Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - Climate Change

Facing Multiple Crises, Africa’s Most Vulnerable Nations Call on International Community for Greater Support

HSASS — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 16:07:00 +0000

49834249446_d4a4c2d380_k.jpg

COVID-19 testing, Madagascar

World Bank / Henitsoa Rafalia

26 February 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, trade barriers and debt distress are some of the major challenges debated at a high-level meeting of ministers from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of Africa and Haiti this week.

Over the past five days, leaders of African nations and Haiti, development partners, civil society, private sector and representatives of the United Nations deliberated over progress by Africa’s least developed countries (LDCs) in achieving sustainable development, and what new policies and support measures are required to build a resilient future.

“The LDC members’ GDP shrank by 1.3 per cent in 2020, thereby increasing the number of poor households and worsening inequality between and within countries, with disproportionate effects on women,” said Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, opening the meeting. "The Pandemic has exposed our limitations in the fields of science, technology and innovations, which has laid bare the digital and technological divide between nations.”

Across the LDCs, the pandemic is projected to force an additional 32 million people into poverty. For Africa’s LDCs, the pandemic has jeopardized hard-won development gains. In the three years prior to the pandemic, African LDCs achieved steady real average GDP growth of 3.9 per cent – slightly above the global average of 3.4 per cent. However, as a result of the pandemic, projections indicate real GDP growth of African LDCs to contract by 1.5 per cent in 2020.

Besides impacts on economies, previous gains made in gender equality, poverty reduction and reducing inequalities are at risk, putting additional pressure on already vulnerable nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

A declaration agreed at the conclusion of the week, recognised that “a successful, renewed and strengthened global partnership that effectively addresses the special needs of African LDCs will contribute to the cause of peace, prosperity and sustainable development for all.” Furthermore, the declaration affirmed the commitment by African LDCs to strengthen healthcare systems, bolster research and development, empower women and provide a rapidly growing youth population with greater prospects for a decent life. They also called for the immediate establishment of a global stimulus package to address the impacts of COVID-19 and on development partners to support them in achieving global development goals.

“My take-away from the past five days is there is a tremendous sense of hope expressed by leaders from Africa and Haiti, and the inspiring youth representatives, of the sheer determination to forge ahead towards a more resilient and prosperous future,” said the �山��High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing Sates Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu.
The conclusion of the Africa Regional Review meeting, hosted by the Government of Malawi, kicks off a series of meetings and events leading to the the landmark Fifth �山��Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) taking place in Doha, Qatar in early 2022.
The conference will set the development agenda for the LDCs for the coming decade and occur as they redouble their efforts to achieve the Global Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

“We are very confident this conference will enormously contribute to meeting the needs of these countries and supporting their journey towards achieving their development goals over the next ten years,” said Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar and host of the LDC5 Conference.

The coming months will see a similar regional review meeting for LDCs in the Asia and Pacific region and the commencement of inter-governmental negotiations on the next programme of action for the LDCs which is expected to be adopted in Doha next year.

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Climate Change and Security - The Challenge of Internal Displacement in Small Island Developing States

HSASS — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 22:14:00 +0000

kiribati._lorrie_graham_for_dfat._flickr_cc_by_2.0.jpg

Riibeta Abeta, from Kiribati's Ministry of Environment contemplates the future. He more than most knows the importance of educating people about the impacts of climate change.

Lorrie Graham for DFAT

NEW YORK 11 November/SUVA 12 November 2020 – Climate-induced displacement of island communities creates major socio-economic and human security implications for the world’s small island developing States (SIDS).

In a virtual briefing hosted by the Pacific Islands Forum, �山��Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and �山��Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), stakeholders agreed that unless properly managed and adequately funded, internal displacement can exacerbate poverty, cause social tensions and hinder sustainable development in SIDS.

In opening remarks by the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa Utoikamanu, stressed that mitigation, especially by major greenhouse gas emitters, remains the primary response to the climate crisis. She also emphasized that internal displacement, whether forceful or voluntary, can pose economic, social and cultural challenges which will further compound existing challenges including debt crises and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presenters from the University of the South Pacific, IOM, Fiji and Sao Tome and Principe highlighted the need to work with communities at risk of displacement from either slow onset or rapid onset climate events. They also highlighted the importance of building on the long history of migration among Pacific island countries to understand how populations were able to thrive and create new opportunities despite the loss of their traditional homelands.

While participants acknowledged the major challenges SIDS are facing, they also noted that internal displacement could bring about benefits such as employment , cultural exchange, human capital development, technological progress and provide the local stimulus for economic growth.

Representatives from SIDS governments shared the unique challenges their countries are facing and the solutions they are exploring to address climate induced internal displacement resulting from climate hazards like coastal degradation, flash floods, sea level rise and tropical storms.

They noted that effective action will require increased academic research as well as dialogue with all affected parties on climate change impacts on internal displacement in local, national, regional and global fora. An integrated whole of government and whole of society approach is needed, whereby all stakeholders including the communities directly affected by climate change and internal displacement, are involved in the policy-making process.

For SIDS to effectively address climate induced displacement, it was recognised that there is a need for additional support, including financing, from the international community. Several projects and initiatives already being undertaken by governments and development partners to tackle climate change and internal displacement were also elaborated. These included: (i) Pacific Climate Change Migration and Human Security programme implemented by IOM, in partnership with ESCAP, OHCHR, and ILO; (ii) the Climate Security Project in the Pacific covering Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands supported by the �山��Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund; (iii) the West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project by the World Bank; (iv) Fiji’s Planned Relocation Guidelines developed by the Fijian Government with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); (v) and Fiji’s Climate Relocation and Displaced People Trust Fund.

Welcoming the efforts underway in this area, in his closing remarks, Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari (DPPA) mentioned that Member State interest in the linkages between climate change, prevention and sustaining peace continues to rise, including in the Security Council and that DPPA has steadily increased its efforts in this area in partnership with Small Island Developing States, OHRLLS, in partnership with DPPA and the Pacific Islands Forum will continue this discusssion series with further sessions on aspects of the climate change and security challenges in Small Islands Developing States in 2021.

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Statement at the Disaster Risk-Informed and Resilient COVID-19 Recovery Side Event

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 19:25:00 +0000

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

15 October 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to join you at this Second Committee side event.

I thank Special Representative Mami Mizutori and team for her leadership on this event, as well as the ILO and �山��Women for their close partnership.

A critical topic brings us together.

As their United Nations High Representative, I once again must stress how the Least Developed countries, Landlocked developing countries and Small Island developing countries are among them most vulnerable nations of our shared planet.

Their peoples are disproportionately affected by climate change induced risks, by health risks and by the vagaries of the global economic and financial systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic shows all too vividly the manifold inequalities, the too many exclusions we must overcome if indeed we do not want to leave anyone behind and stay true to what we promise in Agenda 2030 and the Paris Climate Agreement.

What is the situation for the peoples of the countries OHRLLS advocates for?

Like everywhere else, we see the immediate physical health impacts.

That is the tip of the iceberg and it is of great concern that by now tourism, trade, remittances, all vital livelihood ingredients, have plummeted if not come to a standstill.

What does this mean? It means job losses, it means severe decline in government revenues, it means severe worsening of debt spirals that were already barely sustainable prior to the pandemic.

In short, lives AND livelihoods are threatened.

Just like elsewhere, lockdowns and closures have major negative psychological and social impacts.

Women, disabled people, poor people are disproportionately impacted.

Food insecurity is setting in, access to education given the poor connectivities is threatened and finding work hardly possible. Take this against a backdrop where there are hardly any social protection systems!

To add to this already vicious cycle, ever more frequent extreme weather events have brought further life threatening disruption – from Category-5 Tropical Cyclone Harold in the Pacific to the devastating floods in Bangladesh and Sudan.

This brings me to the Sendai Framework.

The framework gives us both, an approach and tools to safeguard against multiple catastrophes and building resilience at all levels.

Now is the time for renewed efforts and commitment to ensure that as many countries as possible can achieve Target E of the Sendai Framework to have national and local disaster risk reduction strategies in place.

Too much time has already elapsed and we must accelerate progress. To do so, capacity building and financial assistance are critical to support the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS in this important endeavour.

The LLDCs and SIDS concluded their mid-term reviews of their Programmes of Action respectively in September and December 2019. As I stated on other occasions, prior to the pandemic we could talk of a glass half full. By now, and in the immediate, we must ensure that the glass does stay half full and then we must together build!

An important opportunity is before us to just do that.

This is the Fifth �山��Conference on LDCs, to be held in Qatar in 2022.

The Conference itself, its preparatory process, offer enormous opportunities to craft a risk-informed development agenda and plan for the next 10-year Programme of Action for the LDCs.

I have every hope that today’s meeting will explore the immediate and medium-term measures that Governments can take to address the underlying social and economic drivers at the core of disaster risk.

We have the chance to hear from an array of academics and practitioners from diverse backgrounds and countries.

Standing still is not an option. We must find solutions to ensure we leave no one behind.

I look forward to the discussions and am confident that we will make progress in advancing the debate.

Thank you.

Front Page Article:

Human Rights Council 2020 Social Forum: "Climate Change, Poverty and Inequality Among Countries"

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 17:21:00 +0000

Thursday, 08 October 2020 - 4:00am to Friday, 09 October 2020 - 12:00pm

Good Practices, Success Stories, Lessons Learned and Current Challenges in Combating Poverty and Inequalities

The Social Forum is an annual meeting convened by the Human Rights Council. It is defined as a unique space for open and interactive dialogue between civil society actors, representatives of Member States, and intergovernmental organizations, on a theme chosen by the Council each year.

In setting the theme and focus of discussion for each Forum, the Human Rights Council underlines the importance of coordinated efforts at national, regional and international levels for the promotion of social cohesion based on the principles of social justice, equity and solidarity as well as of addressing the social dimension and challenges of the on-going globalization process.

Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa 'Utoikamanu delivered an address at the keynote Panel during the opening of the Human Rights Council 2020 Social Forum, on the topic “Climate Change, Poverty and Inequality Among Countries,” on 8 October 2020.

PARTICIPATION:

The Social Forum is open to representatives of United Nations Member States and all other interested stakeholders including intergovernmental organizations, different components of the United Nations system, representatives of the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and representatives of other non-governmental organizations

REGISTER:

The 2020 Social Forum will take place from 8-9 October 2020, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva and also online.

https://indico.un.org/event/20111/

DOCUMENTS

Background Materials

Programme

Photo: Communities in São Tomé and Príncipe work together to improve the management of the Provaz River catchment and to secure the water supply in the future. IWRM AIO SIDS

tags:

Least Developed Countries

Small Island Developing States

Landlocked Developing Countries

Climate Change

Categories:

Opening Remarks at the Local2030 Islands Network Virtual High-level Islands Side Event

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:24:00 +0000

Opening Remarks by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

29 September 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am very happy to be with you today at the formal launch of the Local2030 Islands Network.

On behalf of the �山��Deputy-Secretary-General, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, I thank you for your leadership and commitment.

Local action, local participation, local island-led solutions are key to addressing pressing global challenges.

There is no one size fits all solution that a global agenda should or can propose. As they say “thinking must be global and action must be local” .

The key to turning a global agenda into action lies indeed in formulating and then implementing local sustainability frameworks built on participation and local knowledge.

We all know how very vulnerable Small Island Developing States are to the ongoing and ever accelerating impacts of climate change.

The list of what climate change means practically is long and ranges from sea-level rise, to ocean acidification, biodiversity loss and severe weather events just to name a few!

This is why it is all the more remarkable how island nations, on many fronts, have lead in developing innovative solutions for the rest of the world to be inspired by and learn from.

So, I seize this opportunity to thank all who are submitting ambitious NDCs, in particular those recognizing the critical 1.5 degree Celsius limit and the urgency of mitigating the dire projections in the IPCC Special Report on 1.5 degrees.

2020, I have no doubt, will impact all of us for times to come.

COVID-19, the global shutdowns, multiple and accelerating climate change related disasters have deepened the complexity and difficulty to manage existing challenges.

An already unsustainable debt crisis is worsening, incomes decline as key sectors such as tourism have come to an almost standstill, remittances have dropped perilously, fiscal space for medium- to long term investments in climate action and inclusive sustainability rapidly shrinks.

Human security truly is at stake.

More than ever, partnerships are needed to avoid further descent into a dangerous downward spiral wiping out years of hard won gains.

This is also the moment where we must share lessons learned and best practices.

You have shown the way in how to build a bridge between global aims and essential local action through initiatives such as the Micronesian Challenge, Caribbean Challenge, and the Aloha+ Challenge.

Your work is inspirational .

It personally reminds me how long ago, in my country, we saw how what we then call a bottom- up approach to planning and doing makes the difference.

It was all about listening to local concerns, working with communities, bringing communities together with partners through what we called integrated local development programmes.

Participation, genuine participation with actions is what brings tangible and sustainable change to communities. It is change communities own.

Islands nations indeed show us many scalable models that can be key to sustainable development.

There is much we can learn from each other. There is much that can even be an example for larger economies to follow.

So, today I wholeheartedly join in the �山��support by partnering through the Local2030 Initiative.

This is an innovative network bringing together the �山��system, local actors, and national governments to collaboratively develop locally sensitive solutions to global challenges.

As I said before, participation at all levels is key.

More than ever it is critically important to bring the diverse voices of Mayors, Governors and municipal leaders, the private sector and civil society into the work of the United Nations.

There is great hope that the Local2030 Initiative and Local2030 Hubs will make a difference for climate action, inclusion and local economic development and equity.

Your work is key to ensuring that we leave no one behind.

I am confident that the Local2030 Islands Network, an initiative facilitated by the Hawai’i Green Growth Local2030 Hub and Global Island Partnership, will continue to help bring the critical and diverse voices of local island civil society, and public and private sector partners into the work of the United Nations.

The United Nations supports the four principles of the Local2030 Islands Network:

To identify local goals to advance the SDGs and strengthen long-term political leadership on sustainability and resilience.
To strengthen public-private partnerships that support diverse stakeholders in integrating sustainability priorities into policy and planning.
To measure progress through tracking and reporting on locally and community driven metrics.
And to implement concrete initiatives that build island resilience and circular economy, particularly at the water energy-food nexus.

In closing, I wish you a productive event to formally launch the Local2030 Islands Network.

We look forward to continuing to work with all of you.

OHRLLS is ready to cooperate on bringing local island voices to global fora.

We are ready to help foster global and regional partnerships for effective climate action and this includes work through the SIDS Partnership Framework and the SIDS Global Business Network.

The time for action grounded in participation by all is now.

I thank you.

Front Page Article:

Joint AOSIS-LDC Group Event: Leading the Way: Raising Ambition for 1.5°C-compatible Climate Action

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 11:04:00 +0000

Friday, 25 September 2020 - 8:00am to 9:30am

BACKGROUND

At a time when the impacts of COVID-19 are creating much uncertainty on climate action, the pandemic also provides tremendous opportunities to build back better with climate-friendly policies and actions that deliver better outcomes both for economies and the environment. Communicating enhanced nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in 2020 will be a critical cornerstone of recovery efforts from COVID-19 that need to put us on track to a 1.5° C world. A failure to move collectively onto an emissions reduction pathway consistent with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C warming limit will affect all countries but will have the greatest impact on the poorest and most vulnerable people in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Despite LDCs and SIDS being among the most vulnerable countries, hardest hit by the compounding crises of COVID-19 and climate impacts, many of our member countries are taking determined actions and many are aiming to communicate updated NDCs this year. It will be important that other countries and in particular major emitters do the same this year, with their highest possible ambition and fair share of the global effort, and in line with 1.5°C pathways.

With 2020 being a critical year for accelerated climate action, this side event focused on ambition. It brought together LDCs and SIDS to discuss the implications of inaction, the opportunities of bold green recoveries, and how to build the momentum for collective action to end the climate crisis.

DOCUMENTS

Background Materials

Background Note & Agenda

Statements

Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu

Photo: Building the green homes project in Zambia. Marcel Crozet / ILO

tags:

Least Developed Countries

1.5 Degrees

Climate Change

Small Island Developing States

Categories:

Keynote Statement at a A Joint AOSIS-LDC Group Event - Leading the way: Raising Ambition for 1.5°C-compatible Climate Action

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 07:42:00 +0000

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

25 September 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I thank the co-organizers for your invitation to address this important meeting.

Your meeting is critical. We find ourselves in the middle of multiple global crises – worsening climate change impacts, a global health pandemic, and deep global financial and economic disruption.

The toll already is and will continue to be especially heavy for the SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs.

Key economic sectors have either been deeply disrupted or even come to standstill such as trade, tourism, fisheries and agriculture.

Consequently, governments’ revenues have plummeted, worsening an already acute debt situation.

As we all face this crisis, as we face very uncharted territory, we must seize this disruptive moment and turn it into a moment of hope and opportunity.

But this, we can only do if we act in a collective manner.

It is now our shared opportunity and responsibility to inject new urgency to remain within the critical 1.5 degree C threshold.

Historically, the SIDS and LDCs have made the smallest contribution to global warming.

To improve the lives of their citizens, they must produce sustained economic growth.

And they do so by taking exemplary steps towards mitigation and decoupling emissions from growth.

Both groups of countries made important announcements at the Climate Action Summit last September in New York. More importantly, they have continued to follow-up on them.

The NDCs are key vehicles for climate action.

I applaud the countries that have recently submitted their updated and ambitious NDCs. This includes several SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs.

The need for bold climate action is clearly most important for the largest emitters.

In this global pandemic, many of the most developed nations have rolled out major social protection and stimulus packages.

The packages amount to billions of dollars.

In how these packages get delivered, lies a major opportunity.

Each dollar of stimulus can potentially have a green impact, but even if only a fraction is deployed towards low-carbon transitions, this would go a long way.

Allow me to share a couple examples.

Policies and operational plans do already include in some cases direct support for renewable energy and sustainable modes of transport but more can be done. And much more can be done for the financing of measures in NDCs and climate action plans.

Government budget deficits can be improved through equitable and sustainable fiscal measures. This can range from carbon taxes to the removal of subsidies to polluting activities.

I would also once more call on development partners to expand investment in climate action in vulnerable countries so that together we urgently limit loss and damage.

It is up to us how we leverage the disruptor this global health pandemic is for all of us.

The pandemic can also provide new impetus for harnessing the potential of the digital revolution and mainstreaming disaster risk reduction strategies.

Many nations , including the LDCs and SIDS, have taken important measures to build back better.

These are examples I encourage all to follow and to use the opportunity afforded by the updated NDCs.

In concluding, allow me to recall the six climate positive actions that Secretary-General Gutteres invited all countries to consider as they rebuild their economies, during his opening address at the general debate of the General Assembly on Tuesday.

These are:

to build resilient societies and a just transition;

to promote green jobs and sustainable growth;
to ensure bailouts of industry, aviation and shipping to be aligned with the Paris Agreement;
to end fossil fuel subsidies;
to integrate climate risks in financial and policy decision-making; and
to leave no one behind.

I thank you.

Front Page Article:

Assessment of Financing for Development Flows SIDS (2020)

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 16:25:00 +0000

maldives._credit._new_zealand_ministry_of_foreign_affairs_and_trade.jpg

The Port of Male in Maldives.

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

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Opening Statement at the Virtual Ministerial Meeting of LDCs

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 15:25:00 +0000

Opening Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

17 September 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

At the outset, I wish to express my deep gratitude to you, Hon. Eisenhower Mkaka, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malawi, for your commitment to and leadership of the Group of LDCs.

In the same vein, I must thank you Ambassador Perks Ligoya and your team for inspiring and leading the work of the Group in New York.

Last but not least, I express my appreciation to the members of the Global Coordination Bureau and the entire membership of LDCs for their efforts in relentlessly advocating for the needs and shared interests of LDCs.

Excellencies,

When we met around this time a year ago, I doubt that anyone of us could have pictured the circumstances and settings in which we meet now.

Months after months have now elapsed where everybody, everywhere lives every day with the sense of the unknown, the unsettling and the uncertain.

By now, millions of people are out of formal and informal employment in LDCs.

Too many men, women and often young girls and boys do not enjoy any kind of safety net. Even the precarious safety net of remittances is broken and they must rely on what may be left to family and extended family.

We had already sounded the alarm prior to the pandemic given the precarious situations of the fiscal state in many countries.

By now, we see a constant, a daily struggle to meet just basic public health requirements. The risk that the few and limited social protection schemes may vanish altogether with ever increasing budget constraints is very real.

Export earnings are falling at a speed not witnessed before.

Export orders amounting to likely billions of dollars have been lost.

Remittances diminish rapidly.

The tourism sector has collapsed.

A global recession is reality by now and it can only exacerbate this already dire situation.

What we are faced with is having to manage a severe social, economic and institutional storm.

What we are faced with is to give people HOPE and not let people despair.

Without robust and far reaching global and regional responses, the people of the LDCs will be left further behind.

Countries urgently need special and fast action. If we do not act now, we compromise the achievement of the 2030 Agenda!

So, what is OHRLLS doing?

In an immediate response, we organized a series of virtual briefings such as on external debt, food security and agricultural development, broadband and digital access.

We actively contributed to the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

We facilitated the Deputy Secretary-General’s dialogues with representatives of the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS groups during April.

The Group of LDCs issued a statement on COVID-19 outlining their special challenges and needs to address the impacts of the pandemic and how to build back better.

The DSG assured all possible support of the United Nations system to address and to overcome the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of our advocacy role, OHRLLS set up a webpage on the impacts of COVID-19 on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.

We provide regular updates on the COVID-19 situation in these countries.

Excellencies,

We are at a turning point - a point we must seize.

As we almost reached the end point of the implementation period of the Istanbul Programme of Action, the report of the Secretary-General finds that the LDCs achieved some notable successes.

These pertain to access to electricity, ICT, safe water and sanitation.

Progress is also recorded in key indicators on poverty, health and gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Furthermore, unprecedented progress has been achieved towards graduation, with 12 LDCs at various stages in this process.

As I often said, it is a picture of a glass half full. It is a picture prior to COVID 19.

Despite this progress, there is however no room for complacency.

We must be concerned that for many other goals and targets, progress had either stalled or been reversed.

And again, I talk about data we had PRIOR to the pandemic.

Already then, we could see how global poverty and malnutrition rates were on the rise.

Since, COVID-19 has pushed millions and millions of people back into extreme poverty and hunger.

It is somewhat of an understatement to say that this is truly challenging the scope to realize the SDG targets in these areas. This will have a serious domino effect on other socio-economic indicators.

Add to this that COVID 19 has not given any holiday to climate change ! Quite the opposite!

Climate change impacts are accelerating and escalating . We see ever more severe tropical storms, droughts and related events around the globe. This further compounds and seriously jeopardizes the development prospects of LDCs.

Now, building domestic capacity and resource mobilization is a MUST for LDCs.But this has to be complemented and accompanied by robust global partnerships.

This is our litmus test for multilateralism to prove its relevance and effectiveness.

The Fifth �山��Conference on LDCs provides us with great opportunities and above all a powerful platform to build a renewed global compact in favour of the peoples of the LDCs.

We really must come TOGETHER and do all we can to ensure that we do not miss this opportunity.

Excellencies,

Earlier, I mentioned the DSG’s commitment to bringing the full �山��system capacities to deployment.

OHRLLS chairs the Inter-Agency Task Force on Graduation of LDCs (IATF) with the objective to provide strengthened and coordinated �山��system-wide support to the countries graduating from the LDC category.

We have already organised joint �山��missions to Sao Tome and Principe and Solomon Islands last year.

A virtual workshop was held in Laos just 2 weeks ago.

The IATF is supporting graduating countries in developing their smooth transition strategy.

The Secretary-General for his part repeatedly reiterated his full commitment to supporting the graduating countries, including through the IATF.

Excellencies,

Allow me to now update you on the preparations for the Fifth �山��Conference on LDCs.

Needless to say, the entire timeframe had to be revisited.

Under the rescheduled timeframe, we are drawing a new calendar of preparatory events leading up to LDC-V. Our substantive preparations for the Conference are ongoing.

We already held several thematic meetings on COVID-19 as I mentioned earlier.

Several documents have been finalized or will be released shortly.

These include:

the report of the Secretary-General on the 10-year implementation of the IPoA,
the synthesis of national reports submitted by LDCs,
a report on UN System Best Practices on Supporting the Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Overview and Analysis of Contributions from the Inter-agency Consultative Group on LDCs (IACG)”.

support for the implementation of the IPoA, and
the 2020 Policy brief on Advancing SDG7 in LDCs.

We continue our preparations for the Helsinki academic conference. The conference is now scheduled to take place from 12-14 May 2021.

Almost 1000 submissions with some fifty per cent from LDCs were received.

OHRLLS interacts with the entire United Nations System to rally support for LDC5.

The past three meetings of the Inter-Agency Consultative Group (IACG) on LDCs have discussed how different agencies can make contributions to the Conference and its preparatory processes.

This will continue up to the Conference and beyond to draw on the collective expertise and resources of the System as a whole in support of the LDCs.

A new dedicated website for the conference has already been launched and my hope is that the website will grow as the details of various events unfold.

Let us indeed seize the moment and work together to turn LDC5 into the most important moment in the international development calendar in 2022.

As part of the OHRLLS advocacy role, we foresee to engage with media globally. It is all about creating awareness, mobilizing support and build action consensus. The key audiences in favour of LDCs must be built in LDCs themselves as well as in partner countries and organizations.

So, this is a busy time, an intense moment but again a moment where we have to double effort and push ahead.

It is in this context, that I kindly once more must ask for the support of LDCs and the Friends of LDCs to the work of OHRLLS.

We need to strengthen capacity to continue to provide extended and targeted support to LDCs in enabling them to implement the 2030 Agenda and the Programme of Action in a coordinated and coherent manner.

As I said a year ago, we could see the glass half full.

Now I would say we must make every effort to first keep the glass half full and in doing so we must ensure our actions are driven by the ultimate goal: including the peoples of the LDCs into a sustainable path for their development.

The challenges for the LDCs have grown considerably this year and beyond. The need for support and assistance has thus grown considerably.

Just as COVID 19 knows no borders, gender, race, or religion , the challenges ahead of us require concerted, focused and action driven multi- lateral cooperation.

It will be of critical importance that we all come together and strengthen multilateral capacity to provide dedicated support to what is the most vulnerable group of countries and people.

We are in this together and it is indeed only together that we can lay the foundations for the future people want.

I thank you.

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Opening Remarks at the Climate Talk and Net Zero 2050: New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 14:45:00 +0000

Opening Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

4 August 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

A big thank you , Malo Aupito ! to the New Zealand’s Embassy to the Republic of Korea.

A big thank you to the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI),

Our co-organizers.

I am honored by your invitation to address this important meeting.

Please allow me to first pay tribute to you, Your Excellency, Ban Ki-moon.

Throughout your distinguished career and especially during your two consecutive terms as Secretary-General of the United Nations, you drove, you unwaveringly committed to combatting climate change and you continue to do so!

Thank you for inspiring us all.

Climate change knows no borders. Climate change concerns all women, girls, men and boys of our shared planet.

By now though, climate change has taken on a truly existential meaning for the peoples of the Pacific. In Shakespeare’s words it is about “TO BE OR NOT TO BE.”

Many before me already alerted to this.

The SIDS, the least developed countries and the landlocked developing countries with a population of over one billion people, human lives!, are among the most vulnerable nations.

They all have in common to be on the frontline of climate change.

Adapting in pro-active ways to the foreseeable adverse impacts of climate change is not a luxury for them, it is a necessity to survive.

A key driver to be able to achieve that lies in access to affordable and reliable energy. They lack that access. This means you can barely power rural health clinics, forget about telemedicine or telework. This means you remain stuck in sub-optimal production processes and you cannot compete in regional or global markets.

Many of the countries, especially the small islands and landlocked countries, are far away from markets, they remain highly dependent on fossil-fuel imports, and suffer from the resulting high energy access costs.

With rapidly advancing technology and thus also more competitive pricing, the move towards renewable energy and low-carbon development has become an economically viable option. This is particularly so given the high renewable energy potential of the countries.

The challenges countries face are considerable and let us not forget that, historically, their contributions to greenhouse gas concentrations has been very low on a per capita basis.

All of us should be very encouraged that both Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the LDCs have taken exemplary steps in terms of ambition in mitigation. Both groups made important announcements at the Climate Action Summit last September in New York, and continue to follow-up on them.

All SIDS have committed to strategies consistent with the 1.5 Degree target, and several have committed to 100% renewable energy by 2030 – including through initiatives like SIDS Dock and the SIDS Lighthouse Initiative.

I take it upon myself and OHRLLS – and I call upon all to join - to urgently amplify their voice so it is heard loud and clear by the major greenhouse gas emitters, to whom we appeal to play their part on the global stage.

Since, further challenges have arisen with the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have massive disruptions everywhere. But the toll is especially heavy for the SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs.

They faced complex vulnerability challenges prior to the pandemic but now they face a multiple of challenges amounting to an almost perfect storm.

The imperative of short-term health and basic survival responses means that already scarce domestic resources have to be diverted from national SDG implementation towards emergency plans.

Through all this, the global climate crisis continues to unfold.

The onset of the hurricane season is a stark reminder of this.

While, allow me to say, mission control is all focused on pandemic management, capacity to respond to other unfolding disasters is almost depleted.

Take as evidence the most recent Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Harold which wreaked havoc in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

I am sure we all agree that constant, short-term re-active responses cannot be the answer because this simply is not sustainable.

The challenge before us is to stay the course and maintain traction for ambitious climate action.

We must reverse the current downward spiral.

This is why I wish to thank the AOSIS Chair for convening the Placenia Ambition Forum in April of this year. At the Forum, important steps were taken to mobilize major actors in the climate change negotiations, and for increasing ambition and safeguarding of the Paris Agreement.

In these efforts, countries have to be in the driver’s seat. I wish to mention the countries that have recently submitted their updated national plans, which include four SIDS and three LLDCs, one of which is also an LDC, as well as New Zealand.

It is a beginning and I look forward to the work of the new independent Climate Change Commission.

The Pacific NDC Hub, which was launched in 2017, already supports pacific island nations on their low carbon pathways.

As a side remark, I believe the COVID pandemic shows us some keys for solutions like much more replacing travel with virtual meetings, consuming locally including movements like farm-to-table, valuing the quality of the natural environment ! These are all steps each one of us can take to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Each one of us has a role to play.

Let us not just be victims but let us be actors in the change we want.

Slowly indeed, but surely , countries across the world are focusing on recovery efforts.

This is now our opportunity to change course by greening our recovery measures.

This is our moment for SOLIDARITY.

As I said at the beginning, climate change knows no boundaries and a virus also does not and nor should basic human rights.

It is a basic human right to have access to a healthy environment as expressed in the Stockholm declaration.

At the outset, very strong local, national, regional and global political wills have to come together to decide that our “new normal” will be built on an inclusive and sustainable development model.

All stimulus spending should drive a green impact. This would go a long way toward making the low-carbon transition reality rather than keep talking about it.

The evidence is there and shows that such investments can generate a strong economic recovery, create decent jobs and bring us closer to a 1.5-degree world.

We CAN do it, but now we MUST do it !

Let us unite, have a common voice, let us move to ACTION with strong champions who will lead by example.

I thank you.

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