A/77/PV.19 General Assembly

In connection with agenda item 9, I would like to recall that, pursuant to resolution 58/316, of 1 July 2004, the Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided at its 3rd plenary meeting, on 16 September 2022, to consider agenda item 9 in its entirety in plenary, on the understanding that the administrative, programme and budgetary aspects should be dealt with by the Fifth Committee. At the same meeting, the Assembly took note of the clarification that, in implementing resolution 58/316 to consider item 9 in its entirety in plenary, the relevant parts of Chapter I of the report of the Economic and Social Council that are under agenda items already allocated to the Main Committees will be considered by the Committee concerned, for final action by the General Assembly. In connection with agenda item 13, members will recall that, pursuant to resolution 57/270 B, of 23 June 2003, the Assembly decided to consider, under the item, the chapters of the annual report of the Economic and Social Council relevant to the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits, including through the participation in its discussions of the President of the Council. I now give the floor to the President of the Economic and Social Council for the 2022 session, His Excellency Mr. Collen Vixen Kelapile, to introduce the report of the Council on its 2022 session (A/77/3). Mr. Kelapile (Botswana), President of the Economic and Social Council: I have the honour to introduce the report of the Economic and Social Council from its 2022 session (A/77/3). The report provides a broad overview of our work, including actions taken by the Council on a range of development issues. During that period, the Council continued to provide a unique platform for policy solutions as member States also continued their efforts to recover from the pandemic, while addressing the other intersecting crises around the world. At the Economic and Social Council, we focused on promoting international solidarity and recovery from the pandemic guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The message at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which met this year under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, was clear about the fact that the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine and climate change were reversing our progress towards many SDGs. The High-level Political Forum put a spotlight on the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting vaccine inequity and growing socioeconomic divides in education, gender equality and health, as well as persistent poverty. Despite all this, there was unwavering hope in the corridors of the United Nations. With those crises as our wake-up call and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as our guiding light, we can still embark on the transitions needed to meet the SDGs, on social protection and education, food systems, energy and digital connectivity. This year’s High-level Political Forum was fully in person after two years, and it was a huge success, attracting two Heads of State  — one being my own, from the Republic of Botswana  — more than 140 representatives at the ministerial and higher levels and two Nobel Prize winners, along with many other Government officials, heads of United Nations system organizations and multiple participants from different sectors and walks of life. Turning that hope into action, however, requires transformative policies, international solidarity and genuine attention to financing issues, as well as redirecting science and technology towards the SDGs. Strong calls were made to mobilize financial resources and solve the debt crisis in many developing countries, using vulnerability as a criterion to access concessional resources. At the same time, we need urgent reforms in the international finance, debt and taxation architecture. I would like to commend the 44 countries that presented their voluntary national reviews this year. The Permanent Representatives of the Philippines and Morocco, as co-chairs of the Group of Friends, contributed by finding friends of voluntary national review countries who engaged in meaningful exchange with them, along with other countries and major groups and other stakeholders. The discussions were instrumental in highlighting different aspects emanating from the voluntary national reviews and their preparations on ways to implement the 2030 Agenda. The Forum also launched preparations for the SDG Summit, to be held in September 2023, to review and guide the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, emphasizing that that the Summit can mark a turning point in the implementation of the SDGs. We must ensure that the Summit is a pivotal event that shifts the work onto a track to achieve the SDGs. It is a great achievement that the ministerial declaration was adopted by consensus at the closing of High-level Political Forum and at the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council. I believe that the declaration provides a strong recommitment to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs as the guideposts out of the crises. The declaration also called for the implementation of the outcomes of the Secretary- General’s Food Systems Summit, for strengthening the global health architecture and the World Health Organization, and for a recommitment to vaccine equity, recognizing the need for international solidarity. We have strong texts on each SDG under review and on climate change; references to the elaboration of international agreements on plastic pollution and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; and a commitment to an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Also critical is the commitment to addressing surging global debt. The declaration calls on the Secretary-General to mobilize Governments, the United Nations system and stakeholders in preparing for the Summit. Our deliberations at the Economic and Social Council high-level segment demonstrated members’ commitment to strengthening inclusive multilateralism and international solidarity as key drivers of sustainable recovery and resilience to respond to future crises. We must ensure more effective and inclusive coordination mechanisms among the multilateral systems in order to devise more coordinated strategies and responses to support countries’ efforts to address the global crises. At the Economic and Social Council high-level segment, we also looked at future trends and scenarios to improve our policies now. The scientists who participated in the meeting and Government practitioners, including ministers, confirmed that what we do now will have a big impact on the future. During my presidency, we also made progress in advancing General Assembly reforms to strengthen the Economic and Social Council, as called for in resolution 75/290 A. The Council launched its new coordination segment in February. The new segment helped identify key areas where the Economic and Social Council system could deepen policy reflection, identify solutions or work more closely together to advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. With member States’ active engagement, the Council took stock of the impacts of the pandemic on the SDGs and built on its subsidiary bodies’ conclusions to propose policies and actions for an inclusive and resilient recovery aimed at the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The segment put the Council’s integral coordination role in evidence and showed how it is key to fulfilling our collective vision, embodied in the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. We identified key areas where the Economic and Social Council, its subsidiary bodies and the United Nations system could deepen the policy reflection, identify innovative solutions or work more closely together. At the same time, and through the process of the review of the work of the subsidiary bodies, which was ably led by my successor, the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria, we have learned more about the work of those bodies and how they can further support us in this quest. The Council invited, through its decision 2022/334, the President and Bureau of the Council, the chairs and bureaux of the functional commissions and expert bodies, all Member States and the Secretariat to implement the final recommendations of the review. That will be an important step to strengthen the work of the Economic and Social Council family to unlock transformative action towards the accelerated implementation of the SDGs. The importance of international cooperation and global solidarity in addressing today’s global challenges and rescuing the Sustainable Development Goals was also underscored at this year’s operational activities for development segment of the Economic and Social Council. Member States acknowledged the major achievements of the United Nations development system reforms in equipping the system to support countries’ efforts to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and achieve sustainable development, showing the added value of enhanced coordination and a whole-of-system approach. The segment demonstrated when a further deepening of reform efforts would be needed to maximize the impact of the United Nations development system’s work in helping countries to address the compounding pandemic, conflict, food, energy and climate crises. That led to the Council’s adoption of resolution 2022/25, on progress in the implementation of General Assembly resolution 75/233, on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system in July 2022. The important work being done by the humanitarian community at this highly challenging time was recognized at the 2022 Economic and Social Council humanitarian affairs segment. This year’s segment was inclusive, innovative and successful. It included the voices of affected people and local humanitarian partners, members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and a range of partners with whom we work, including international financial institutions and climate actors. The humanitarian affairs segment recognized the urgent need to draw lessons and actions from the pandemic recovery. It stressed the criticality of reinforcing compliance with international humanitarian law, as well as understanding and preparing for the humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis. It is urgent to promote meaningful partnerships with local actors in humanitarian action, planning and decision-making, especially women-led organizations. The Economic and Social Council called for doing more to promote compliance with international humanitarian law and facilitate humanitarian access. The humanitarian sector should be made as anticipatory as possible, focusing on preparedness and increasing flexible funding to enable early action. In-depth attention was given to ways to close the humanitarian funding gap, especially through support for the Central Emergency Response Fund and the country-based pooled funds. Discussions underscored that development and peace partners must work together and not let institutional distinctions get in the way of a coordinated and effective humanitarian response. The inaugural meeting on the transition from re­ lief to development, created by General Assembly res­ olution 75/290 A, included a focus on Haiti, South Su­ dan and the Sahel region. In-depth discussions among stakeholders helped inform and guide country-level co­ ordination and deliver better results in countries facing humanitarian emergencies and in situations of conflict and post-conflict. Discussions underscored the need to urgently address the immediate impacts of food in­ security and displacement, to promote long-term solu­ tions to protracted crises, and to predict and prevent new crises with early-warning approaches. Also critical are resilience-building and sustainable solutions. The inter­ linkages between food insecurity and displacement were recognized, with conflict and violence considered pri­ mary drivers of acute hunger, reducing the availability of and access to food and driving displacement by forcing people to abandon their homes, land and livelihoods. The discussion also highlighted that women and girls are the most impacted in situations of food insecurity and displacement. The message throughout was that humanitarian access is vital to delivering life-saving assistance to those in need. Throughout its session, the Council continued to engage stakeholders through its various forums. In February, we brought together Governments and a wide range of stakeholders to exchange new ideas, expectations and priorities for the work ahead for the Council cycle and the High-level Political Forum at the revitalized Economic and Social Council partnership forum. Participants shared forward-looking actions and innovative partnerships that are supporting the implementation of the SDGs. The partnership forum was organized in consultation with member States and stakeholders. It allowed for interactive discussions lead by partners from different sectors. To that end, I established an informal multistakeholder advisory group to advise on both substantive and organizational aspects of the forum. I am grateful for its substantive inputs and support. The hybrid format of the forum allowed for the direct engagement of more than 4,000 participants. Our Economic and Social Council youth forum has become the main knowledge- and idea-sharing platform for youth on the achievement of the SDGs and a hub for best practices on youth engagement. This year’s forum, which was held in a virtual format, attracted over 22,000 participants. Youth representatives discussed best practices, lessons learned and potential innovative solutions for steering a better and greener recovery from the pandemic and setting the world back on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030. They also addressed the importance of gender equality, transforming education, fighting climate change, protecting our oceans and biodiversity, while increasing partnerships across the globe. Young people are challenging us to re-examine our assumptions, reimagine the future and work on solutions. They are demanding a seat at the table, as equal partners. The Multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the SDGs brought together a variety of stakeholders beyond member States  — including the private sector, the scientific community and civil society  — all of whom play a key role in utilizing science, technology and innovation to advance the SDGs. Science, technology and innovation asserted their vital relevance to well-being during the multiple crises. The forum was timely, as it provided an opportunity to help find solutions to a number of overlapping challenges the world is facing today, ranging from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to the ever more present impact of climate change, as well as the global economic consequences of the war in Ukraine. The COVID-19 pandemic has constrained the fiscal space of many developing countries, while hampering economic growth. The war in Ukraine has exacerbated those challenges, further raising food and energy prices. As major economies increase interest rates to fight inflation, significant currency outflows and higher borrowing costs are putting additional pressure on developing countries. In this environment, it is the world’s most vulnerable countries that are suffering the most. Those shocks do not impact all countries and people in the same way. The Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2022 identifies a great finance divide that has sharply curtailed the ability of many developing countries to recover from the pandemic and invest in recovery. Many of the poorest countries have been forced to cut spending in areas critical to the SDGs, including education and infrastructure, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those countries are in no position to finance the necessary investment. Debt in some of the poorest countries has now reached critical levels. The risks of a systemic debt crisis have risen further. Without additional measures, protracted debt crises will put the SDGs out of reach. Solutions to facilitate effective and fair debt crisis resolution must be considered now, without further delay. Unless we take immediate action, including by increasing long-term, affordable financing and updating the international financial architecture to reflect the changing global landscape, the fight against poverty and inequality could be set back for an entire generation, posing a grave threat to the SDGs. The international community must accelerate support to developing countries in weathering these challenges. The seventh Economic and Social Council forum on financing for development follow-up, held in April, made key gains towards addressing those issues. The forum featured high-level political engagement, including the participation of eight Heads of State and Government and more than 50 ministers and vice-ministers. The outcome document of the forum, adopted by consensus, points the way forward on issues that require political momentum at the highest level. Those include Member States’ consideration of the potential uses of the multidimensional vulnerability index for small island developing States for both concessional finance eligibility and debt relief. The importance of grant finance and highly concessional finance for vulnerable countries was also highlighted. On debt, calls to improve the Group of 20 (G-20) Common Framework go beyond contemporaneous G-20 agreements. Furthermore, commitments to expanding investment in social protection floors as a percentage of national budgets and greater investments in social infrastructure and the care economy reflect the importance of such actions in shielding vulnerable populations from the worst socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic. The General Assembly is currently considering Member States’ invitation to consider the need to convene a fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. The forum’s results fed into the High-level Political Forum ministerial declaration. They will contribute to ongoing policy discussions, potentially including the proposed biennial summit at the Heads of State and Government level between the members of the G-20, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General and the heads of the international financial institutions. During this period, we also continued to forge stronger relationship with the General Assembly and the Peacebuilding Commission. With your predecessor, Mr. President, we convened a joint briefing on the work of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. We also held a special high-level dialogue on Africa to reconfirm the development of Africa as a priority for the United Nations system. We issued a call to action to mobilize greater support and partnerships for the accelerated implementation of the African Union Agenda 2063 and the SDGs while recovering from the pandemic. “Promoting durable peace and sustainable development in the context of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic” was the focus of the Economic and Social Council’s joint meeting with the Peacebuilding Commission, held in November 2021. I also convened several special meetings to bring attention to issues pertinent to sustainable development and engaged key stakeholders in our deliberations. Those included meetings on natural resources, peaceful societies and sustainable development, in March 2022; the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, in April 2022; as well as a briefing on the outcomes of the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in December 2021. An important responsibility of the Council is providing oversight and guidance to its subsidiary bodies. During the management segment, the Council considered the reports of its subsidiary and related bodies, including their recommendations, as well as reports of United Nations entities on economic, social, environmental, health and related matters on its agenda. It undertook outstanding elections and adopted a number of resolutions and decisions. That, too, is the heart of the work of the Council. Our Council, together with its ecosystem, is indispensable for policy dialogue and forging consensus on development issues. Its Charter mandates are more important than ever in the face of pressing economic, social and environmental challenges. It has been an honour for me to preside over that unique Council during its 2022 session, and I want to thank my fellow Bureau members and the member States for all their support in this endeavour. I look forward to a productive session with the Economic and Social Council under my successor, Ambassador Lachezara Stoeva, as we continue to strive for transformative actions to recover from the pandemic, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

At the outset, allow me to thank Ambassador Collen Vixen Kelapile for his introduction of the report of the Economic and Social Council (A/77/3). We congratulate him on the results achieved as President of the Economic and Social Council for the period 2021-2022, when I had the opportunity to share the Bureau with him in my capacity as Vice-President. We must highlight the important contribution of the Economic and Social Council over the past 75 years in promoting the balance of the three dimensions of sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental spheres, and much more so now as we face a context that puts compliance at risk of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals. The 2021-2022 session of the Economic and Social Council was an opportunity to advance in the search for solutions to the common challenges that we face as a result of the systemic crisis aggravated by the consequences of the coronavirus disease pandemic, climate change and geopolitical tensions. President Kelapile delivered a detailed briefing on the activities of the Economic and Social Council. However, I allow myself to highlight the meeting of the High-level Political Forum, the forum on financing for development, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the youth forum, among other spaces that must be maintained and strengthened, such as intergovernmental spaces in the search for urgent and adaptable solutions to problems that concern humankind as a whole, I also take this opportunity to inform members that during the debates in the framework of the humanitarian affairs segment and the meeting on the transition from relief to development, we addressed the issue of food insecurity caused by the climate crisis and the consequences of conflicts, which distract us from the fight against the eradication of poverty and hunger. At the same time, it is important to advance in a broader view of humanitarian assistance, which becomes more necessary every day in events related to the climate crisis, in particular the losses and damages it causes. We must continue to strengthen humanitarian assistance based on respect for the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights, without bias, distinction or discrimination. Finally, I take this opportunity to congratulate Ambassador Lachezara Stoeva on her assumption of the presidency of the Economic and Social Council. I am sure that her presidency will achieve even more significant results. Likewise, the new Bureau has the support of Bolivia, which will continue to participate actively in the different activities of the Economic and Social Council towards a better articulation of the priorities of States.

Indonesia would like to deliver a statement responding to the note of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Population Award 2022 (A/77/154). The issue of population is very dear to Indonesia. Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country, with a population of 270 million people, and the issue speaks to our hearts and minds. That is why Indonesia is very proud that the National Population and Family Planning Board of Indonesia was selected as a recipient of the United Nations Population Award this year. It is a testament to the United Nations recognition of the tireless work of the agency. Established in 1970, the agency has been implementing Indonesia’s policies on the strengthening of family planning and population ever since. Its tremendous work has resulted in impactful achievements on the ground. It has transformed the paradigm of population policies from numerical-oriented into human development-centred. The national agency is now also mandated to spearhead national efforts to combat stunting. The work comes with a target of lowering the prevalence rate of stunting by half in five years. These achievements have been made possible due to the strong commitment of the Government of Indonesia, through the work of the agency, to preparedness, resilience and community engagement. With respect to innovation, the agency uses digital technologies to minimize the risk of stunting in children. On resilience, the agency was created with a preparedness mindset, taking into account the fact that emergencies can put hard-won achievements at risk. On community engagement, the work of the agency relies heavily on the 1.2 million family planning officers on the ground throughout Indonesia. Every day, those officers disseminate information and provide consultations for people in cities and villages on the family planning programme. In that regard, we would like to dedicate this award to all the champions of the population and family planning programme on the ground and in the field all across Indonesia. We will not stop there. Since its establishment, the agency has continued to contribute globally to strengthening the capacities of other developing countries. As of recently, Indonesia’s contributions through the agency have reached more than 5,000 policymakers, experts and programme implementers in 114 countries. With its recognition as a United Nations Population Award laureate, Indonesia will continue to contribute to strengthening countries’ capacities countries on issues relevant to population and family planning.

At the outset, I should like to thank Ambassador Collen Vixen Kelapile, Permanent Representative of Botswana, for introducing the report of the Economic and Social Council for its latest session (A/77/3) and for serving as President of the Council for the past, very challenging year. The last session of the Economic and Social Council took place within an increasingly difficult and demanding context caused by the combined effects of the pandemic, climate change and the war in Ukraine. Our efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development were hindered, if not indeed threatened. Poland attaches great importance to the main priorities of Ambassador Kelapile’s term: vaccine equity, the reduction of inequalities, post- conflict recovery and youth engagement. We also share his goals regarding progress towards the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals. With less than eight years left until 2030, it is clear that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must remain our guiding framework. Needless to say, that is vital in particular to least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, which are at the centre of the Council’s attention. The meetings organized under Ambassador Kelapile’s tenure addressed such pressing issues as the climate crisis and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. The latter has been highly relevant to Poland as the host of the eleventh session of the World Urban Forum, the most important global event concerning municipal policies, transformation and development. In July 2023, Poland will take part in the voluntary national review at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, to be convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. As a candidate for a seat on the Council for the term 2024- 2026, Poland considers the 2023 High-level Political Forum to be a key opportunity to demonstrate the country’s progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda since our last voluntary national review in 2018. We are ready to share our experiences, good practices and lessons learned resulting not only from current challenges but also from Poland’s successful economic transformation and social reforms oriented to a just transition in the energy sector and inclusion. As, we hope, a future member of the Economic and Social Council, Poland will stay committed to the development of regional cooperation as a way to strengthen resilience and find regional solutions to global challenges. Each world region is affected differently by the current global crises, and in response develops context-specific approaches. Regional perspectives in strengthening resilience to crises are key to identifying solutions with potential applicability to other regions. In conclusion, I would like to congratulate the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria, Ambassador Lachezara Stoeva, on having been elected in July as the seventy-eighth President of the Economic and Social Council. We wish her every success in leading the Council’s work at that session, with particular challenges related to addressing the pandemic’s impacts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the preparations for the SDG Summit in September 2023, and the follow-up to recommendations made to the Economic and Social Council in the Secretary- General’s Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) report.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on these items. May I take it that the General Assembly takes note of the report of the Economic and Social Council, contained in document A/77/3? It was so decided (decision 77/509).

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda items 9 and 13.

The General Assembly will resume its consideration of agenda item 120, “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. I have been informed that no Member State has requested to take the floor. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 120.