G77 et la Chine: le Secrétaire général appelle à relancer l’économie mondiale, à l’action climatique et à la réalisation des ODD

On trouvera, ci-après, le texte de l’allocution du Secrétaire général de l’ONU, M. António Guterres, prononcée à l’occasion de la cérémonie du transfert de la présidence du G77 et la Chine, à New York, aujourd’hui:

I commend Ambassador Akram’s skillful stewardship of this group over the last year, including in the dramatic period of the floods in Pakistan. 

Y felicito a Cuba por asumir la Presidencia para 2023.  Espero con gran interés trabajar con ustedes durante el próximo año para seguir poniendo las necesidades de los países en desarrollo en el centro de la agenda mundial. 

In many ways, the Group of 77 and China reflects the very purpose of the United Nations itself.  Our organization sprang from the belief that peace and progress for all were best supported by collaboration, rather than conflict.  By dialogue, rather than division. 

Your group is an inspiring example of multilateralism in action.  Year in and year out, you stand together to discuss, debate and amplify global solutions to realize the better, fairer and more sustainable future every country deserves. 

We appreciate your steadfast support of the United Nations and our work with countries to make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.  We value your insights and ideas to strengthen ECOSOC and the work of the General Assembly’s committees.  And I appreciate your support for the reforms that are taking place since 2017, and for the report on Our Common Agenda. 

But dear friends, as we begin 2023, we must be brutally honest.  Our world faces a series of difficult and deeply intertwined challenges.  Rising poverty, widening inequalities, a persistent pandemic, and a looming global recession.  Increased unemployment — especially among young people — made worse by the erosion of social protections and deteriorating work conditions. 

Food, energy and cost-of-living crises exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.  Mounting sovereign debt and a morally bankrupt global financial system that undermines recovery in so many developing countries.  Climate chaos, biodiversity loss, conflicts and human rights abuses.  And a world that continues to deny women and girls their fundamental rights across every walk of life. 

While each challenge is different, they are all felt most keenly in the countries you represent.  In many cases, we can draw a straight line between the hardships suffered by your people and the continued failure of developed countries and global institutions to support developing countries on multiple fronts.  And in every case, these are challenges that could actually be solved by standing as one in the world, in solidarity. 

As we start this new year, I am determined to continue highlighting the need for concerted action to support developing countries and our common future.  And to do so guided by the spirit of collaboration and common purpose that has defined the United Nations — and your group — from the very start. 

First — we need to re-energize the global economy through massive support to the developing world.  Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals has been thrown dramatically off-track.  Rescuing the SDGs means ensuring that developing countries receive massive support to reduce poverty and hunger, and invest in systems like healthcare, education, social protection, gender equality and renewable energy. 

We cannot leave low or middle-income countries to fend for themselves.  But the current global financial system is not fit for purpose.  It is a broken system favouring wealthy countries and penalizing less-wealthy ones.  In particular, vulnerable middle-income countries are routinely denied the debt relief and concessional financing they need. 

I will continue urging leaders and international financial institutions to join forces and develop creative ways to ensure that developing countries can access debt relief and concessional financing when they need it most.  This must include a re-allocation of unused Special Drawing Rights according to the needs of developing countries.  And I will continue pressing for an SDG Stimulus Package to help governments of the Global South invest in the systems that support development and resilience.  Because in an interconnected global economy, when developing countries win, all countries win. 

Second — we need real, credible and ambitious climate action.  Reminders of the climate emergency are everywhere.  Floods, droughts, wildfires and heatwaves have struck countries across the world, hitting the poorest and most vulnerable hardest. 

Climate change is worsening other complex emergencies.  Mass displacement.  Ruined crops and famines.  Rising seas.  Horrific biodiversity and ecosystem loss.  Competition for scarce resources — including water.  At a time when we must reduce emissions, humanity instead is on the verge of racing past the 1.5 degree limit a livable future requires. 

So 2023 must be focused on two goals — justice and ambition.  We need justice for those who did so little to cause the crisis.  An important step towards justice — thanks in great part to the leadership of the G77 — was the decision at COP27 to establish a loss and damage fund. 

Justice means turning this decision into effective reality.  Justice means the delivery of the $100 billion commitment by the developed world.  Justice means a clear and credible roadmap to double adaptation finance.  Justice means a successful second replenishment of the Green Climate Fund.  And justice means ending the war on nature and supporting developing countries in protecting the ecosystems and species that call them home. 

2023 must also be focused on ambition.  Ambition to close the emissions gap.  And ambition to phase-out coal and accelerate the renewables revolution.  At the G20 Summit, I also called for a Climate Solidarity Pact in which all countries make extra efforts this decade to keep the 1.5-degree limit alive. 

And for that, developed countries must provide — together with international financial institutions and the private sector — the financial and technical assistance that is needed to help major emerging economies accelerate their renewable energy transition. 

The Climate Ambition Summit in September will be a moment to increase the pace of change.  Across all of these areas — from climate and water to ecosystem preservation — the G77 has been a strong and active voice, and I thank you for your leadership. 

And third — we need to use the many global gatherings this year to re-energize progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.  From the UN Water Conference and the Least-Developed Countries Conference in March, to the midterm review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in May and a series of important global health meetings, to the High-Level Political Forum in July. 

In particular, September’s SDG Summit will be critical.  I’m calling on all leaders to come to the Summit and to be prepared to share their vision, their ideas and their commitments to realize the Goals.  This includes how they will forge partnerships with the private sector and civil society to summon the finance and investments required to help all countries reach their SDG commitments.  And I encourage your active engagement as we move forward on Our Common Agenda — including as we prepare for the 2024 Summit of the Future. 

Dans toutes ces activités, nous avons besoin de votre soutien actif pour rendre l’ONU aussi efficace et réactive que possible.  Grâce aux réformes récentes, nous avons pu réduire la bureaucratie et nous concentrer davantage sur l’exécution des mandats et les besoins des pays en développement.  Et grâce à votre soutien à notre cycle annuel de budget-programme, nous avons amélioré la précision de nos prévisions de ressources et renforcé notre capacité à ajuster la planification des programmes en fonction de nouveaux mandats et des crises mondiales en évolution rapide. 

Comme toujours, l’exécution de notre mandat dépendra en grande partie du versement par chaque État Membre de sa quote-part, en intégralité et dans les meilleurs délais.  Votre décision d’augmenter le niveau de notre Fonds de roulement en 2023 contribuera à atténuer les effets des crises de liquidités sur l’exécution des programmes et les besoins opérationnels. 

Cette année, j’espère que les États Membres pourront parvenir à un accord sur mes propositions en faveur d’un financement plus prévisible et plus durable du Fonds pour la consolidation de la paix.  Et bien sûr, nous œuvrons sans relâche pour faire progresser la parité des genres et une représentation géographique équitable au sein de notre personnel mondial. 

Dans tous ces travaux, l’engagement de votre groupe sera essentiel, pour moi, pour notre organisation et pour les centaines de millions de personnes qui vivent dans le monde en développement.  Soyez assurés que je serai le premier soutien du G77 et des personnes que vous représentez.