I thank you, Madam Moderator.
I appreciate all the Panelists for their insightful presentations. Let me also thank the ECOSOC for organizing this event at a time when the global community is suffering from the double onslaught of COVID-19 pandemic and the climate change.
The implementation of the transformative and ambitious 2030 Agenda recognizes the importance of partnership for development. A robust, effective, and transparent global partnership is crucial for the LDCs to attain the SDGs through the delivery of the means of implementation as contained in Goal 17, as well as in each specific Sustainable Development Goal. However, global partnership should take into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development.
In this context let me share a few thoughts:
First, the call of the hour is to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable vaccines for everyone, everywhere. Vaccines must be treated as ‘global public good’. Strong partnership is needed now for sharing the technology of vaccine with other countries with production capacities to ensure universal access and coverage.
Second, the global poverty rate has seen an alarming rise worldwide due to the pandemic. The expansion of social safety net has proven to be effective in many countries against this challenge. This is, however, a temporary solution. We need innovative support measures involving the use of locally appropriate technologies to ensure sustainable livelihood options for everyone. In this regard, we must not forget the gender perspective of poverty and hunger.
Third, the current pandemic has bared open the extent of the digital divide and has shown how it affects the lives and livelihoods of people everywhere. For closing the divide, we need meaningful global partnership to facilitate technology transfer and know-hows of the latest technologies to less advanced countries.
Fourth, we highly value traditional development mechanisms like ODA, debt relief, trade, FDI, south-south and triangular cooperation as sources of development finance. We also need bolder actions in the areas of debt relief, debt standstill, debt swap, and debt cancellation. Involvement of the private sector as a source of innovative financing mechanisms is crucial. However, we always need to keep the traditional development mechanisms at the forefront of the partnership discourse. Too much focus on privatizing the global partnerships may jeopardize the whole process.
Fifth, climate change poses a complex development challenge, and a climate resilient development cannot be achieved without access to modern technologies. Development partners need to fulfill their commitments on technology transfer and financing in this regard.
Finally, stronger regional and global partnership is vital for achieving the desired development outcomes in the vulnerable countries. To ensure the effectiveness of various programmes undertaken in these countries, the UN Country Teams are needed to be sensitized about the local development dynamics and challenges.
I thank you all.