Dear Co-Chairs,
Excellencies, distinguished delegations,
My delegation supports the statements delivered by Iraq on behalf of the G77 and China, as well as the statement delivered by Palau on behalf of AOSIS.
We would like to thank the permanent representatives of Zambia, Nepal, Mexico, and Norway and their teams for their invaluable efforts as facilitators of the outcome document of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, which led to the finalization of the Seville Commitment.
We acknowledge the facilitators' transparency, development of line-by-line negotiations, and commitment to the process, which enabled a genuine exchange among the member states.
Adopting the Seville Commitment is a significant step toward reorienting the international financial architecture and moving toward financing that is fairer and more solidarity-based, and truly oriented toward meeting the needs of developing countries.
The adoption of this document reaffirms confidence in multilateralism, in a context where a member country not only disregards the United Nations, but also international law, the UN Charter, and all multilateral agreements whose objective is the well-being of humanity and sustainable development.
We will not address the limitations of the document. Instead, we wish to emphasize its potential to close the financial gap on the road to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and to promote the development of our countries in general.
In this regard, we support including the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, such as the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, in the Financing for Development Agenda for the first time. This inclusion restores a key political balance to multilateral discussions by recognizing that sustainable development and differentiated responsibilities are inseparable. We reiterate our call for developed countries to fulfill their commitments in terms of both climate finance and international development cooperation.
We are encouraged by the reaffirmation of the essential role of official development assistance (ODA) and the calls for developed countries to comply fully with their historical commitments, including allocating 0.7% of gross national income. We also appreciate the recognition of the need to increase the concessional component of financing for developing countries. Therefore, following the adoption in Seville, we expect to see an increase in ODA commitments.
We positively highlight the explicit rejection of unilateral economic, commercial, or financial measures that are contrary to international law and the United Nations Charter and hinder the economic development of many countries, including our own. This is a step forward in the international community's recognition of the negative impact of these measures. Therefore, it is an issue that should be addressed at the Financing for Development Forum and in other spaces where the implementation of this document will be reviewed.
Co-Chairs,
The proposal to initiate an intergovernmental process at the United Nations to formulate recommendations that address gaps in the debt architecture is a step in the right direction. It is a longstanding demand of developing countries, which have too often faced debt crises without fair, transparent, and inclusive resolution mechanisms.
This process provides an opportunity for all voices to be heard and for sustainable development and the rights of our peoples to take precedence over financial interests. Cuba reaffirms its strong commitment to a systemic and structural solution to the debt problem and will actively participate in this process.
We support the call to democratize global economic governance and strengthen the United Nations' role in these matters. This transformation must prioritize the interests and needs of the Global South. The actions outlined in the section on systemic issues must be advanced and implemented.
Co-Chairs,
The Seville Commitment does not solve all the challenges we face. Nevertheless, the document constitutes a useful framework for moving forward, provided that its full and consistent implementation is guaranteed, and its principles are translated into concrete actions, additional financing and courageous political decisions.
Cuba reiterates its firm commitment to an international economic order that does not reproduce inequalities, but rather promotes development and inclusiveness.
We adopt this document in a constructive spirit. We hope that its implementation will truly respond to the aspirations of developing countries.
Thank you