Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,??
Mr. Dennis Francis,??
at the ¡°India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development¡±?event?
[As Delivered]??
23 September 2023??
?Your Excellency, Dr.?Jaishankar,?Minister of External Affairs of India,?
Your Excellency, Ms. Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India,?
Excellencies,??
Ladies and Gentlemen,?
?
Let me begin by warmly thanking the Permanent Mission of India to the UN for inviting me to today¡¯s?significant?event, centred on a theme of great importance.?
?
India¡¯s recent G20 Presidency marked a historic milestone, being the first to usher the African Union into the group as a permanent member?¨C a strong symbol of solidarity and cooperation?across the Global South.?
?
India, home to one-sixth of humanity, plays an unparalleled role in our global mission for a better,?more?sustainable world.??
?
?
Colleagues,?
?
India¡¯s legacy of contributions serves?as a guiding light ¨C encompassing endeavours such as championing democracy, promoting women-led development, and being among the pioneers in adopting the UN¡¯s Global Goals.?
?
Indeed, it is a matter of great honour for me to follow in the footsteps of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, the first-ever female President of the General Assembly, whom India proudly entrusted to the United Nations.?
?
Excellencies,???
?
Our enduring partnership, from the UN¡¯s heart to India¡¯s remotest villages, serves as an inspiration to the Global South.??
?
Today¡¯s event echoes the message of the G20 Summit: ¡°Vasudhaiva?Kutumbakam¡±?¨C the world is one family, and we must support each other.?
?
Throughout this?week, we discussed global crises and agreed that we must bridge gaps between commitments to the sustainable development agenda?and its implementation.??
?
Multilateral organizations, including the UN?and the international?financial architecture, urgently need reform, to fully recognise and leverage?the significance of the Global South.?
?
From bolstering digital public infrastructure and innovative capacity-building,?to strengthening the existing supply chains?and addressing the debt crisis ¨C India is setting an example for many UN Member States from the Global South.?
?
Indeed, India¡¯s recent lunar mission, landing on the moon¡¯s south pole, showcases?the power of science?and technology and what can be achieved?when all countries have access to them.??
?
Undoubtedly, these foster?inclusive and sustainable development, benefiting?the entire Global South, and I commend India¡¯s pioneering role in its endeavours.?
?
Excellencies,??
?
This session, we will see several?pivotal events on the UN¡¯s sustainable development calendar that bear profound impact on the Global South ¨C including high-level meetings in the General Assembly, as well as the Fourth?SIDS Conference, the Third Landlocked Developing Countries Conference, and the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement?at COP28.?
?
Cooperation is indispensable in realizing the transformation we aspire to achieve.??
?
The discussions to be held today regarding?the Global South-UN partnership and the exchange of best practices will certainly prove illuminating?for all of us ¨C and I am eager to hear?your?insights.??
?
Thank you?very?much.?