The UN system is standing in solidarity with landlocked developing countries, which lack access to vital trade links,
and supporting them in their efforts to rebuild once the global coronavirus pandemic abates, Secretary-General António
Guterres said on Wednesday.
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, 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; and 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 side-lines 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 the
2030 Agenda.