I warmly congratulate you, Madam Chair, and other members of the bureau on your elections
My delegation aligns itself with the statements made by the Chairs of the G77 and the LDCs.
Madam Chair,
We are passing through an unprecedented time defined by overlapping crises of COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and climate change. The war in Ukraine and other protracted crises in different parts of the world have led to unprecedented volatility in global economic and financial outlook. The food and energy prices have skyrocketed. Our decades of development gains in alleviating poverty and hunger are rapidly sliding back. The LDCs and other vulnerable countries are bearing disproportionate impacts of these crises. Many of them are facing financial crunch. The climate vulnerable countries are doubly jeopardized—both due to the impacts of the crises and increased frequencies of natural calamities.
In Bangladesh, we have taken concrete fiscal and monetary measures to ensure macroeconomic stability and contain inflation during this trying time. Our latest budget has specific measures to widen the coverage of social protection to support those who are the furthest behind. There is targeted support for agriculture, MSMEs, and other vulnerable sectors to tackle the shocks. We also revitalized our focus on the critical areas of education, health, job creation, and renewable energy.
Yet no countries can tackle the current challenges alone. We need to work together to enhance global solidarity and cooperation to recover the lost grounds of the SDGs and achieve the 2030 Agenda.
Let me share some specific thoughts in this regard:
First, right now, what we need the most is our shared political willingness and strong commitment to multilateralism. We must rise to the occasion and demonstrate our ability to tackle the current crises in the true spirit of unity, partnership, and solidarity.
My Prime Minister in her speech during the high-level week reiterated her call “for united efforts to find ways to overcome challenges and revitalize our economy to build a peaceful and sustainable world”. As a Champion of the “Global Crises Response group”, she is working with other global leaders to mitigate the multidimensional challenges of the current crises.
Second, just a month away from the COP-27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, we reiterate our call for translating our shared Climate Commitments into concrete actions and deliverables. We must overcome the vicious cycle, where developed countries make commitments and break those in subsequent period.
In terms of our priorities in COP-27, we feel that energy security should be the center of our attention now. There must be an ambitious roadmap backed by enhanced climate finance and technology transfer to ensure sustainable and resilient energy transition, especially for countries of the global south.
Another issue of our major concern is the slow progress on loss and damage. The 6th IPCC Assessment Report presented strong evidence for the adverse impacts attributable to human induced climate change causing losses and damages. We wish to work with all the partners for making loss and damage a shared and compelling priority for the COP-27.
Third, we congratulate the Secretary General for successful holding of the transformative education summit, which put sharp spotlight on many pressing issues including on resource mobilization, inclusivity, harnessing digital technology, ensuring right to education, and put enhanced focus on teachers and teaching, etc.
With the holding of the Summit, an important milestone of the “Our Common Agenda (OCA)” report of the Secretary General has been achieved. We need to leverage this momentum to bring to fruition our specific commitments to transform education for the benefits of all.
In the same vein, we welcome the progress on advancing other OCA deliverables, including for the establishment of the youth office, organizing the summit of the future, and the declaration on future generations.
Fourth, the contributions of migrants to the socio-economic development of their countries of destination and origin are well-recognized. Yet migrants are bearing the heaviest brunt of the current crises.
Therefore, we urge the international community to support the migrant workers to overcome this crisis and ensure a job-rich recovery for them. We reiterate our call for ensuring the full implement of the Global Compact on Migration and the first ever IMRF Progress declaration to tackle the dire challenges facing the millions of migrants and people on the move across the world.
Fifth, we need to ensure women’s socio-economic and political empowerment to achieve the “future we want” for everyone, everywhere.
In Bangladesh, we leveraged women empowerment to accelerate our socio-economic development, lift millions out of poverty trap, increase school enrollment of children, and reduce inequality, among many other game-changing transformations.
Keeping up with this spirit, we wish to work with all other partners to deliver an ambitious resolution this session on “women and development”, which will be commensurate with the priorities on the ground.
Finally, the voices and needs of the countries of the global south must be brought to the front and center of the international financial and economic architecture to adopt appropriate response to the current crises.
Priorities must be attached to ensure long term fiscal solutions and concessional finance, especially to help the most vulnerable economies. The LDCs and other countries in special situation require immediate attention. The countries on graduation track from the LDC category need tailored support to avoid any slide back.
There must also be results-driven initiatives in the critical areas of FDI, FFD, ODA, technology transfer, DFQF market access, preferential trade, and debt restructuring. The unmet promises by advanced economies in these areas should be fulfilled immediately. The G-7, G-20, OECD, IFIs, MDBs, RDBs, and private sector—all have crucial roles to play in this regard.
I would rest it here, Madam Chair.
We look forward to working with all to ensure a productive session of this committee this year.
I thank you all.