Second Committee Debate
of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly
on Groups of Countries in Special Situations
(Agenda Item 23)
and Towards Global Partnerships
(Agenda Item 27)
New York, October 13, 2021
Madam Chair,
Strengthening global partnership is of paramount importance to ensuring that the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and achieve sustainable development.
Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
The report of the Secretary-General highlights the progress made in several key areas of the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, including access to healthcare, education, information and communications technology, and sustainable energy.[1]The underlying objectives of eradicating poverty through economic growth and job opportunities and achieving structural transformation have not, however, been realized for most LDCs. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has diverted crucial resources away from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Therefore, in crafting the new programme of action for LDCs, which will be adopted in Doha next year, the international community must build on the lessons learned in the past 10 years and provide adequate and tailored support to the LDCs, taking into consideration old and emerging challenges. In this regard, three crucial areas require urgent action.
First, people are the greatest resource of LDCs and, therefore, investing in human capital is of priority. Eradicating poverty and eliminating food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition should be the primary objectives of the new programme of action for LDCs. Strengthening healthcare systems, with a specific focus on reducing the alarmingly high rate of maternal mortality, is likewise crucial.[2]Moreover, ensuring access to quality education for all will generate the skills necessary for the development of productive capacities and the structural transformation needed by LDCs.
Second, trade has an important role in ensuring LDCs’ economic development. Concerted efforts are needed to help LDCs increase their participation in global trade, diversify their exports, and build their productive capacity. The new programme of action should therefore set out bold actions to complete the unfinished business of the Istanbul Programme of Action in this critical area.
Third, since climate change is impacting most LDCs with increasing severity in the past decade, the next programme of action must include strong provisions to support LDCs to increase their climate resilience through climate adaptation and mitigation.
Landlocked developing countries (LLDCs)
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) showed mixed progress towards the achievement of the SDGs and the objectives of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA). The pandemic and the consequent measures adopted to halt the spread of the virus have further exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities and they risk reversing the development gains that LLDCs have made in recent years.[3]In particular, the proportion of those living in poverty has increased in many LLDCs, the situation of those suffering from food insecurity has deteriorated, and millions of children have been unable to continue their education due to very limited access to distance learning options.
Moreover, mobility restrictions have amplified the geographical and structural remoteness of LLDCs and affected the flow of essential goods, including pharmaceutical products and medical equipment, imports upon which LLDCs depend. In light of this, scaling up actions to support LLDCs to become fully integrated in regional and global markets through increased connectivity is vital. Making trade truly inclusive is not only crucial for developing the full potential of LLDCs in the economy, but it is also a common responsibility towards the realization of equality and prosperity for all.
Another fundamental step in this direction is investing in quality, affordable, reliable and resilient infrastructure, including information and communication technologies (ICTs), transport and energy. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened reliance on digital technologies around the globe. The increased need for digital connectivity and technologies that allow for physical distancing and remote services is even greater for LLDCs, which already face isolation and constraints due to location.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
The socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the multifaceted vulnerabilities of SIDS and highlighted the urgent need for decisive action.[4]
Three years after the Midterm Review of the implementation of the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, crucial challenges remain in developing and implementing a monitoring framework that provides a comprehensive overview of the progress made and the remaining gaps. Improving data collection and analysis is essential to formulating country profiles and designing targeted policies. Statistics and figures, however, provide but an abstract representation of the reality on the ground. To respond effectively to the needs of SIDS, we must listen to their people.
First and foremost, women and men from SIDS have repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting the environment, especially marine ecosystems and the ocean. For many SIDS, economic, social, and environmental development depend mostly, if not entirely, on natural resources. Climate change and biodiversity loss are not only serious obstacles to SIDS’ development but also threaten their very survival.
Moreover, for more than three decades people from SIDS have been calling on the international community to adopt development measures that go beyond the use of gross national income (GNI) per capita and to capture the full range of vulnerabilities that SIDS experience in each of the three dimensions of sustainable development. In this regard, the Holy See believes it crucial to develop and operationalize a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for SIDS in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 75/215.
In conclusion, the challenges faced by countries in special situations require increased global partnership and constant support from the international community and the entire UN system. The Holy See, through the many initiatives of the Catholic Church worldwide, will continue to assist LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS to achieve sustainable development.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1]Cf. A/76/71-E/2021/13, report of the Secretary-General on “Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020.
[2]Cf. A/76/71-E/2021/13, report of the Secretary-General on “Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020.
[3]Cf. A/76/267, report of the Secretary-General on the “Implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014–2024”.
[4]Cf. A/76/211, report of the Secretary-General on “Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities for Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.