At the outset. I would like to extend my profound congratulations to Mr. Dennis Francis on
his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session, and I wish him a very successful presidency.
Today the international community is facing multiple crises at a level we have never experienced before. Following the negative impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic, the major challenges facing developing countries range from an increase in extreme poverty, external debt and an unjust international financial architecture to the extreme natural calamities seen in many parts of the world, especially the recent natural disasters that occurred in Morocco and Libya. I join other speakers in expressing our sympathy and condolences to the peoples of Morocco and Libya. Those challenges have already been compounded by regional tensions and unilateral measures as a result of geopolitical rivalries, all of which have not only hampered the hard-earned development progress during the last decade but also threatened the survival of all humankind.
At this critical juncture, the most appropriate solutions are required in order to address such challenges. There is a need for unified and collective actions guided by the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and we must firmly uphold multilateralism in tackling those challenges. To rescue our world from another catastrophe, our shared wisdom and united political determination are more critical than ever. That must be done by putting aside any unilateral interests and resolutely avoiding greater confrontation and division among Member States. To that end. the United Nations must be reformed in a way that enables it to effectively fulfil its mandate. We need the United Nations to be more relevant and effective in our rapidly changing geopolitical landscape and to be able to address the challenges that threaten international peace, security and sustainable development. We believe that we are now better equipped to tackle the global challenges, which include scientific and technological advancement and innovation. Yet without our collective will, shared responsibilities and collective actions, the world’s most vulnerable peoples will continue to be left behind.
Resolving global conflicts and disputes by peaceful means is the only viable way to ensure long-lasting peace and coexistence. In that regard, we urge an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine through peaceful dialogue, without which we all will continue to be affected. We also demand a peaceful resolution of the Middle East problem. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic calls on all the parties concerned to resume dialogue and restore mutual trust in order to resolve the long-overdue Palestinian issue through the establishment of two sovereign States, coexisting peacefully, in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions.
Like many others, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic believes that unilateralism, particularly unilateral coercive measures, not only contravene the principles of the Charter and international law but also severely cause negative consequences for innocent people and hinder the national development of many developing countries. In that regard, my delegation continues to join the global call for lifting the economic embargo against Cuba and removing it from the list of State sponsors of terrorism, in addition to calling for an end to all unilateral coercive measures.
As we approach the midpoint of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, many countries are still lagging behind. We must therefore further strengthen and scale up our collective efforts, including by harnessing scientific and technological achievements to accelerate sustainable development and providing new impetus for innovation-driven growth. At the summit of the Group of 77 and China held in Havana last week, the Heads of State and Government of developing countries echoed that science, technology and innovation, including information and communication technologies, have become fundamental for addressing global challenges and are one of the driving mechanisms of the transformation to accelerate progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda. In that context, a global governance system based on science, technology and innovation is essential to identify problems and find effective solutions for sustainable economic development, environmental conservation, poverty reduction and addressing inequality.
Similarly, in order to scale up the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). the United Nations development system, development partners and international financial institutions must act together in a more coordinated manner. The United Nations development system at all levels must also play an essential role in resource mobilization and coordination, including by supporting countries that are in special situations, in particular the least developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and the small island developing States, to address their specific challenges.
It is evident that one of the key obstacles to the implementation of the SDGs has always been insufficient financing. Secretary-General Guterres said that “the global financial system is biased, morally bankrupt and skewed to benefit wealthy countries”. That is a clear signal that the reform of the international financial architecture is an urgent and long-overdue task, which cannot be done without strengthening the participation of developing countries in international economic decision-making, norm-setting and global economic governance in order to adapt to the changing global economic landscape.
For the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the SDGs are not just a global development goal but a national commitment. In addition to the 17 global SDGs. my country is also working towards achieving SDG 18 — saving lives from unexploded ordnance. Although progress has been made to different degrees on most of these indicators, unexploded ordnance remains a threat to our national development and poses an obstacle to other SDGs. We therefore take this opportunity to call for the continued support and assistance of the international community to address that prolonged and challenging task.
With regard to the other SDGs. our integration of them into our national strategies signals our unwavering dedication. Despite our great efforts, the progress made remains less than desirable, as the implementation of many SDGs has stagnated or regressed. The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is now carrying out its third voluntary national review process, conducting track analysis on specific SDGs to identify which of them need more attention and support. We will submit our voluntary national review at the 2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. In addition, my Government has taken various measures, including the development of a financing strategy as part of our integrated national financing framework, with a view to building a more resilient national financing architecture and opening a window of opportunity to meet the financing needs.
As for our LDC graduation effort, we are embarking on the adoption of our national smooth transition strategy to help the Government, development partners and relevant stakeholders stay focused more on development priorities by addressing the most pressing needs and challenges that could disrupt the country’s graduation process.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic has considerable natural capital, rich biodiversity and abundant water resources, as well as the opportunity for renewable energy development and investment in carbon capture and storage, which can provide the country with significant development potential. In that context, we acknowledge the important role of science, technology and innovation in advancing the country’s national development agenda to promote green and inclusive growth, as well as a digital economy instead of a re source-driven economy, with a view to enhancing the sustainable use of natural resources. In that connection, my country has adopted a national digital economy development vision and strategy.
Although the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is among the countries that contribute the least to global emissions, like others, we are a victim of climate change. Nevertheless, we have strongly committed ourselves to the international climate obligations. My Government has already adopted its national strategy for climate change, but ensuring its full and effective implementation will require sufficient financial resources and technical assistance. That means access to climate finance and other funding resources, which would greatly support developing countries. In that regard, my country urges the realization of the international commitment to mobilize $100 billion in climate finance for the countries in need of it most. To that end. our delegation trusts that the outcome of the Climate Ambition Summit 2023 will lay a foundation for concrete actions in the lead up to the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
This year marks the fifty-sixth anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). As an intergovernmental organization for regional cooperation. ASEAN has not only upheld regionalism and multilateralism but also played a central role in maintaining and promoting peace and security and development in the region. We members of ASEAN are committed to further strengthening the ASEAN community, as well as to enhancing ASEAN unity and centrality in our engagement with external partners, including through ASEAN-led mechanisms, in order to promote an enabling environment for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.
In 2024. the Lao People’s Democratic Republic will assume the ASEAN chairmanship under the theme “Enhancing connectivity and resilience”. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic will continue to build upon the past achievements of ASEAN in strengthening the ASEAN community and enhancing ASEAN external relations with our partners for a more connected and resilient ASEAN.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s commitment to multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, as well as our firm determination to advance the implementation of the three pillars of sustainable development — economic, social and environmental — so that no one is left behind.