Remarks
by
Mr. Sandagdorj Erdenebileg
Chief
Policy Coordination, Development, Monitoring and Reporting Service
Office of the High Representative
for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries
and Small Island Developing States
at
Session 10
Thematic Review: Eradicating Poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing
world: How it affects countries in special situations: LDCs and LLDCs
Wednesday 12 July 2017
16:30 – 18:00
Conference Room 4, United Nations Headquarters
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Agenda 2030 calls for leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first.
The LDCs, SIDS and LLDCs comprise 91 of the most vulnerable countries, with a combined
population in excess of 1 billion people. For many of them, key socio-economic indicators have
exhibited only slow improvement over time. In 2015, an assessment at the conclusion of the
MDGs found that, despite headway on some of the goals, the gap between these countries and
the rest of the world had widened. These countries have the greatest amount of “unfinished business”
of the MDGs. Their marginalization is also reflected in their minuscule shares in world
trade, global FDI flows, and contributions to new technological innovations. They exhibit a high
degree of intersection of development challenges with conflict, humanitarian crisis and climate
change.
Promoting sustainable economic growth and development, poverty eradication and resiliencebuilding
is therefore critical to the prevention of conflicts and humanitarian crises. While these
nations face many common challenges, a differentiated approach is needed since specific issues
stand out for each group.
While the LDCs, SIDS and LLDCs struggled to achieve the MDGs, the 2030 Agenda is broader
in scope and goes further, with ambitions to address inequalities, economic growth, decent jobs,
cities and human settlements, industrialization, oceans, ecosystems, energy, climate change, sustainable
consumption and production, peace and justice. However, these countries face severe
constraints in implementing the Agenda owing to limited capacity, high risk perception, ODA
dependence, and high vulnerability to shocks and climate change.
The 91 most vulnerable countries are already the farthest behind. Stepped-up efforts by the international
community will be a prerequisite to help them attain the SDGs, and to implement
their respective Programmes of Action.
Development partners are encouraged to increase their ODA contributions to these countries,
which have fallen over the past year in real terms.
In order to strengthen resilience, the funding available for adaptation projects needs to be increased,
especially for the Least Developed Countries Fund under the UNFCCC which urgently
needs replenishment.
Adaptation efforts need to go beyond projects on capacity building and institutional strengthening
and move towards activities that result in concrete gains in terms of reduced vulnerability.
And finally, systematic efforts need to be made to strengthen the absorption capacity of these
countries as part of the overall funding to facilitate the preparation and submission of bankable
proposals.
Thank you.
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