Addressing a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from this group of countries, Mr. Guterres said that on top of challenges which include severe disruptions to trade, transport and distributions, the risk of debt distress looms. 

“With the impact of COVID-19, global debt has soared to unprecedented heights. In some of the most vulnerable countries, more than a quarter of public revenue is being used to service public debt, severely limiting fiscal space”, he said. 

The complex challenges not only threaten economic growth and livelihoods, but they are also impacting nations’ ability to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and  Paris Agreement on Climate Change, he added. 

Partnering for solutions 

Against this background, the Secretary-General said that the UN “is here to partner with you on solutions.” 

These include low-emission, safe means of transport and infrastructure; mobilizing private and public funding; moving away from dependence on economically volatile fossil fuels to renewable energy systems; combatting illicit financial flows. 

“We need to ensure that resources and debt relief reach all countries that need it, in order to create space for investments in recovery and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said the Secretary-General. 

Alongside, trade potential of landlocked developing countries should be increased, and cooperation between landlocked developing and transit countries strengthened, added Mr. Guterres. 

“Next Tuesday’s meeting of Leaders on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and beyond can help galvanize ambition and action in these areas”, he said. 

Mr. Guterres also called on the landlocked developing countries to implement six key principles for a climate positive recovery: investing in green jobs and sectors; not bailing out polluting industries; ending fossil fuel subsidies; accounting for climate risks and opportunities in all policy and financial decisions; working together, and leaving no one behind.  

“The UN system will continue to support you in your efforts to realize sustainable, inclusive development for your people as you respond and ultimately recover from the COVID-19 crisis.” 

Re-energize collective efforts for SDGs 

In a separate message, Vulcan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly, also called on the ministers to re-energize collective efforts to achieve the SDGs through the Decade of Action. 

“The SDGs have the potential to serve as a blueprint for resilient recovery from COVID-19,” he said. 

The Assembly President also called on the international community to “consider and account for the contextual circumstances” of the landlocked countries, urging measures to facilitate their participation in the global, sustainable recovery. 

“Each country has its own path to sustainable development, guided by the Goals. But each country’s conditions and context differ. We cannot copy and paste the solution; we must work together with flexibility and adaptability to achieve success.” 

The Vienna Programme of Action 

In the shadow of the COVID pandemic, the high-level virtual meeting on the sidelines of the General Assembly’s high-level was convened to review progress in implement the Vienna Programme of Action for the landlocked developing countries for the decade 2014-2025 – the landmark development framework to tackle the special circumstances of the landlocked countries and facilitate their integration into the global economy. 

It also provided an opportunity for ministers and senior government officials to share knowledge, experiences, and suggest recommendations and opportunities for accelerating the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action and 2030 Agenda.

Source: UN News