New York, October 11, 2023.
Mr. Chairman,
Colleagues,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we recognized that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.
We are determined to free humanity from the tyranny of poverty, committing ourselves to end hunger, achieve food security as a matter of priority, end all forms of malnutrition and leaving no one behind.
For achieving those goals, we need to mobilize the means required to implement the 2030 Agenda through a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest, most vulnerable, with the participation of all countries, stakeholders, people and guided by the principles of the Rio Declaration, including, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
We have also recognized as a principle that the right to development must be realized in a manner that equitably meets the developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations.
These are our commitments, but unfortunately, until now, the world is not on track to achieving Sustainable Development Goal No. 1 on ending poverty in all its forms and dimensions.
According to the most recent estimates, 670 million people live in extreme poverty in 2022, representing 8.4 per cent of the world's population, with an increase of 70 million people, compared with pre-pandemic projections.
If current trends continue, by 2030, between 574 million and 575 million people will continue to live in extreme poverty and only one-third of countries will have reduced their national poverty levels by half.
At the same time, poverty continues to be overwhelmingly rural, where 80 per cent of the world’s extreme poor live. Despite the role they play in global food production, they cannot afford the cost of food and other basic necessities.
The cost of food can have an enormous effect on poverty. Estimates show that every additional 1 per cent increase in food prices pushes 10 million more people into extreme poverty. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of countries facing moderately to abnormally high food prices reaching a record of 48 per cent in 2020.
The provision of means of implementation to developing countries for facing these imperative realities has been insufficient. ODA amounted to $204 billion in 2022, rising by 13.6 per cent in real terms from 2021. The increase was due mostly to in-donor refugee costs and aid, but not targeting developing countries.
Mr. Chairman,
Poverty imposes massive human suffering. It is the most extensive violation of human rights. It is also the root cause of social and economic instability and the majority of political and security problems across the world.
For that reason, poverty eradication is the first among the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Apart from the direct attack on poverty, we need to address its systemic causes at national, regional and international levels.
Conflicts are on the rise and the forced displacement, exacerbates socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities.
Structures of finance, production and trade must be fair and equitable.
The exploitation of natural resources of the developing countries must stop including cross-border resources. International law must be enforced and respected. Poorer countries must get their fair share in global development that they have been requesting since long time ago.
The financial resources needed by the developing countries must be mobilized, through sound debt management, rechanneling unused, existing and new SDRs, expanding grants and concessional finance, particularly for the countries in extreme financial difficulties and/or suffering from natural and human-made disasters.
The realization of the SDGs can be accelerated, especially through major investments in sustainable infrastructure - in renewable energy, transport, housing, education, water and sanitation. New technologies must be mobilized and the digital divide bridged to enable developing countries to advance into a modern and inclusive development paradigm.
The multiple crises that we are facing today requires fulfillment of the commitments and pledges by the developing countries towards providing financial, technological, and capacity building support to the developing countries to eradicate poverty and achieve the SDGs.
The Group also reiterates its call for lifting unilateral coercive measures. Those are a major impediment for achieving the SDGs, eradicating poverty and fulfilling our greatest task in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: a world free of poverty and hunger.
The Group is confident that our discussions this year at the second committee would provide guidance for our collective fight against global poverty and promotion of the SDGs.
Thank you.