{"id":289724,"date":"2025-09-26T16:23:39","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T20:23:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/80\/?p=289724"},"modified":"2025-09-26T16:23:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T20:23:39","slug":"pga-remarks-at-the-annual-ministerial-meeting-of-the-foreign-ministers-of-the-least-developed-countries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/80\/2025\/09\/26\/pga-remarks-at-the-annual-ministerial-meeting-of-the-foreign-ministers-of-the-least-developed-countries\/","title":{"rendered":"PGA Remarks at the Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Least Developed Countries"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remarks by the President of the General Assembly
\nH.E. Ms. Annalena Baerbock
\n<\/strong>at the Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Least Developed Countries<\/strong><\/p>\n

26 September<\/strong> 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

[As<\/strong> Prepared for<\/strong> Delivered]<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.E. Mulambo Haimbe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Zambia, and Chair of the Foreign Ministers of the Least Developed Countries,<\/p>\n

Excellencies,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Imagine a farmer whose entire crop yield is wiped out by unseasonally high floods, or drought for which they received little to no warning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Imagine a high school student unconnected to the larger world \u2013 no internet, no cell phone, no laptop.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Imagine a mother who cannot access lifesaving health services because the nearest clinic is hours away and lacks essential medicines.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Imagine a government, struggling to fill those gaps and provide basic services to their citizens, but cash strapped and forced to pay down already sky-high debt.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That, dear excellencies, is where we are.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is a story that is unfolding far too often across a range of sectors in dozens of countries.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Climate change.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The digital divide.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The health gap<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The debt trap.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Each on their own can be devastating.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Together, this convergence of crises \u2013 particularly when found at the intersection of poverty and vulnerability \u2013 is catastrophic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excellencies,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I am honoured to join you in addressing this Ministerial Meeting of Least Developed Countries.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I congratulate the Chair and Co-Chairs for their stewardship of this important voice within the General Assembly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Colleagues,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If we zoom out from the examples I just outlined, we see the macroeconomic and social impacts of these challenges.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n