Panel Presentation by Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan, Ambassador & Deputy Permanent Representative at the event on "Good Practices in Operationalising the Right to Development in South-South Cooperation", organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the University of Peace (UPEACE) on 18 May 2023, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
1. On behalf of the Permanent Mission of India, I would firstly like to thank the OHCHR and U-PEACE for organizing this side-event, and inviting us to share our thoughts on operationalising the normative principles of the Right to Development in the framework of South-South Cooperation. I also congratulate Mr. Pratyush Sharma for the excellent study on this important issue. I acknowledge the presence of Prof. Surya Deva, the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development; and of Dr. Mihir Kanade, member of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development.
2. Thanks, Pratyush, for the presentation, which we all heard carefully, especially the three case studies that included the project on health care and communication in Antigua & Barbuda under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. The study has demonstrated how these projects are helpful in realising RTD through solidarity and cooperation among States and also examined the mutually reinforcing nature of the principles of RTD and SSC.
3. India has been a strong proponent of RTD since the 1986 UN Declaration on RTD. We believe that RTD can provide a balanced, comprehensive and enabling framework to strengthen international cooperation required to achieve the SDGs while promoting all human rights for all. On our part, we follow the guiding principles of RTD in letter and spirit in our own policy framework.
4. I will take this opportunity to briefly touch upon some of the good practices in the Indian experience. Our aim has always been to share our knowledge, experience and expertise with partner countries. India has always reiterated that fiscal responsibility, transparency, and viability must guide financial options, including for development of infrastructure projects, to avoid imposing any unsustainable debt burdens on already vulnerable countries and communities.
5. Our international developmental assistance, which spans the globe, does not create unjustified indebtedness and is without undue conditionalities. Our concessional Lines of Credit – of over 30 billion US dollars – and our substantial grants-in-aid projects, are all designed with this approach. Our commitment to the principles of South-South Cooperation was also evident in our Covid assistance, where we supplied more than 291 million vaccines to 99 countries and two UN entities, as well as medicines to over 150 countries.
6. We have also taken a lead in bringing together international coalitions such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient infrastructure; as well as in helping partner countries address the challenge of climate change, including through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund which promotes South-owned and South-led transformational sustainable development projects.
India-UN Development Partnership Fund
7. Established in 2017, the 150 million US dollars India-UN Development Partnership Fund has the aim to strengthen international solidarity and cooperation.
8. The Fund’s thematic reach spans all 17 SDGs and supports projects that are in alignment with the 2030 Agenda. It addresses global issues such as climate resilience, renewable energy, gender equality, health and pandemic recovery, education and skills, livelihoods, infrastructure, water and sanitation, agricultural development and digital inclusion. The Fund places a priority on national ownership and leadership, sustainability, development of local capacity, and mutual benefit.
9. In a short span of 6 years, the Fund has supported 66 development projects in partnership with 51 developing countries. From supporting a Convention Centre in Palau to hosting an Ocean Conference; from rehabilitating hospitals in Antigua & Barbuda and Guyana, to building a school in Dominica; from supporting an IT Centre of Excellence in Papua New Guinea to developing the capacity of women to stem desertification in the Kanem and Lake Chad regions – the India-UN Fund is directly impacting the lives of communities across the developing world.
IBSA Fund
10. The India-Brazil-South Africa Fund is another exemplary manifestation of a partnership between three emerging economies to work towards equal opportunity of development with sustainable and economic growth. Under this Fund, 35 partner countries have benefited from an exchange of knowledge, skills and technologies across 39 developmental projects, to deliver indigenous solutions for their people.
India’s G20 Presidency
11. Friends, our priorities during our G20 Presidency this year are shaped in consultation with not just fellow G20 countries, but also with the countries of the Global South. This was reflected in our decision to convene a “Voice of Global South” Summit at the start of our G20 Presidency.
12. India is also making reformed multilateralism for the 21st century a priority with a focus on strong collective actions to accelerate progress on SDGs. The theme of India’s G20 Presidency ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or “One EarthOne Family·One Future” is reflective of our civilisational belief in the universality of human values, interdependence and solidarity. And we are using this opportunity to amplify the perspectives and priorities of the Global South.
I would like to conclude by saying that India has been playing a constructive role in being a trusted and reliable partner for developmental partnerships, and we stand ready to continue to share our experiences.
Thank you.
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