76^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Second Committee

Agenda Item 25[a] & [b] Operational Activities for Development & South-South Cooperation

INDIA STATEMENT

By Ms. Sneha Dubey, First Secretary

14 October, 2021

Madam Chair,

We appreciate the insightful reports of the Secretary General under agenda item 25.

2. It is important that UN development activities revolve around national ownership and leadership, and give due consideration to national development priorities. The UN system must focus on those tasks it is uniquely qualified to deliver. And these should be supported with adequate and predictable volume of flexible resources.

3. UN Development System needs to amplify its impact while working to enhance support for South-South cooperation. If we are to be on track to achieve 2030 Agenda, it must be ensured that resources meant for core development programmes are not re-purposed. If so, they need to be brought back on track.

Madam Chair,

4. As we have witnessed, the Covid pandemic has tested the resilience of multilateral institutions; and the Global South has been largely fending for themselves. In these circumstances, South-South Cooperation has become even more crucial.

5. Prime Minister Modi’s call for "One Earth One Health” approach underlines our continuing commitment to the Global South, already evident in the supply of medical assistance to 150 countries and vaccines to many nations in the developing world.

6. Indian development partnership with Global South is designed to release the full potential of developing countries. India has been very clear that South-South Cooperation, particularly Lines of Credit and soft loans, should not result in placing an undue burden on the recipients. We are equally clear that any such assistance should not result in unsustainable indebtedness, thereby making it counter-productive for the recipient countries and hinder their overall development.

7. Our efforts within the realm of SSC have included providing annual training slots to over 160 countries under our flagship programme of Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation; offering concessional Lines of Credit of over US$ 30 billion and also grant assistance to numerous developing countries.

8. We would also like to highlight the US$ 150 million India-UN Development Partnership Fund, managed by UNOSSC, that continues to support South-owned and South-led sustainable development projects with a focus on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. In four years, the Fund has a portfolio of 66 projects in 52 countries. As part of Covid response, the India-UNDP Fund has commissioned projects in 15 countries ranging from Antigua & Barbuda in the Caribbean to Palau in the South Pacific.

9. Another unique mechanism demonstrating the relevance and vitality of South-South Cooperation is the India-Brazil-South Africa Fund. Since its inception, it has disbursed about US$ 40 million, supporting 35 development projects in 31 countries, a majority of them in LDCs.

10.  In a true spirit of triangular cooperation of BAPA plus 40, India has taken the lead, inter alia, in the establishment of the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

11.  We must raise our collective voice for recovery, resilience and reform to ensure that we go back to the path of development and of achieving the SDGs.

I thank you.