Amid Threats to Sustainable Development Progress, Partnership Key to End Climate, COVID‑19 Crises, Economic and Social Council President Tells General Assembly
As the international community faces the most difficult challenges of the twenty-first century, Member States must collaborate and make use of the functions and mandates of the Economic and Social Council to tackle COVID‑19, its impacts and the climate crisis, the President of the Economic and Social Council told the General Assembly today.
“We need to work together to address these challenges that threaten our progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Collen Vixen Kelapile (Botswana).
Presenting the Council’s report of its 2021 session on behalf of his predecessor, Munir Akram (Pakistan), he said the Council, at the closing of its session, adopted by consensus, together with the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, a political declaration committing to a response to COVID‑19 that advances the Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating its commitment to international solidarity and multilateralism.
As the growing gap between the North and the South threatens to further widen inequalities among countries, the Forum and the Council gave new impetus to supporting least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, which have been hit hard by the crisis. Ensuring equitable, universal and affordable access to the COVID‑19 vaccine is a moral imperative and the only way to overcome the pandemic. As well, financial resources must be mobilized to support developing countries’ recovery.
Addressing those issues and recovering from the pandemic, he said, requires a whole-of-society approach and innovative partnerships engaging Governments, the private sector, civil society and others. “People must transform the way they live, work, travel and consume in order to address the interlinked crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste,” he emphasized, recalling the deliberations of the High-Level Political Forum and the Council’s meetings.
Following the presentation of the report, the representative of the Maldives stressed that “this trajectory cannot be blamed on the pandemic alone, although COVID‑19 has set us further behind”. Acknowledging the tremendous efforts of women, in the formal and informal sectors, in helping people everywhere get through the pandemic, he urged Member States to reduce and redistribute women’s disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work and close the gender gap in the labour force.
The representative of the Russian Federation noted that for the Council to perform its functions effectively, it is also important to ensure the participation not only of States but also of a broad range of other development actors from different geographical areas, so that not only the voices of the donors of the so-called global North, but also those of the developing countries, are heard.
Also today, the Council took up its agenda item titled “Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit” to hold a specific meeting focused on development, in accordance with its resolution 60/265 of 30 June 2006.
The representatives of Oman and Bolivia also spoke.
The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. on Friday, 5 November, to elect a member of the International Court of Justice.
Introduction of Report
COLLEN VIXEN KELAPILE, President of the Economic and Social Council, speaking on behalf of his predecessor, Munir Akram, who presided over the Council during its 2021 session, introducing the Council’s report for the session (document A/76/3), held in New York and Geneva from 23 July 2020 to 22 July 2021. He said the organ contributed to new, bold and creative responses to the multiple crises faced by the international community, advancing its commitment to international solidarity and multilateralism. This is evidenced by its adoption by consensus, together with the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, of a political declaration committing to a response to COVID‑19 that advances the Sustainable Development Goals, at the closing of its session.
The meeting also focused on the growing gap between the North and the South, which threatens to widen inequalities among countries, he said. In that regard, the Forum and the Council gave new impetus to supporting least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, which have been hit hard by the crisis. As well, they emphasized that ensuring equitable, universal and affordable access to the COVID‑19 vaccine is a moral imperative and the only way to overcome the pandemic.
Stressing that financial resources must be mobilized to support developing countries’ recovery from COVID‑19, he said that at its Financing for Development Forum, the Council reached agreement on such measures. And at its Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals, the Council identified concrete ways to utilize science, technology and innovation, especially digitalization, to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
Turning to the topic of coordination of the United Nations system activities at the country level, he said another major contribution of the Council was its support of the United Nations system’s coordinated action in the context of the COVID‑19 crisis. Through its operational activities for development segment in May 2021, the Council delivered on its role as an accountability and oversight platform to improve performance and results of the United Nations development system in supporting countries in realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including on repositioning the system in the context of the pandemic.
On the humanitarian segment related to coordination of the United Nations system, he said: “The message that came out loud and clear from the discussions is that in the face of global, interconnected and multiple crises, we must stand and work together to urgently address the immediate humanitarian needs while tackling underlying vulnerabilities to conflict, climate change, inequalities, development disparities, and increasing disease risk.” On the integration segment, besides country-level activities, the Council provided directions to the United Nations system’s normative and policy work.
The tenth anniversary of the Council’s Youth Forum, which was convened in early April, demonstrated the importance for young people to contribute to policy discussions through their ideas, solutions and innovations, he said. Because it was fully virtual, the Forum benefitted this year from an unprecedented level of attendance, with a record 19,000 participants. Noting that the Forum is the largest gathering of young people at the United Nations, he said the Council must preserve this unique space.
On the Council’s high-level segment on “Strengthening the Economic and Social Council at its seventy-fifth anniversary for sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID‑19 and advancing the 2030 Agenda”, he said international cooperation and solidarity were emphasized, as the need to renew and strengthen multilateralism affirmed. He appealed to Member States to believe in the Council, stressing its important role as the main organ for coordination and reviewing the Organization’s operational activities. “We need to work together to address these challenges that threaten our progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
Statements
IBRAHIM ZUHUREE (Maldives) said when the international community collectively agreed to the 2030 Agenda in 2015, it was optimistic that political will had been mobilized to usher in a fairer and more sustainable future. Yet the Council’s report confirms what is evident around the world: it is not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. “This trajectory cannot be blamed on the pandemic alone, although COVID‑19 has set us further behind,” he said. The Maldives is heartened by the Council President’s focus on women and girls and acknowledges the tremendous efforts of women, in the formal and informal sectors, in helping people everywhere get through the pandemic. Yet globally, women were nearly twice as vulnerable as men to the pandemic’s impacts, including in the Maldives. The report correctly urges Member States to reduce and redistribute women’s disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work and to close the gender gap in the labour force. The Council’s work must be driven by the goal of meeting the needs of all countries, big and small, he said, underscoring that multiple crises, from the pandemic to the climate crisis, have demonstrated the interdependence of the world.
SULTAN MOHAMMED THANI AL FAZARI (Oman), noting that his country will become a Council member in 2022, commended its continuing to work effectively despite difficulties and challenges resulting from the COVID‑19 pandemic. He noted the Council’s 2021 session focused on the topic of sustainable recovery from the effects of the pandemic and several other equally important issues, including poverty eradication, promoting equality, providing food security, preserving the environment, providing health care and social protection, and criminal justice. Oman submitted its first voluntary national report in 2019 and is in the process of preparing to submit its second report soon. There is still an urgent need to intensify efforts in the field of development cooperation, he said, encouraging Member States to strengthen cooperation and partnerships to achieve tangible and positive results.
DIEGO PARY RODRIGUEZ (Bolivia), noting that the Council aims to bring States together to consider environmental, social and economic problems and then create policies to tackle these difficulties, said that in 2015 the adoption of the 2030 Agenda made the Council’s role even more important as the climate crisis deepened, and the pandemic has threatened the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The international community must work to move beyond the current pandemic and prevent future ones in order to bolster the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. All States must participate and work together. It is important that all people have access to vaccines, and the international community must create an alliance to promote fair distribution of vaccines. “We must be more proactive and agile and work to improve the well-being of people living in the far reaches of world,” he said, adding that Member States must avoid duplicating the work of the Council and the Assembly.
EVGENY VARGANOV (Russian Federation) stated that the five special Council meetings were noteworthy for their joint search for solutions to overcome the consequences of the pandemic, including the distribution of vaccines, and to assist countries most in need. To achieve sustainable development, it is important to make balanced progress in the social, economic, and environmental spheres, he said. The fight against climate change must consider the current capabilities of Member States, and not be implemented at the expense of social and economic progress. Ensuring the welfare of citizens and protecting the environment are also vital. For the Council to perform its functions effectively, it is also important to ensure the participation not only of States but also of a broad range of other development actors from different geographical areas, so that not only the voices of the donors of the so-called global North, but also those of the developing countries, are heard.