[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Remarks<\/span>\u00a0by the President of the General Assembly,<\/b><\/p>\n Mr. Dennis Francis,<\/b><\/p>\n at the LLS Advisory Board Meeting on Sustainability Week<\/b><\/p>\n [As Delivered]<\/b><\/p>\n 18 March 2024<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Distinguished Members of the Advisory Board,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Ladies and gentlemen,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thank you all for joining me today, for this reconvening of the Advisory Board.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the very outset, I should like to acknowledge a new member of the Advisory Board, Mr. Ralf Bredel, who is representing the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Industrial Development Organisation (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵIDO), which has been invited belatedly to join the Advisory Board. Thank you very much, we look forward to collaborating.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What I envision for our meeting this afternoon is a focused discussion around the forthcoming Sustainability Week \u2013 a consolidated series of mostly mandated, as well as my own signature events \u2013 aimed at stimulating accelerated progress towards the 2030 Agenda and as well, feeding into preparations for the Summit of the Future.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As we intensify our focus on the Summit in September 2024, the urgency of charting a sustainable course to achieve a prosperous and equitable future for all has never been more apparent.<\/span><\/p>\n \n It is imperative that we acknowledge the peculiar challenges faced by LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS \u2013 particularly their struggles with a debilitating debt burden and their high susceptibility to external shocks.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and multiplied these manifold challenges in key economic sectors like tourism \u2013 which is a vital economic lifeline for government revenue, foreign exchange receipts and employment, especially for many SIDS.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, the infrastructure drawbacks and financing gaps faced by countries in special situations demand a concerted, risk-informed approach to development.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As already announced, I am pleased to convene the General Assembly\u2019s first-ever Sustainability Week in April.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These back-to-back events during this important Week are intended to address debt sustainability and to focus on certain critical sectors that hold great transformational promise for sustainable development \u2013 that is tourism, transport, infrastructure connectivity, and energy.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Concept Notes and invitations to several speakers \u2013 including at the Heads of State and Government level \u2013 have recently been circulated. The programmes for each event are being finalized and will be published very shortly.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Media and other targeted awareness campaigns are underway \u2013 and I seek your assistance and support in facilitating both the awareness and participation of your delegations and constituencies, at the highest possible level.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is my hope that the outcomes of this Week will identify actionable solutions \u2013 prioritizing especially the needs of LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, ahead of upcoming major conferences and summits \u2013 notably, the Fourth SIDS Conference in Antigua and Barbuda in May and the Third LLDC Conference in Rwanda in June as well as Summit of the Future.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I invite each of you to share your insights, expertise and to actively participate in these critical dialogues \u2013 as we recommit to not leaving behind any member of these vulnerable groups of countries.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Together, let us strengthen the universal recognition of frameworks such as the Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainability of Tourism.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let us actively contribute insights to the implementation plan of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Decade on Sustainable Transport.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And let us ignite a powerful Call to Action on Sustainable Energy \u2013 ensuring that access and affordability are not just lofty ideals, but a tangible reality for all.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As indicated, along with the mandated events, my team is developing a \u201cChoose Sustainability\u201d campaign for the Membership of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and other stakeholders to align themselves with \u2013 personally and organizationally \u2013 behind sustainable practices.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The campaign will mobilize suggestions on how to reduce our individual carbon footprints; how to prevent food waste; and how to travel to our favourite destinations sustainably \u2013 amongst many other sustainability considerations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I will launch the \u201cChoose Sustainability\u201d\u00a0<\/b>initiative in the coming weeks \u2013 and I would be grateful to all members of the Board for your support in participating in the campaign on adopting sustainable practices by all, and for all.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Distinguished Board members<\/span><\/i>,<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As we turn to discuss the potential outcomes of the Sustainability Week, I am eager to hear your insights on the following three questions:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 1. How can the high-level events of Sustainability Week best feed into the upcoming SIDS4 and LLDC3 conferences?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2. How can we garner heightened political support for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS during the events of Sustainability Week?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 3. And how can our deliberations spotlight the specific challenges faced by countries in special situations?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Treating these questions as guiding principles for our discussions, I urge you to reflect on how we can shape a more just, equitable and sustainable global landscape \u2013 our shared, overarching goal.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let us seize this moment to harness the power of collective action, and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow \u2013 for ourselves and for future generations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I look forward to hearing your expert guidance.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I thank you.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks\u00a0by the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, at the LLS Advisory Board Meeting on Sustainability Week [As Delivered] 18 March 2024 \u00a0 Excellencies, \u00a0 Distinguished Members of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-276274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n