Madam President,
Distinguished Members of the Board,
The UNDP Administrator,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. At the outset, please allow me to warmly congratulate you Madam President as well other members of the Bureau to this Executive Board. We are confident that under your able leadership, the views of the developing countries will be fully reflected in your deliberations.

3. I wish to also thank the UNDP Administrator, Mr. Achim Steiner, for his statement and for inviting me to attend and speak at this Board Session.

Madam President,

4. In his remarks, the UNDP Administrator has mentioned that the UNDP has invested significant time and extensive efforts to further strengthen oversight, risk management, evaluation, and due diligence processes to meet the challenges of the new Strategic plan.

5. We welcome the rigorous approach taken by UNDP in addressing these matters and wish to put on record our appreciation for UNDP’s commitment, particularly to bringing its oversight systems and the application of oversight practices for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects and other funded initiatives up to the highest standards.

Madam President,

6. The world today is grappling with a triple challenge: the Covid-19 crisis, the achievement of the 2030 agenda, and the challenge to contain the catastrophic impacts of climate change.

7. A majority of developing countries, constrained by the unsustainable debt burden and a liquidity crisis, will be unable to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals anywhere close to the projected time frame.

8. The staggering disparity in financial stimulus packages injected by the developed economies, and the numerous hurdles faced by a majority of the developing countries to muster even a small fraction of these resources, are stark reminders of the deep endemic inequalities among countries.

9. In this context the UNDP should play an active role to support the national efforts of the developing countries in responding to this triple challenge.

10. We are pleased to see that the UNDP has prioritized the eradication of poverty and promotion of investments in the SDGs, both from public and private resources.

11. We believe that the implementation of its strategic framework 2022-2025 should result in mobilizing adequate, sufficient, and predictable concessional finance and developing a pipeline of sustainable development projects for the eradication of poverty in developing countries, reaffirming its multidimensional nature.

12. The Group hopes the UNDP would consider the following priorities of the Group along the implementation of the Strategic Plan:

First and foremost, for the realization of vaccine equity we need to achieve at least 70% vaccination in all countries to prevent the virus from roaming, mutating, and returning.

Second, it is essential to generate adequate financial resources, from all possible sources, to stimulate economic recovery in the developing economies.

Third, a conscious effort is needed to ensure universal access to social protection measures as a means of saving lives and livelihoods of poor and vulnerable peoples.

Fourth, mobilization of adequate investment in quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure in energy, communications, transport, and technology should be a part of synergetic strategy for COVID-19 recovery, sustainable development, and climate action.

Fifth, implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact, and adherence to the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances, is vital.

We encourage UNDP to continue its transparent and rigorous approach and to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Executive Board’s membership, particularly to access resources through GEF and GCF to combat climate change and other intensifying environmental impacts.

Madam President,

13. The principal objective of the United Nations Development System (UNDS) should be to ensure effective, efficient, and comprehensive support to the national governments for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

14. The UNDP should continue to work to support national priorities in achieving the SDGs. A one-size-fits-all approach is not an effective strategy.

15. The heart and soul of the UNDS reform efforts, and the QCPR, extend beyond the pursuit of efficiency and harmonization.

16. On funding the UNDP, the imbalance between core and non-core resources of the Organization continues to be a matter of concern for the Group.

17. The Group, therefore, emphasizes the importance of ensuring the predictability and availability of regular resources to allow UNDP to fulfill its mandate in an efficient and independent manner.

Madam President,

18. The substantive policy dialogue within this Board is critical to ensure a focus on the impact of implementation, rather than to duplicate GA and ECOSOC discussions.

19. Please allow me to wish you all success in your endeavors and reiterate the support of the Group of 77 and China to your efforts.

I thank you.