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KINGDOM Of CAMBODIA
PERMANENT MI SS ION TO TH E UNIT ED NATION S
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Statement by
Please ch eck against del ivery
H.E. Mr. Yanara CHHIENG
Minister Attached to the Prime Minister
Royal Government of Cambodia
at
The High-Level Political Foru:-ri on Sustainable Development
General Debat e of the High-Level Segmen t
New York
10-19 July 2017
Mr. Chairman
1. I would like to express, on behalf of my delegation our high appreciation for this opportunity
to contribute to this General Debate.
2. With over two decades of growth and poverty reduction, Cambodia has made a remarkable
transformation that places it amongst those countries with the highest level of achievement
in implementing the Millennium Development Goals. As a newly-classified Lower-Middle
Income Country, Cambodia is now ready to build on these foundations. There is
commitment at the highest levels o.f my Government and we are currently working to
contextualize, localize and sequence the global agenda with additional goal on demining.
So we embrace the 2030 Agenda with confidence and optimism.
3. Our own national planning processes provide the institutional setting for localizing and
prioritizing the SDGs. It is in this context that I wish to make some specific observations
and raise some issues for the consideration of our esteemed colleagues gathered here
today.
4. Our recently completed review of the national plan has identified a number of challenges
that are relevant to the SDG localization process. Chief amongst them are: poverty
reduction and inclusive growth, including through the transformation of the rural economy;
competitiveness and human resource development; migration and urbanization; and
climate change and sustainability.
5. Underlying all of these issues, my Government understands the need to continue to
strengthen institutions, to focus on economic competitiveness and - in keeping with the
commitment to Leave No-One Behind - to address inequality and exclusion.
6. Mr. Chairman, I believe these observations are highly relevant to our discussion today as
they affect many Middle Income Countries. Since it is this group of countries where the
majority of the world's poor now live, I believe this General Debate is the appropriate
setting to take note of these challenges and to flag them for further High-Level discussion
at a later time. For countries such as Cambodia, that remains a Least Developed Country,
we are particularly concerned about exclusion and vulnerability even as we see rising
average levels of income.
7. Two other issues are also of great importance to Cambodia and, I believe, to many other
UN member states. I therefore wish to bring them to your attention. The first concerns
monitoring systems and capacities. Leaving No-One Behind requires two things: first, better
information on who the poorest and most vulnerable are; and, second, an improved
understanding of the dynamics of exclusion that can then inform policy interventions.
Investments in improved monitoring and information systems are critical to ensuring
inclusive implementation and achieving a zero rate of poverty by 2030.
8. Second is the issue of financing. Cambodia has recently completed an assessment of its
medium-term development finance options. Domestic resources will clearly take a lead role
in implementing the 2030 Agenda. Yet we also need to build partnerships with other
development actors, both public and private. Other countries clearly have this need too yet
I feel this aspect our work at the global level is lagging behind. So, I strongly encourage a
more dedicated effort to be placed on moving forward the Financing for Development
agenda, including to more closely involve new partners from the global South and from the
private sector.
9. While noting the changing global development landscape, Mr Chairman, Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Cambodia stands ready and is committed to implementing the
2030 Agenda.
Thank you Mr. Chairman!
