Statement
Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
I have the honor to deliver these remarks on behalf of the thirty-nine members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).
At the outset, allow me to thank you for today’s briefing which has provided a very much needed updates on the Secretary-General’s work in response to the General Assembly resolutions, including resolution 79/258, and those related to proposals in his UN80 initiative report on “Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver”.
Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
Allow me to begin with a few priorities on the resident coordinator system.
Small island developing States (SIDS) are a special case for sustainable development, given our unique and inherent vulnerabilities. Every day, we are constrained by our small size, geographic remoteness, and heavy dependence on external trade, while being at the frontline of multiple crises, from climate change, to rising debt burdens and exogenous shocks.
In this regard, a "one size fits all" approach is insufficient. Our national development contexts demand tailored UN engagement and configurations aligned to our circumstances, needs and priorities. As such, the work on the recalibration of the resident coordinator system must result in one that is more responsive, more accessible and more equitable to serve those who depend on it most, particularly SIDS.
Second, while AOSIS acknowledge the vision of a new generation of country teams that are leaner, more coherent and impactful, we underscore that any proposal must not lead to withdrawal or reduction of the UN’s development impact in SIDS.
Given our remote geographical locations, in-country and regional presence is essential for effective engagement. They foster trust and allow for tailored programming that responds directly to our priorities.
For AOSIS, the UN’s presence on the ground is critical to delivering support that address the unique challenges faced by SIDS, including through the successful implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS. At the same time, the MCO Review has delivered better coherence, efficiency and effectiveness in delivery, and such gains must be protected.
As such, any restructuring should therefore strengthen, not diminish, the capacity and resources available within our regions. In fact, regressing from the positive outcomes from the multi-country office review in 2019, which strengthened support for SIDS covered under the MCO model, would fundamentally present a detrimental step backward.
Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
AOSIS thanks the Secretariat for convening this briefing and for the concept note provided. Given the importance of the exercise, we must stress that for discussions such as these delegations, especially smaller ones, would appreciate receiving the information and guiding questions well in advance so that groups and countries can have more time to prepare their inputs.
Notwithstanding this, AOSIS would like to share the following points and raise the following questions.
Discussions on the UN Development System, whether under the UN80 Initiative, the QCPR, or the Fifth Committee, has become increasingly unclear, muddled and confusing.
For instance, General Assembly resolution 79/258 contains a specific mandate that requests the Secretary-General to submit a refined comprehensive and detailed report on the financing of and governance over the resident coordinator system to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session. A mandate that, having been created by the Fifth Committee, focuses on the administrative and budgetary or funding aspects of the Resident Coordinator system.
It will be important to have full view of those proposals, possible funding models and streams clearly. As such, the referencing of this mandate under the recalibration exercise, for AOSIS, seems to deviate from the 79/258 mandate, and we are careful to misconstrue or mix the two.
At the same time, we note that the concept note for today’s briefing states that the outcome of the recalibration exercise will be presented to both ECOSOC and the General Assembly, and the questions posed to Member States speak more to the implementation of the QCPR.
In this regard, AOSIS will appreciate your clarity on the following:
Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
We look forward to receiving regular updates on the recalibration of the resident coordinator System under both the QCPR, the UN80 process and in the context of the General Assembly resolution 79/258.
However, these discussions require the input and guidance of the membership.
AOSIS remains committed to engaging constructively with all Member States to ensure the United Nations Resident Coordinator System is truly responsive to those who depend on it most.
I thank you.
