Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you, Chair.
I am honoured to deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and my own country, Australia.
Let me begin by congratulating you on your election.
CANZ looks forward to working with you, the Bureau and all delegations during this 81st Session of the Second Committee.
Chair,
We all know this session will play out against a backdrop of a multilateral system under sustained pressure.
But we must remember the reason we are here – to help drive sustainable development for individuals around the world, ensuring no one is left behind.
This means Second Committee outcomes must be focused on advancing implementation of the 2030 Agenda and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
This is even more critical as we approach discussions on what will follow the 2030 Agenda.
CANZ wants to see Second Committee processes align with building an accountable, efficient UN system equipped to respond to current and future global challenges.
We will continue to support reform process to bolster all three pillars of the UN – including promoting meaningful outcomes on sustainable development.
Chair,
This session, Member States must put the commitments of resolution 80/251 into practice under UN80.
That means greater discipline, clarity and brevity in creating mandates, supported by concept notes and meaningful review and retirement clauses.
CANZ welcomes the progress made on Second Committee revitalisation, though we would have preferred greater ambition.
Now we need to implement these outcomes fully.
Chair,
The adoption of the Seville Commitment at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development brought us together with a renewed focus.
It reaffirmed our shared commitment to multilateralism and a pathway to mobilizing greater levels of finance for sustainable development.
CANZ wants to see the primacy of this outcome respected and given the space to succeed.
We caution against attempts to renegotiate this outcome through the resolutions under the Macroeconomic cluster.
Chair,
CANZ re-emphasises that gender equality and disability equity are catalysts for sustainable development and the bedrock of a peaceful, secure and prosperous world.
Our families, our communities and our economies are stronger when all women and girls are safe, empowered to achieve their full potential, and their rights – including sexual and reproductive health and rights – are protected and promoted.
Gender-responsive and disability-inclusive sustainable development efforts, including financing, are critical in regaining lost ground, and in advancing us further.
Our commitment to gender equality and disability equity is resolute.
The ever-more evident impacts of climate change – including through extreme weather events and disasters – continue to undermine hard-won development gains and progress towards the 2030 Agenda.
Vulnerable countries, such as Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries, are at the frontlines of the climate crises which threaten their livelihoods, security and wellbeing.
CANZ supports greater recognition of the external vulnerabilities faced by some countries, particularly SIDS, across the multilateral system and international organisations, and the need for tailored solutions.
This can only happen through full implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Action Plan for SIDS (ABAS).
Pre-COP, which is currently underway and being hosted by the Pacific, presents a unique opportunity to project the voices of SIDS onto a global stage and generate momentum for action.
As we approach COP31 – where Australia is serving as President of Negotiations – CANZ looks forward to working with all Parties to advance ambitious, balanced and practical outcomes that strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement and accelerate mitigation, adaptation, finance and just transition efforts.
This includes reinforcing the Paris Agreement’s core foundations and scaling up practical solutions to drive sustainable development while reducing emissions.
Chair, the Operational Activities for Development resolution will be a priority focus for CANZ again this year.
In the context of significant pressures on the UN Development System, it is imperative we implement previously agreed reforms, such as a more empowered – and thereby more effective – Resident Coordinator system.
Chair, we encourage delegations to engage with the spirit of cooperation and progress – and accepting well-established consensus positions early.
The work of the Committee should reflect the outcomes of recent landmark agreements and recently agreed language.
As is well known, we understand the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances, to be applicable in the climate context, not here.
We expect any reference to technology transfer to be on voluntary and mutually agreed terms.
References to sanctions and unilateral coercive measures should align with the agreed 2030 Agenda formulations – alternatives will only hold up consensus.
Our firm commitment to gender equality is also well-known.
We support and empower the Bureau and facilitators of individual resolutions to create and sustain inclusive, good faith negotiations, right to the end.
As CANZ we reiterate the importance of seeking consensus outcomes, and expect the final texts to adequately, and in a balanced way, reflect the different voices around the table.
Chair,
CANZ is steadfast in our commitment to the 2030 Agenda and UN system reforms – both are critical to protecting the UN’s vital role in advancing sustainable development.
Count on CANZ to continue to be a constructive voice in this committee, working collaboratively with all delegations to secure meaningful outcomes.
Thank you.