Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires urgent efforts. Kazakhstan has been investing in the 17 SDGs at the country, regional and global level.
Kazakhstan underlines the primary importance of the regional approach, through elaborating a region-wide strategy for sustainable development, and at the same time, addressing potential threats and conflicts.
During the 76th session, we will vigorously promote the SDGs in all regions of the world, but with our primary focus on Central Asia. The country will strive to provide leadership for the region in a spirit of true partnership with neighboring and other countries in order to reach the SDG indicators and mobilize humanitarian action and resources. We will work on early warning and reducing foreboding human-made and natural disasters, and thus transcend vulnerabilities by building resilience. Kazakhstan’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, Agenda 2030, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and other parallel global processes, is reflected in all the strategic national and regional programmes for the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), enabling them to reach their own vision.
In its capacity as Chair of the LLDCs for 2020-2021, Kazakhstan will continue to consider the strategies proposed by the Almaty and the Vienna Programmes of Action. With the support of the Secretary-General, UN-OHRLLS and many other UN and international agencies, Kazakhstan initiated preparations for the Roadmap for Accelerated Implementation of the VPoA in its remaining five years. We fully believe this innovative document will bring practical deliverables to LLDCs on the issues of transit policy, infrastructure development, international trade and trade facilitation. It will also promote regional integration and structural economic transformation, together with the means of implementation.
It is clear that all the 17 SDGs have a direct bearing on the progress and future of the LLDCs, which must endeavor to fulfill indicators and criteria. Likewise, each of the goals, in turn, supports the LLDCs with their need for trade-related capacity building, regional economic integration and interconnectivity. We realize that sustainable transport is the key factor to transform landlockedness into landlinkedness. This highlights the importance of the recommendations of the High-level Midterm Review of the Implementation of VPoA, held in December 2019.
The outcomes of the Midterm Review have explicitly shown that the LLDCs were not on track to deliver the SDGs before COVID-19 hit them; and the impact of the crisis has made the way ahead now even steeper. This calls for urgent joint international actions demonstrating solidarity between the most vulnerable countries and donor nations, development partners, as well as, international organizations. It means raising additional sources of financing and increasing investment in poverty reduction, economic diversification, climate friendly development, including social protection, clean water, and digital connectivity. It also implies pursuing a recovery that builds an inclusive and gender-responsive economy.
In this regard, Kazakhstan notes that the United Nations system needs stronger and more coherent coordination of projects included in the Roadmap, the Vienna Programme of Action and other strategic documents, through setting up a separate agency. This should be under the aegis of the United Nations Office of the High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, and financed by voluntary contributions.
In addition, ggeographically and fiscally disadvantaged countries, like the LLDCs, LDCs and SIDS, need not only economic and social stability but also political diplomacy and mediation at various levels. It is essential to reinforce the security-development nexus with adequate investments in education, health care and job creation to avert conflicts and achieve social cohesion. The regional approach is a primary fundamental tool, since connectivity starts with neighbours, and the most contemporary challenges of implementing the 17 SDGs have a transboundary character. Hence, Kazakhstan made the decision to provide development assistance to the countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan as part of the global efforts to accelerate reach Agenda 2030. Kazakhstan´s official development assistance can be also oriented towards the region of the Caucasus, Africa, Latin America, the LLDCs, LDCs and SIDS, and other regions.