far away and the international community might start sliding back.  Therefore, it was of crucial importance now to focus on “how” and no longer on “what”.  In many counties, getting to 169 targets and 17 goals was a matter of specific strategies.  The work that he did at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, an organization he had started, was to translate research into action.

It was vital, he said, to investigate what worked, not only at the big-picture level of free markets and monetary policy, but at the level of the small and specific, such as how to make subsidies more effective and make classrooms better at learning.  While exploring the answers of such “granular questions”, he had learned that the constraint was “not the will but the way”, in other words, the capacity.  The ability to take ideas and turn them into transformative programmes was enormously scarce.  Many improvements required, not money, but attention from the implementing person or agency.  With too many fires to fight on a daily basis, many Governments did not have the space and time for that.

The other important lesson, he added, was not to be too shy of labouring the obvious.  One such obvious lesson was that learning and going to school were not the same thing.  Out of the 169 targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, it was regrettable that there was not one on learning.  Also stressing the importance of “small interventions”, he said that while big problems seemed insurmountable, solutions could be found at small levels.  Illustrating that with an example of a subsidy programme in Indonesia that was not reaching all beneficiaries, he said that sending every beneficiary a small plastic card helped enormously, even though it was a small action.

In Kenya, he went on, researchers from his organization who studied a programme to de-worm children in schools by giving them pills found 10 years later that children who got the medication were earning more than those who didn’t.  Instead of putting bandages on big problems, it was necessary to look for the small solutions that could create big impact.  An immunization programme in India had a much higher rate after the mothers were given a small gift of dried beans at the end of each series of immunizations.  The data had shown that typically the immunization visits stopped after the fourth visit and that data was critical to solving the problem by giving an incentive to the mother to return for the fifth and final visit.

“Measurement is power,” he stressed.  One of the major challenges for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda was measurement and accountability.  While it was useful to think of data as accountability, it was also important to measure, simply because it resulted in thinking.  “Measuring protects us from the human tendency to make up stories and then run Governments based on those stories,” he said.  Cautioning delegates against “mythmaking”, he said that microcredit had shown up in the Sustainable Development Goals as a tool.  But many evaluations on microcredit in countries ranging from Mongolia to Ethiopia to India, had found that the average microcredit recipient’s income had not gone up significantly.  Unfortunately, microcredit mythmaking was so powerful that it resisted any pull of evidence.  The development business had produced many myths and it was important to be sceptical.

When the floor opened for discussion, the representative of Japan asked a question about partnering up with country ministries, to which Mr. BANERJEE responded that sometimes partnerships with States were beneficial.  Various partnerships with, for example, education ministries proved to be very useful.  However, it was not just a matter of presenting arguments but rather negotiating checks and balances.  When meeting with Government officials, his objective was not only to present an argument but also to be the “patient person that takes all the pushback and deals and navigates the bureaucracy”.  That was the challenging part.  Partnership meant creating space and giving people opportunity by providing a space to navigate to make important arguments.

Responding to questions from the representative of Peru and Ethiopia about microcredit, he said that microcredit had been beneficial for people because they used it to buy consumer goods or save, but there was no evidence that the person who got microcredit made more money as a result of that loan.  Microcredit gave women entrepreneurs a great boost, but that was not to say that microcredit had not become a problem for others.  “The idea that credit makes us worse off is not a new idea,” he said, emphasizing that there was space for improvement.

The representative of Liberia also made a comment during the discussion.

Statements

EPHRAIM LESHALA MMINELE (South Africa), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, pointed to the hard work that “lies ahead of us all”.  The Committee must engage in a spirit of cooperation to build on the various programmes adopted in 2015, including the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the 2030 Agenda.  Developed countries must now demonstrate leadership and unequivocal commitment, in order to “assist all of us to finally eradicate unemployment, inequality and poverty in all its forms”.  Special attention must be paid to the economic dimension of the sustainable agenda, especially in the areas of industrialization and infrastructure development as economic and sustainable growth required “a structural transformation”, he said.

He also reiterated the importance of recognizing the diverse needs and challenges faced by countries in special situations, in particular African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States, as well as middle-income countries.  States affected by terrorism and unilateral economic coercive measures also needed special attention.  That included people living under colonial or foreign occupation, he said, stressing the need to respect national sovereignty.  It was important not to lose sight of the fact that climate change was a sustainable development challenge and threatened those most vulnerable.  In addition, the World Trade Organization (WTO) summit to take place in Nairobi in December must address the inequalities of the current global trading system.

VANDI CHIDI MINAH (Sierra Leone), speaking for the African Group and associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said that poverty eradication must remain an overarching goal of the 2030 Agenda.  That required the mobilization of resources from all sources, and there needed to be timely fulfilment of all official development assistance (ODA) commitments, including the rendering of 0.7 per cent of developed countries’ gross national income to developing countries and 0.15 per cent to least developed countries.  He was pleased at the inclusion of a specific goal on ending hunger, ensuring food security and nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.  If agricultural measures taken at the recent African Union summit were implemented, the continent would have enough food for its people and would save $35 billion a year on food imports, create agricultural employment opportunities, especially for youth, and place Africa on the course of poverty eradication.  He called on the Group of Eight (G8) countries — France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, United States, Canada, and the Russian Federation — to fulfil their commitments, particularly the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, to achieve the target of lifting 50 million people out of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2022.

He said that the promotion of industrialization and structural transformation through economic diversification and value chains linking raw material producers to end users was necessary to transform African economies.  Therefore creating productive employment, especially for youth, was of the utmost importance.  The decline in ODA for two consecutive years, particularly to least developed countries, was alarming, he said, emphasizing the serious threat also posed by climate change, which most affected those countries that least contributed to it.  In that regard, he anticipated a major breakthrough towards a legally binding agreement at the upcoming Climate Change Conference in Paris.  Furthermore, it was critical to implement regional infrastructure programmes, such as the Programme for Infrastructural Development in Africa, and the support of development partners was needed on that front as well.  Recognizing that renewable energy was paramount for the continent’s growing demand, he said that the three objectives of the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative would assist Africa to overcome its energy deficits and achieve sustainable development.

DESRA PERCAYA (Indonesia), speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, called the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the 2030 Agenda “important milestones in our endeavours to achieve sustained and equitable prosperity through sustainable development”.  The Committee must ensure that its seventieth session would “keep the ball rolling”.  Towards that end, he said there were three critical matters relating to the Committee’s work.

The first, he said, was the implementation of the two newly adopted documents, uniting economic, social and environmental pillars and creating an enabling environment at all levels and means of implementation, with financing, a technology facilitation mechanism and capacity-building indispensable to ASEAN developing countries.  The United Nations development system must respond to the different capacity and needs of countries and include regional and subregional commissions.  ASEAN stood ready to enhance cooperation.  The second, he said, was the need to prepare the follow up and review framework and he looked forward to the completion of a global indicator framework and statistical measures in 2016, complemented by indicators at the regional and national levels, with the high-level political forum on sustainable development serving as the main United Nations platform for follow up and review.  And third, there must be a focus on climate change.  He also noted the establishment in 2015 of the ASEAN Community, which would increase regional capacity to implement 2030 Agenda.

A.K. ABDUL MOMEN (Bangladesh), speaking for the Group of Least Developed Countries, said the full and effective implementation by all stakeholders of the Istanbul Programme of Action would ensure that the target of halving the number of least developed States by 2020 was achieved.  To enable them to build a solid economic foundation, their productive capacity, including industrialization and diversification, must be improved.  Global partnerships must be enhanced to help address the structural challenges they faced in achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth.  Duty-free quota-free market access of all products from least developed countries, as well as developed and developing States, was important in strengthening the least developed countries’ economic performance.

Aid for Trade should be further strengthened to enhance their participation in the global value chain, he said.  In connection with the Programme of Action and “the Addis commitment”, he called for at least 50 per cent of the aid for trade to be directed to least developed countries.  Noting the importance of establishing an international investment support centre, he said that least developed countries would work closely with development partners, members of the Group of 77 and the United Nations to operationalize the facility.  As least developed countries were extremely vulnerable to external shocks, such as public health emergencies and natural disasters, a crisis mitigation and resilience building fund would protect those States from those crises.  Expressing concern that ODA to least developed countries continued to fall, he said that without such predictable and increased assistance, least developed countries would find it impossible to achieve sustainable development.

LOIS M. YOUNG (Belize), speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said her region, like many small island developing States, had experienced mixed results from the Millennium Development Goals exercise.  While successes from their own development efforts had pushed them up the scale of income levels, challenges to entrench those gains outsized their capacity to cope.  Those Goals did not contemplate the accelerated phenomenon of climate change nor did they anticipate a financial and economic meltdown or energy and food crises.  The global response had fallen to “self-appointed clubs” of economic powers, such as the Group of 20, and had “sidelined” the United Nations as a centre of global governance.  Consequently, small States like theirs had been left with limited say in that global response, and had been subjected to standards that had only further crippled their economies, as in the recent case of the European Union’s blacklisting of their tax jurisdictions and the United States banking legislation that had all but imperiled the survival of their domestic banking sector.

Noting the many development challenges of CARICOM, she said small island developing States were not in a position to meet expanded investment requirements for economic transformation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and expansion of economic and social infrastructure.  The Committee must consider how its deliberations, beginning with those on operational activities for development, could synergize the process of the 2030 Agenda and financing.  It should also determine how the key deliverables from the Third International Conference on Financing for Development would be realized.  Important areas of follow-up include the establishment of the global infrastructure forum and the technology facilitation mechanism, scaling up international tax cooperation and enhancing support for debt sustainability.

AHMED SAREER (Maldives), speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States and aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, said that small island developing States faced unique challenges due to their remote locations, susceptibility to external shocks and growing vulnerability to the effects of climate change.  Furthermore, those island States faced extreme weather events, with the damage that resulted reversing many development gains.  In that regard, financial institutions must take into account the special challenges and vulnerabilities faced by those island States and include them in decision-making processes.  Moving forward, the Alliance would continue to make the necessary linkages between the Samoa Pathway and other development agreements.

A critical issue for all small island developing States was the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and seas, he said, emphasizing that they constitute livelihood, provide economic opportunity, and are significant to cultural heritage.  He stressed the importance of enhancing the capacity of those States to sustainably use fishery resources and maximize benefits from resources.  Furthermore, the burden of conservation and management of ocean resources must not disproportionately be placed on those island States.  He looked to United Nations entities to small island developing States to implement the Samoa Pathway, the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda in a coherent manner.

MWABA KASESE BOTA (Zambia), speaking on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries, said that the adoption of the Vienna Programme of Action for her Group’s countries marked an important milestone because the Programme was holistic and results-oriented.  Going beyond traditional issues such as trade logistics and transit transport, the Programme included the key issues of regional integration and structural economic transformation.  Further, the 2030 Agenda also acknowledged that each State faced specific challenges and that vulnerable countries deserved special attention.  She called upon multilateral and regional financial institutions as well as regional development banks to provide long-term financing to landlocked developing countries at concessional and affordable rates.

Climate change, land degradation and desertification, she added, had made landlocked developing countries vulnerable in a variety of fields such as agricultural production, food security, energy and biodiversity.  The Climate Change Conference in Paris should give due consideration to the special challenges faced by such countries and provide adequate support for mitigating that negative impact.  Further, while trade could play an important role in ensuring economic development, landlocked developing countries were hindered by the exorbitant trade costs, lack of diversification of exports and limited market access.  As such, it was critical to provide special attention to their trade concerns within the framework of the WTO.

IOANNIS VRAILAS, speaking on behalf of the European Union delegation, said on the heels of the adoption of major agendas in 2015, it was a good time to rethink current programmes in order to embrace the future and move beyond the past.  The Union was fully committed to implement the 2030 Agenda both at home and globally.  As for the Committee, the work must fully correspond to the needs of an effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  He expressed the support of the Union to the high-level political forum on sustainable development, the road map of the United Nations Statistical Commission and advancing the Technology Facilitation Mechanism.

The empowerment and human rights of women and girls, most notably ending discrimination and violence against them, was essential to poverty eradication and sustainable development, he said.  That was especially critical in post-conflict situations.  Climate change was a defining issue as well and called for a fair, ambitious and binding agreement that limited global temperature rise to below 2°C.  At the upcoming Climate Change Conference in Paris, leaders must facilitate a transition to a low carbon and resilient economy, taking into account those most vulnerable.  In that regard, he stressed the importance of implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.  The Union promoted reform of the United Nations system to make it more fit to address the complex, multi-sectoral challenges that the 2030 Agenda would address, he concluded.

ABDEL KHALEK (Egypt), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said that the international community had set clear objectives for itself through the 2030 Agenda.  “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us,” he said regarding the upcoming Climate Change Conference in Paris.  The international community must respect national sovereignty when it came to developing socioeconomic programmes and not lose sight of the importance of providing proportionate implementation resources.  Egypt was concerned that many developed countries had not met the objective of 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for ODA.  There had also been a drop in the rate of assistance given to African countries, which was especially harmful as the continent was suffering from droughts and floods, affecting food security.

PATRICIA BAJAÑA (Nicaragua), associating herself with the Group of 77 and China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), stated that the eradication of poverty was a great challenge facing the international community.  That called for a genuine global partnership providing countries access to financial resources, and she called on developed countries to meet their ODA commitments.  The adoption of the 2030 Agenda provided a new opportunity to create a just and united world order, based on inclusion and participatory social development.  It was important to continue the conversation begun at the Third Conference on Financing for Development.  Sustainable sovereign debt was another matter of importance and she welcomed the recent General Assembly resolution on that topic.  Nicaragua was a small country but had sustained economic growth through disciplined handling of fiscal and monetary resources.

VITALY MACKAY (Belarus) said that important work lies ahead and warned against “routine discussions and business as usual”.  It was important to contribute intellectually to the 2030 Agenda.  Integration processes in many regions were vital for mutually beneficial dialogue and avoiding repetition.  Another key element for Belarus was the cooperation of middle-income countries, both in needing assistance and in providing assistance.  Their role was now reflected in the outcome document of the 2030 Agenda and hence, the United Nations system must be active in ensuring that all States implement that agreement.  His country was ready to support and ensure the transfer of technology as it was critical to sustainable development.  In that regard, special attention must be given to the presence of green technology, and all countries must have access to that resource.  Lastly, he warned against unilateral sanctions, saying they had no role in sustainable development.

GUSTAVO MEZA-CUADRA (Peru), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said that humanity was going through a time of rapid change.  While Latin America and the Caribbean remained the most unequal region in the world, thanks to sustained economic growth and effective inclusion of social inclusion programmes the region had made significant strides in reducing poverty and inequality.  In one generation the proportion of Peruvians living in poverty went from more than half to less than a fifth.  For that achievement to stick, it was essential to invest even more in childhood, continue empowering women and promote access to science and technology to all populations.  To support that kind of growth, the United Nations and international financial institutions must adapt to new global realities and strengthen private and public, national and international partnerships.  The 2030 Agenda would not be complete without an equally universal and ambitious, binding agreement that responded to the urgency of the global warming process.

SERGIO SHCHERBAKOV (Ecuador), speaking on behalf of CELAC, stated that in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, it was necessary to strengthen the linkages between the high-level political forum, the United Nations regional commissions and other relevant regional entities.  His group supported the establishment of a truly global partnership for development, building upon agreements made in Monterrey, Doha, Addis as well as Rio+20.  The implementation of those agreements must be people-centred and human rights-based, while promoting the global structural changes needed to eradicate poverty in all its forms.  CELAC would actively support the preparatory process for the Climate Change Conference in Paris and called for a new development framework that was global in nature while taking into account different national realities.

Developed countries, he added, could contribute to the implement of the 2030 Agenda by honouring their longstanding commitments regarding ODA.  South-South cooperation also had a particular role, notably in capacity-building supported by the exchange of knowledge about successful practices.  Private engagement could play a positive role in development partnerships if it complemented, without replacing, the historical commitments of developed countries.  Further, it was important to consider transparency, coherence, ownership and the intergovernmental oversight of such commitments.  Welcoming the recently launched Technology Facilitation Mechanism, he also stressed the importance of a timely, effective and durable solution to debt problems.  More effective work was necessary to address the highly speculative activities of the so-called vulture funds.

OMAR HILALE (Morocco) stressing the Sustainable Development Goals and their indicators should not be altered, welcomed the integration of economic growth and infrastructure development into the 2030 Agenda.  Inclusive growth was crucial to eradicating poverty, but effective international cooperation was required for that.  The universality of the new Agenda must not make the international community lose sight of national priorities as all States could not reach the same levels of implementation.  Further, trying to limit the agenda of the Second Committee was counter to the ideal of leaving no one behind.  At a time when partnership for development was crucial, ODA was still needed for the least developed countries, especially those in Africa.  International trade must also play its full role as “a motor for growth”.  Climate change was a threat to the very survival of some States and, at the Climate Change Conference in Paris, Member States must come up with an instrument based on shared but differentiated responsibility.  The resources to combat climate change in developing countries must be additional to ODA.

CARLOS ARTURO MORALES LÓPEZ (Colombia), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China and CELAC, said the session was especially important because it was framed by three global agreements signifying a real shift in the conversation.  He called for a more adequate mechanism of technology transfer, especially in developing countries, and said that the definition of middle-income countries within the United Nations system was inadequate.  Success of the 2030 Agenda required a favourable international environment, and follow-up would require adequate evaluation tools at the regional and national level.  Support would be needed from developed countries.  The Colombia Global Vision adopted in 2015 aimed to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

SARA LUNA CAMACHO (Mexico), associating herself with CELAC, said this year’s specific demands required the United Nations to adjust its work in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.  The 2030 Agenda provided a solid platform while reflecting the delicate balances.  Her country would continue to promote social economic inclusion and human rights, and it would focus on climate change, enhancing South-South cooperation and the possibility of using technology in narrowing the digital divide.  A substantive contribution would have to add to and enrich a follow-up review of the 2030 agenda.  Lessons learned from negotiating the 2030 Agenda document would serve for the better functioning of the Committee.  For Mexico, its youth and their proactive approach was vital to its development.  Youth was not just the future for Mexico it was the present.

MOHAMAD A. SHABOOT (Iraq), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, stressed the need to mobilize resources especially financial resources and get rid of one source economies which had been subject to volatility.  That included national and international investment in all sectors in order to increase economic growth and address youth unemployment.  Previous commitments of ODA had not been fully met.  The fiscal policies brought on by the global economic crisis continued to affect food security and economic growth worldwide.  The commodities speculation markets must be governed by regulators which would spare it from volatility.  Bolstering tax evasion and anti-corruption bodies was imperative in order for taxes to fund public programmes.  The threat of climate change is an overarching human concern and a solution must take into account economic, social and environmental needs of both current and future generations, he said, highlighting the pivotal role of developed countries.

GHOLAMHOSSEIN DEHGHANI (Iran), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said his country had designed its national policies on the basis of a balanced approach towards the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development.  The Iranian Committee on Sustainable Development, established in 1992, played a pivotal role in advancing national development.  The West Asia region was not only facing hotter climate conditions and challenges of continued extensive drought, but was also grappling with terrorism and violence.  Iran was eager to cooperate with its neighbours to promote regional sustainable development through active diplomacy and transfer of technology and knowhow.  For developing countries, responding to the challenges of poverty, food insecurity, health, water scarcity and impacts of climate change remained a tall order.

BASHAR JA’AFARI (Syria), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said the Committee had an important role to play in crystalizing the principles of transparency, common but differentiated responsibility and respect for the sovereignty of societies.  His region faced common challenges such as climate change, desertification and the irresponsible behaviour of developed countries in meeting their commitments.  However, there were also unprecedented challenges that had led to an “economic, social and environmental haemorrhage”.  The Arab region, and particularly Syria, faced the problems of extremism and terrorism.  Further, unilateral political measures, such as the illegal American sanctions, were placing undue pressure on his country.  As a result, there was a catastrophic effect on Syria’s economy, resulting in the displacement of thousands of its citizens.

MADINA KARABAEVA (Kyrgyzstan), associating herself with the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries, stated that her country was fully committed to the Sustainable Development Goals.  However, adopting comprehensive measures for their implementation was not possible without solving the problem of financing and, in that regard, she called on donors to fulfil their commitments.  To reduce poverty, Kyrgyzstan was creating a green economy which included building new hydroelectric installations to ensure energy security as well as increase employment.  Noting that her country would reduce by 20 per cent its already small share of gas emissions, she called on Member States to demonstrate political will by entering into a legally binding agreement on climate change.  In conclusion, she stated that Kyrgyzstan had graduated in 2014 from the category of least developed countries.

SERGEY B. KONONUCHENKO (Russian Federation) stated that the eradication of poverty was a prerequisite for sustainable development and more priority should be given to that in the work of the United Nations.  Stressing the importance of interagency cooperation, he called for more dialogue in the Organization on establishing a just global order.  Consistent efforts were required for the reform of international financial institutions.  Regional integration was another priority for his country and “when integrated regions do not cut themselves off one from another but coordinate and cooperate in mutually beneficial conditions”, it was possible to achieve development.  Turning to working methods, he added that the agenda of the Committee was too heavy and it was necessary to take a sober look at its programme by reviewing how often some resolutions had to be adopted.

DONA TURK (Lebanon) attached high importance to the outcomes of the upcoming Climate Change Conference and the World Humanitarian Summit, saying his country would embark on a low-emission, climate resilient development trajectory that prioritized adaptation.  Lebanon expected temperatures by 2040 to rise by 1°C on the coast.  Adaptation would feature prominently in the national sustainable development strategy being devised.  The crisis in Syria had been devastating to Lebanon’s security, development, economy and environment.  Initially, the world had praised neighbouring countries for “keeping the borders open”, yet had not provided adequate assistance.  He welcomed recognition in the 2030 Agenda of forced displacement as a result of conflict, extremism and terrorism.  He also encouraged the adoption of the “Oil Slick on Lebanese Shores” resolution requesting Israel to assume responsibility in that regard.

GHANIM AL-HUDAIFI AL-KUWARI (Qatar), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said that implementation of the 2030 Agenda required transformative measures and strengthening international institutions while respecting national policies.  Qatar’s Constitution attached great importance to the economic development and protection of the environment, and the creation of an appropriate and fair trade climate was imperative to sustainable development.  Stagnation in negotiations in the implementation of the Doha cycle was a threat to multinational trade and the achievement of international development goals.  He stressed the importance of South-South cooperation based on solidarity.  The unsustainable exploitation of resources, climate change and poverty required cooperation at all levels, he said, stressing the importance of the World Coalition of Arid Lands to fight desertification.  He also called for an end to Israel’s continued discriminatory policies in Palestinian territories and called on that State to abide by its commitments under international law.

ROHAN PERERA (Sri Lanka), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said it was important to focus attention on commitment to action.  In the work of the Committee it was imperative to build on the two key outcomes of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the 2030 Agenda.  For its part, his country had made much progress in achieving universal primary education and gender equality.  Sri Lanka had also given priority to combating HIV/AIDS and achieved considerable progress in ensuring environmental sustainability.  It stood ready to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and focus on youth and new technologies.  He called for greater economic cooperation with the global North and South, particularly with trade and investment.  It was imperative that a middle-income country like Sri Lanka had continued access to concessional international public finance throughout their development.  A new era of democracy had dawned on Sri Lanka, and a new vision for the country involved achieving the twin objectives of sustainable development and reconciliation.

HALIT ÇEVIK (Turkey) said that in the global economy, nations were deeply interconnected and achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions was a common task.  However, humanity continued to face complex challenges from poverty to climate change to humanitarian crises.  The burden of global economic challenges was most felt by poor countries.  They benefited the least from globalization while suffering the most from its negative impact.  Urging effective implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action, he reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting the efforts of the least developed countries to graduate from that category.  Further, Turkey was pleased that the 2030 Agenda underlined the importance of human migration and called for effective measures to strengthen the resilience of hosting countries and enhance burden-sharing.

RAFAEL DARÍO RAMÍREZ CARREÑO (Venezuela), calling for a fair international trading system, stated that countries must be given special and differentiated treatment.  The international order must be based on the idea of:  “To each according to his or her needs, from each according to his or her ability.”  People should have ownership over their natural resources, however major multinationals had taken over those resources leaving people in poverty and endangering the environment.  Financial institutions and specialized agencies must be reformed as they were perpetuating poverty.  His country, like most others, supported the General Assembly resolution on restructuring sovereign debt.  It was time to put an end to war, injustice, sanctions and nuclear threats.  Another world where human rights were respected above all was possible.

HAHN CHOONGHEE (Republic of Korea) said that his country would ensure inclusive cooperation among Member States, the United Nations system and key stakeholders to reach a successful first high-level political forum under the new development agenda.  Expressing hope for a universal and transformative climate framework agreement in Paris in December, he said his country had submitted its intended nationally determined contribution in June and was promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy through various measures, including a national emissions trading scheme.  As host country of both the Green Climate Fund and the Global Green Growth, the Republic of Korea would continue to contribute to international efforts to combat climate change, as well as support the climate change response capacity of least developed countries and other vulnerable States.  It sought to increase its ODA and had shared Saemaul Undong — community-driven rural development — which was the foundation of its sustainable development, with the hope that it could contribute to the national development strategies of developing countries.  In 2016, it would launch the “Better Life for Girls” initiative aimed at eliminating inequality in education and promoting quality education for girls, and in that regard, contribute $200 million over the next five years.

CARLOS SERGIO SOBRAL DUARTE (Brazil), associating himself with Group of 77 and China and CELAC, called upon the United Nations to be guided by the support and commitment made during the adoption of the 2030 Agenda.  “Let us exercise the necessary discipline,” he said.  He acknowledged the role of cross-cutting information and communications technology for development in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.  It was important to be seized of certain “disquieting trends” of the current global economic situation.  Job growth remained an “elusive reality” and the inability to conclude an ambitious and development-oriented Doha Round undermined common efforts.  Essentially countries would need policy space, as recognized in the Sustainable Development Goals, to adopt the public policies necessary to the implementation of the Agenda.  Continued delay in the implementation of the 2010 International Monetary Fund (IMF) governance and quota reform was a cause of serious concern.  Unfortunately, the lack of transparency and inclusiveness in decision-making process was still the mindset in which international financial institutions still operated.

GEIR O. PEDERSEN (Norway) said the vision of the 2030 Agenda was ambitious but achievable; a matter of mobilizing political will, leadership, good governance and participation of civil society and the private sector.  There was a need to create more equality of opportunity and decent jobs, health and education for all.  Gender equality and economic growth went hand in hand, and without women’s economic empowerment, the 2030 Agenda was not achievable.  The United Nations development system must focus on continued support to least-developed and low-income countries, efforts in politically fragile countries, high-quality normative and technical assistance to middle-income countries, and a stronger focus on results and effectiveness through the “Delivering as One” model.  For the Committee, addressing the cross-cutting and universal nature of Agenda 2030 would be key.

U HAU DO SUAN (Myanmar), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China and ASEAN, said that the world faced more frequent and intensive outbreaks of natural disasters and impacts triggered by climate change.  Echoing the ASEAN position, he reiterated the importance of honouring the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities in pursuit of a new climate regime.  It was also important to ensure that least developed countries were provided with adequate financial and technological resources to help address the impacts of climate change.  Turning to Myanmar’s economy, he said the country had undertaken wide-ranging economic liberalization in tandem with social, political and administrative reform.  Myanmar was implementing a 20-year national comprehensive development plan with the goal of achieving middle-income status by 2030.  The country’s GDP had grown by an average of 8 per cent in the past four years.  The Framework for Economic and Social Reforms launched in 2013 for sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction was a solid platform to ensure Myanmar’s early graduation from least developed countries.

SABRI BOUKADOUM (Algeria), associating with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said that the 2030 Agenda must be anchored in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, which constituted the cornerstone of sustainable development and the guiding principle of international cooperation.  In implementing the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, primary responsibility for follow up rested with Governments, with the High-Level Political Forum, under Economic and Social Council auspices, playing a determining role in their successful implementation.  He called on partners to strengthen the continent’s resilience through full support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and its continental programmes embedded in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).  In addition, he said that restructuring debt was essential to securing development progress and eradicating poverty.  Thus, he welcomed the Assembly’s adoption of Basic Principles for Sovereign Debt Restructuration.  He also called upon Member States to support the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, particularly in Africa and its 10-year strategic plan and framework to enhance timely financial resources, as well as to enhance South-South cooperation through North-South and triangular cooperation.

RICHARD NDUHUURA (Uganda), aligning with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said his country looked forward to hosting the next preparatory symposium for the 2016 high-level meeting of the Development Cooperation Forum, which it was co-organizing with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.  The symposium would take place in Kampala from 4 to 6 November.  Representatives from donor and programme countries, Southern partners, civil society, private sector and philanthropic organizations, international organizations, parliamentarians and local governments from all regions of the world were expected to participate.  It would bring to the table key questions related to resource mobilization and monitoring, as well as review of development cooperation for the 2030 Agenda with a view to generating concrete policy guidance on those issues for action at all levels.  Underscoring the importance of the agenda’s implementation, he said adequate attention must be paid to issues such as debt sustainability, illicit financial flows and cooperation in tax matters.

NINO SHEKRILADZE (Georgia) said the Second Committee was among the most important forums to address sustainable development.  Speaking on regional cooperation, she said the upcoming “Tbilisi Silk Road Forum” aimed to bring together international organizations to explore opportunities and enhance partnerships in transport, energy and trade.  In addition, the gathering would provide an opportunity to raise awareness and brief the investment community of the scale of potential cooperation across the region.  It would also be a chance to reflect Georgia’s drive for foreign direct investment and economic growth.  Climate change was one of the most serious challenges the world faced today, she said, pledging her country’s commitment to the negotiation process with a view to adopting a legally binding agreement at the Climate Change Conference in Paris.

Ms. NAEEM (Maldives), associating herself with the Group of 77 and China and the Alliance of Small Island States, welcomed the attention afforded to small island developing States in the 2030 Agenda.  She underscored, however, that a small island developing States specific lens needed to be applied to the issues of time and the United Nations system.  The Maldives was a middle-income country and its unique geographical characteristics meant it had to provide basic infrastructure to nearly 200 islands with populations of less than 5000, making the cost of delivery per capita exceptionally high.  Categorization as a middle-income country made it ineligible for concessionary financing.  It therefore advocated for special consideration for the financing needs of small island developing States.  Maldives was reassured that the 2030 Agenda firmly placed oceans within the sustainable development debate.  On climate change, she said its negative impacts had threatened to erode development gains in the past decades and hampered progress.

MALEEHA LODHI (Pakistan), associating with the Group of 77 and China, urged effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and a revitalized global partnership extending beyond ODA, though existing ODA commitments remained critical.  She noted the role of South-South cooperation in promoting sustainable development, but also urged complementary North-South relationships.  The Monterrey Consensus provided a framework for development financing to eradicate poverty, achieve sustainable economic growth and build an equitable global economy.  Progress was made when those commitments were renewed at Doha, but she regretted that most had not translated into tangible action.   A stable financial system, international policy environment, as well as sound domestic policies and resource mobilization were critical for predictable development financing.  Also, the conclusion of the Doha negotiations would unlock trade potential for developing countries.  International capital flows towards them should be encouraged, and debt relief would help direct resources to development.  Climate change was a “struggle for our very survival”.  The upcoming Paris agreement should cover mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology support.

RICHARD ERDMAN (United States) said that the opening of the Second Committee today provided a moment to step back to look at the “enormity of what can be accomplished” when Members States worked together in the spirit of pragmatism as they had in 2015.  “We will likely not agree on everything,” and should avoid issues where, despite best intentions, consensus would not be possible, he said, warning against individual efforts that would take up time meant to consider pressing issues.  Discussion must be guided by the idea of local ownership and empowering developing countries.  Technology facilitation mechanisms were critical in that regard.  On macroeconomic policy issues, he said that preserving well-functioning capital markets and access to capital served the global economy.  The United States remained firm that it would not undermine organizations that have spent years establishing mechanisms to address international challenges.  The Committee had always given special attention to countries in special situations.  The focus now must be on mobilizing billions of dollars for development in Africa and keeping the focus on the poorest and least developed countries.  That would continue to be a strong emphasis in United States policy.  He said he also looked forward to working with Governments and institutions to implement the 2030 Agenda.