Statement by Ambassador Kate Foster, UK Deputy Permanent
Representative to the UN, at the UN Second Committee.
"Let me begin by congratulating you on your appointment.
The United Kingdom looks forward to working closely with you and
the Bureau throughout this session.
Over recent years, we have agreed an ambitious set of
outcomes.
We now have a narrowing window to translate commitments into
meaningful results.
This Committee has an important opportunity to drive that
delivery.
Sustainable development depends on expanding opportunity,
creating jobs, supporting growth, and enabling countries to build
resilient and prosperous economies.
The Compromiso de Sevilla established a renewed framework for
financing sustainable development.
Yet many developing countries continue to face high borrowing
costs, mounting debt burdens, and insufficient investment,
limiting ability to invest in people and their future.
As Professor Parfait Eloundou reminded us, the challenge is not
only mobilising resources, but in ensuring they are used
effectively.
Success depends on matching finance to priorities and improving
coordination across institutions.
The United Kingdom is championing a whole-system approach, using
ODA strategically alongside expertise and innovation to unlock
sustainable investment.
We stand ready to work with partners to implement the Sevilla
commitments and build a fairer, more inclusive global financial
system.
Trade is equally important.
An open, rules-based, transparent and predictable trading system
remains one of the most powerful drivers of growth and
development.
The United Kingdom will work constructively to ensure the
Committee's discussions respect established mandates, reflect
agreed multilateral rules, and focus on practical measures
capable of commanding consensus.
Innovation can help accelerate development, strengthen
resilience, and create new economic opportunities.
We want developing countries not only to benefit from new
technologies, on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, but also to
help shape their development and governance.
Climate change and nature loss are increasingly driving
instability, displacement, and economic vulnerability around the
world.
At the same time, the clean energy transition presents a major
opportunity for growth, job creation, energy security, and
economic transformation.
As we look ahead to COP 31 and COP 17, our focus must be on
implementation.
We must accelerate action under the Paris Agreement and the
Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework including efforts
to keep 1.5 degrees within reach, mobilise climate and nature
finance, halt and reverse biodiversity loss, and to accelerate
adaptation and resilience for the most vulnerable.
The United Kingdom continues to deliver its ambitious Nationally
Determined Contribution and National Biodiversity Strategy and
Action Plan.
We call on all countries to submit their plans and translate
commitments into action.
In this Committee, we will champion ambitious implementation of
agreed climate and nature commitments.
Sustainable development also depends on ensuring that women and
girls can participate fully in, and benefit from, growth.
The United Kingdom remains committed to advancing the rights and
empowerment of all women and girls, including comprehensive
sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Investing in women and girls supports inclusive growth, it helps
societies reach their full potential.
We will continue to protect hard-won progress, and resist
attempts to roll back agreed commitments.
To deliver more, the United Nations must also work more
effectively.
This is the first Second Committee session since agreement of the
revitalisation decision, which we warmly welcomed.
Revitalisation matters because every hour spent renegotiating
previously agreed language is an hour not spent advancing
implementation of the commitments we have already
made.
The United Kingdom therefore encourages continued focus on agenda
discipline, consistent with revitalisation decisions, including
avoiding resolutions on matters recently negotiated elsewhere or
outside the Committee's core remit.
As 2030 approaches, our focus should be on delivery, not on
duplication; on implementation, not on reinvention.
By advancing investment, resilience and reform, we can expand
opportunity, strengthen economies, and improve lives.
The United Kingdom stands ready to work with all partners to make
that happen."
