Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates.
Namaste!
I am
deeply honoured to deliver this statement as Chair of the Group of the Least
Developed Countries (LDCs). At the outset, I extend my heartfelt appreciation
to the Secretary-General for convening this historic and significant Summit.
Mr. President,
The
group of LDCs have contributed in the best possible manner to make this Summit
of the Future a success. However, our minds are musing, and hearts are hurting
from the fact that millions of children in LDCs go hungry every day.
When
millions of our children go hungry today, where is our future? What do we mean
by future? When millions of our youth languished with malnourishment and
illiteracy, where can we seek our future?
Nothing
could be more unjust and unethical than to be ignorant to the fact
that millions of people in LDCs living in extreme poverty while a small minority
in some corners of the world accumulates billions in wealth each day.
Is this
the future we aspire to? Absolutely not.
International
community must act now to ensure every child and young person has the chance to
thrive.
Mr.
President,
LDCs face severe economic challenges, with unmet ODA and
climate financing commitments, insufficient and delayed international support,
and spiraling debt distress.
Most critically, global financial and trading regimes remain fundamentally unfavourable to LDCs.
Furthermore, the growing digital divide between rich and poor
countries threatens to leave LDCs even further behind.
Despite contributing a mere 3.3 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions, LDCs are among the most ulnerable to the
devastating impacts of climate change.
The
people of LDCs, are frustrated by the continuation of these
severe
structural impediments, and climate injustice which hinder their path to prosperity.
Mr. President,
We must
act now to pull the world back from the
brink of catastrophe.
For
this, we need coordinated, comprehensive, and science-based
policies with LDCs at the center.
Investing in productive capacities, sustainable
industrialization, infrastructure, and economic diversification is crucial.
Equally important is transforming global governance and
strengthening institutions to make them fit for purpose.
Mr.
President,
In this context, we wholeheartedly
welcome the Pact for the Future:
·
As a manifesto for future generations.
·
As a blueprint for a peaceful,
prosperous, and sustainable future.
·
And as a renewed commitment
to
multilateralism, putting the UN at its core.
We
equally welcome the adoption of ‘Declaration on the Future Generation,
and ‘Global Digital Compact’ and emphasise
the need for its effective implementation for the wellbeing of people and planet.
Mr.
President,
The
Pact encapsulates the hopes and optimism of both people and the planet by
reinstalling the interlinkages among peace and security, sustainable
development, and human rights.
Let us
eradicate poverty and hunger by investing in rural development, education, and
health, and by building sustainable social protection systems to prevent
setbacks and respond to shocks.
Let us
create a peaceful environment conducive to equitable, sustainable and
prosperous development for all.
We, the
people of LDCs, are committed to implementing the outcomes of this Summit and
call for meaningful partnerships to guide us toward prosperity.
Thank
you!
Statement on behalf of the
LDCs by Rt. Hon. Mr. KP Sharma Oli, Prime
Minister & Leader of Nepali Delegation at Plenary of the Summit of the Future, New
York, 22 September 2024.
