Statement by India during the General Debate at the 66th Session of the Trade and Development Board of UNCTAD delivered by Mr. Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary on 26th June 2019 in Geneva.
Mr. President,
At the outset, India would like to congratulate you Ambassador Michael Gaffey and the Vice-Presidents, on your election to this important office. We also would like to place on record our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Ambassador Salim Baddoura, Permanent Representative of Lebanon for his tireless efforts during the last year in steering the work of the TDB. We also thank the Secretary-General and the secretariat for their constant support for the delegations.
2. India aligns itself with the statement delivered by Ecuador on behalf of the group of G-77.
Mr. President,
3. This session of the Trade and Development Board is of particular importance to us as it sets the tone and direction for the next Conference of UNCTAD in 2020. The theme of the High-Level Segment on inequality and its implications on poverty reduction and attainment of the SDGs is pertinent, timely and goes in sync with the agenda of the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development scheduled in New York in July this year.
Mr. President,
4. India deeply values the vital role played by UNCTAD as the nodal point in the United Nations for providing an integrated and cohesive framework to the development agenda, from the perspective of trade, investment, finance, technology, and sustainable development. It has been three years since the last UNCTAD Conference. As we move towards the UNCTAD XV, it is time for us to reflect on our progress since Nairobi Maafikiano. While we did make headway on a number of areas as per the Maafikiano mandate, several key questions remain unanswered, and cooperation and progress on vital areas remains conspicuously absent.
Mr. President,
5. The global development agenda under the SDGs reflects an approach from quick fixes to long term solutions, from limited interventions to broad-based programs and from symptoms to root causes.
Mr. President,
6. Today, we are all witnessing an ever dynamic and difficult to predict economic landscape in the world order. Climate change and its aftereffects remains a serious concern. Increased public support to climate change must be new and predictable and not at the cost of assistance to the poorest developing countries and to social sectors like health and education.
7. There is an urgent need for reform of the international financial system to make it more democratic, more representative and responsive. The international financial system also needs to incentivize long term investments in sustainable development.
8. Reform of the international tax cooperation mechanism is vital. Globalisation demands a more participatory, transparent, accountable and democratic global governance structure on tax issues. The long standing decision on upgrading the UN Committee of Experts on international cooperation on tax matters into an intergovernmental body is a historic missed opportunity.
9. Rapid technological change brings with it an array of opportunities but also poses serious challenges. These challenges if not countered have the potential to widen existing inequalities and create new fault lines. Digital divide still persists and has widened over the years.
Mr. President,
10. In recent years, multilateralism has been seen faltering on many fronts. To make matters worse, the multiple global crises of the past several years have had a n adverse impact on the ability of developing countries to mobilize finance for their development aspirations. Their capacities have been further eroded by the widening gap and reversal of capital flows and stagnating, if not falling, aid disbursements. Hence there is an urgent need to restore the faith of member states in the processes of multilateralism.
Mr. President,
11. South-South Cooperation has played an increasingly important and contributory role in the global development discourse. India has played an important part in this story. For us, cooperation with and support to fellow developing countries and sharing our developmental experience as an expression of solidarity with them is an article of faith.
Mr. President,
12. India strongly believes that UNCTAD XV is an opportunity for the global community to renew its commitment and seriousness to achieve the goals as envisaged in the SDGs. All the three pillars of policy analysis, consensus–building and technical cooperation of UNCTAD should continue to be strengthened and revitalized, as we move towards the next UNCTAD Conference in Barbados in 2020.
Thank You.
