6 October 2010: The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) met on 6 October 2010, in New York, US, to continue and conclude its general debate, addressing, inter alia: support to small island developing States (SIDS); climate change issues; the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); disasters, and international governance.

A number of speakers addressed issues pertaining to support to small island developing States (SIDS). Egypt expressed his commitment to supporting the efforts of all developing countries, including SIDS, landlocked developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs). The United Republic of Tanzania noted that the vulnerabilities of SIDS had been further exacerbated by climate change, and urged the international community to increase its support for them. Japan outlined his country’s assistance to SIDS and LDCs. Maldives explained that its impending graduation from the UN list of LDCs had significant implications for its economy and programme of socioeconomic development. He cautioned that the country’s well-documented vulnerabilities as a SIDS would not vanish upon graduation to middle-income status. Tuvalu indicated she was seeking partners to help with renewable-energy and energy-efficiency technologies.

A number of speakers outlined national progress towards achieving the MDGs. Tuvalu stated that her country had made some progress towards realizing the MDGs relating to primary education and women’s participation in society. She noted that more efforts were needed on adequate access to health care, maternal health care, child mortality, and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Maldives highlighted it had already achieved five MDGs, making significant progress on targets relating to poverty eradication, primary education, child mortality and health care. The Dominican Republic, associating himself with the Group of 77 and the Rio Group, stressed the need to ensure access to basic health services for all, and called on the international community to abide by the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for US$250 million a year to finance the costs of achieving the MDGs.

On climate change, the debate touched on the specific vulnerability of SIDS, the on-going negotiations, and the linkages between climate change and sustainable development. On SIDS’ vulnerability to climate change, India underscored the need to address the threat of climate change to SIDS. Haiti highlighted its fragile situation with regard to climate change, warning that if nothing was done to combat it, some countries could disappear within half a century. On the interrelation between sustainable development and climate change, Maldives said climate change and sustainable development should not and could not be treated separately. On climate change negotiations, numerous speakers, including Tuvalu and Haiti, called for a successful outcome in Cancun, Mexico, at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the UNFCCC. Tuvalu referred to COP 15 to the UNFCCC, which took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009, as a “failure.” Haiti expressed hope that States would adopt legally-binding measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Cancun. Tuvalu called for agreement on amendments and rules for the Kyoto Protocol, a mandate to start talks on a new legally-binding agreement based on the Bali Action Plan, to include a set of decisions providing interim implementation measures.

On disasters, the Dominican Republic said the international community must adopt policies to mitigate the impact of natural disasters, integrate risk management into public policy, develop early-warning systems in coastal areas and adjust critical infrastructure. He called for the creation of a worldwide alliance of countries at risk, which could encourage the formation of a rapid reaction facility. Tuvalu stated that extreme weather could destroy its progress overnight and threaten the very survival of vulnerable States.

On international governance, Tuvalu called for a results-oriented approach to implementing the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS (BPOA). She also stressed the importance of cooperation to implement regional agreements, highlighting the sustainable management of tuna stocks. Maldives called for greater sensitivity to SIDS’ vulnerabilities, a re-evaluation of measurement criteria on their economic sustainability and the creation of a formal category for SIDS within the UN in order to improve access to concessionary financing and grant funding for small highly indebted vulnerable States.

In closing, Enkhtsetseg Ochir (Mongolia), Committee Chairperson, summarized the three-day general debate. She said speakers had emphasized the critical importance of the deliberations on climate change, biodiversity and the UNCSD (or Rio+20) in 2012. She added that speakers had underscored that tackling the sustainable development challenge entailed agreement on targets for GHG emissions, expediting the implementation of existing agreements and new financing. She also mentioned that many countries in special situations had discussed the great impact of the financial, energy, food security and climate change crises. She indicated that the Committee would build on the outcome of September’s Five-Year Review of the Mauritius Strategy (MSI+5), and contribute to preparations for the Istanbul Conference on the LDCs. [UN Press Release]