Europe Faces First Large-Scale Displacement in 30 Years, Deputy Secretary-General Tells OECD-DAC ‘Partnerships for Peace II’ Round Table

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) round table on Partnerships for Peace II in Paris today:

Mr. Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, OECD Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Susanna Moorehead, Chair of the OECD Development Assistance Committee, excellencies,

I thank the OECD-DAC for leading the way with this High-Level “Partnership for Peace II” round table.  In the two years since the last round table, the urgency and importance of strengthening our response across humanitarian, development and peace activities has never been clearer.

As feared then, the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought havoc.  More than 100 million additional people were pushed into extreme poverty in 2020, derailing progress made in achieving the 2030 Agenda.  Worst of all, over 6 million people have lost their lives.

In the past months, the war in Ukraine has worsened a global economy already battered by the highest number of conflicts seen since the Second World War, climate change, and COVID-19.  In all, 107 countries are impacted by the triple threat of soaring food, fuel and energy costs.

OECD countries and their neighbours are also feeling the direct and indirect effects.  For the first time in 30 years, there is large-scale displacement in Europe.  Several countries now face the challenges of hosting refugees.  With no immediate solution in sight, the generosity of host countries and donors alike is being stretched.  This raises the risk of reducing the amounts available for official development assistance (ODA) at a time where we are facing a development emergency at a global scale.

Our message is clear — unless we make meaningful strides towards preventing, reducing and ending conflicts, the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] will continue drifting farther out of reach.  This means continuing to invest in both humanitarian and development imperatives.

We cannot have lasting peace that is not supported by green and inclusive economies and solid Government institutions.  Nor can we afford the economic and moral costs of failing to meet urgent, life-saving needs in crises that are lasting longer.  We must work better together, in a more coherent manner, and ensuring our humanitarian, development and peace investments are mutually reinforcing.

I am certain that today’s round table will put even more wind under our wings.  I trust it will offer an opportunity for all OECD countries to strengthen their commitments to make further progress in implementing the landmark 2019 OECD-DAC Recommendation on the Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus.

Sustaining the gains achieved and completing the policy changes to which you have already committed, will make every contribution of ODA even more effective.  It will help us prevent and reduce needs, while also building peace and driving development for the future.

The United Nations entities with you today are committed to these recommendations.  And we are determined to work with all partners to realize the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — to leave no one behind.  Let’s get there together.

Thank you.