Secretary-General: World Must Keep Promises to Developing Countries

I congratulate Iraq for its leadership on the G77 and China through this extremely troubled and extremely turbulent time of our world.  Global tensions are intensifying, and they are hitting developing countries hardest, and holding sustainable development back, depriving people of a life of dignity.

Climate disasters are escalating; geopolitical tensions are mounting; and conflicts are devastating communities from Gaza to Sudan and far beyond.  But amidst these struggles, we see glimmers of progress and hope.

Our task is to keep pushing for dignity, justice and solidarity, to ensure that the world keeps its promises to developing countries.

First, on sustainable development.  With five years remaining to 2030, we must be guided by our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and our pledge to eradicate poverty and to leave no one behind.

I recognize your efforts to transform food systems, invest in gender equality and create opportunities for young people and decent jobs. But, success relies on finance -- the fuel of sustainable development.

Above all, that requires reforming today’s outdated, unjust and unfair international financial architecture -- to ensure that developing countries have a much greater voice and influence in shaping decisions, and better access to the resources that you need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Building on the Pact for the Future, countries agreed to the Sevilla Commitment, calling for:  just and inclusive development financing; tripling the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks; reforming the global debt architecture; and mobilizing private capital at scale.  We would like to applaud the leadership of the Group of 20 (G20) under the courageous steer of South Africa in these very turbulent times of great uncertainty.

The upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha and the UN Climate Conference in Brazil are also pivotal moments to make concrete progress.

This brings me to my second point: climate.  Many of your countries have done next to nothing to unleash this crisis.  Yet, your people and economies are suffering some of its worst effects.

Climate chaos is eroding development gains and too many are locked out of the renewables revolution, which can do so much to supercharge sustainable development.

We must act without delay to limit the rise of global temperature to 1.5°C.  New climate action plans – nationally determined contributions -- must align with 1.5°C, as promised.

They must cover all emissions across the entire economy.  And together, deliver the energy transition goals that were agreed on in the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).  This does mean a focus on 35 countries that actually are responsible for 83 per cent of the emissions in the world today.

The G20 must lead -- the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must be actualized.  But, all countries must make an effort.  Everyone has a role to play.  We also need a step-change on climate justice -- particularly, to deliver the funds to embrace clean energy, ensure a massive boost in adaptation and provide for loss and damage.

The third point, the new era of technology.  New digital tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), can power sustainable development.  But we need action to unleash that potential and guardrails to ensure safety, inclusion and trust.

And as the President of the General Assembly alluded to in the UN80 [initiative], we can use these tools for the work of the membership and the Secretariat to make us more efficient.

Last month, the General Assembly established an Independent International Scientific Panel -- to connect science and policy -- and a Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance -- to align regulatory approaches and give all countries a voice.  This is a significant breakthrough in global AI cooperation.  I thank the G77 and China for its commitment and leadership in these discussions.

The United Nations has also put forward innovative voluntary financing options to strengthen AI capacity in developing countries and bridge digital divides.

Fourth and fundamentally, peace.  Sustainable peace and sustainable development go hand in hand.  Around the world, we are seeing how poverty breeds despair, despair fuels unrest and unrest tears at the fabric of our societies, feeding mistrust, fear and violence.

At a time of growing conflict and upheaval, we must invest in peace and that does mean the SDGs.  Earlier this month, we released a report that found global military spending surged to a record $2.7 trillion -- the equivalent of $334 for every person on this earth.

As the Secretary-General told the General Assembly this week, this is a time of choosing and we must choose to invest in peace, human rights and development.

On all these fronts and more, we must keep working for a world that works for developing countries and delivers peace, sustainable development and human rights for everyone.

You can count on the United Nations, every step of the way. But I’d like to take this opportunity to deeply appreciate that, in these turbulent times, each Member State and its leadership have had a full attendance here at the United Nations and your voice for the UN and the values it stands for are deeply appreciated.
 

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