(8th meeting) Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS (First regular session 2025)

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, I declare open the 7th meeting of the 1st Regular Session 2025 of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS. I am pleased to welcome the Executive Director of the UNFPA, Dr. Natalia Kanem. Dr. Kanem is joined by Ms. Diane Keita, Deputy Executive Director for Program, Mr. Andrew Sabaton, Deputy Executive Director for Management, Ms. Florence Bauer, Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ms. Julia Bunting, Director, Program Division. Mr. Ian McFarlane, Director, the Division for External Relations. Ms. Eva Goriznik-Christian, Controller and Director, Division for Management Services. And Ms. Elena Pirondini, Chief Executive Board Branch and Secretary for this segment. Distinguished colleagues, we will proceed in the following manner. The Executive Director will deliver an opening statement. Following the Executive Director's statement, I will open the floor for comments from members and observers of the Board. I now have the pleasure of inviting Dr. Kanim To deliver her statement, you have the floor.

Doctora Canem tiene.

Doctora Canem, you have the floor.

Yes, señor presidente. Good morning. As I begin, I invite you to view a video we've prepared. The video speaks to the depth. And breadth of UNFPA's humanitarian work around the world, and it's work that saves lives. Any disruption of funding for these humanitarian services leads to immediate life-threatening consequences. Therefore, UNFPA is tremendously grateful to Member States and our partners for their continued support and for standing with women and girls in dire need. Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, dear colleagues, dear friends, happy New Year. I wish you health, happiness, and above all, peace in 2025. Congratulations, Ambassador Andrés Montalvo Sosa of Ecuador, on your election as President of the Executive Board. I look forward to working with you and Bureau members Ambassadors Tesfaye Yilma Sabo of Ethiopia, Cornell Faruza of Romania, and Joanna Beck Ismail Hikmat of Tajikistan, and Carl Lagaty of Belgium. My deepest thanks to Ambassador Mohammed Mouhith and the outgoing Bureau for constructive engagement and guidance over the past year. Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, as we embark on a new year, We do so in a world marked by challenge and uncertainty. In vulnerable settings across the globe, UNFPA is on the ground, working with partners, pre-positioning supplies, and developing anticipatory action plans with governments and civil society so that life-saving resources are at the ready even before disaster strikes. And UNFPA does this inclusively. We pay attention to anyone most likely to be left behind. We prioritize women and girls and also others such as people with disabilities who have special requirements during emergencies. Thanks to this dogged persistence and hard work in partnership with the broader reproductive health movement in the 150-plus locations where we serve, mothers around the world are safer, babies are healthier, more women and couples can decide freely whether or when to have children, and more girls can stay in school and out of marriage. Together, we overcame the COVID pandemic and continue our push to end the pandemic of gender-based violence. In all its forms and in all spheres. In our paper to the Board, we mentioned the funding risks we face. As you are aware, UNFPA has been on the receiving end of stop-work orders against current funding from a major donor, as have other United Nations agencies, with immediate impact on women and girls who are counting on UNFPA services and support. There has also been immediate impact on our personnel and implementing partners, and on the broader aid community. We are doing our utmost to mitigate this unforeseen situation, including coordinating with our development and humanitarian partners. I call upon this Executive Board to fully support UNFPA in this regard. And there are other risks on the horizon as rising tensions across the globe are resulting in escalating conflicts and insecurity. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more deadly, driving record levels of displacement, hardship, and humanitarian need. Climate change is accelerating faster than ever, with 2024, the hottest year on record. These are risks held in common on our shared planet. Historic floods, relentless droughts, and apocalyptic wildfires, even in some of the world's wealthiest communities, show us that no one is immune. And it is still a world of profound and growing inequalities. This was abundantly clear during my recent missions. In Nauru, in the Pacific, I spoke with the obstetrician-gynecologist at the island's only hospital. He highlighted the challenges of retaining healthcare workers as climate change forces more and more people to relocate. A midwife I met in Vanuatu lamented that cyclones are much more frequent today, than when she was growing up. And when cyclones strike, it is women and girls who are most vulnerable, including being cut off from essential reproductive and maternal health services, safe spaces, and livelihood opportunities. In community after community all over the world, UNFPA sees the stark injustice Those who have done the least to cause conflict or climate change bear the brunt of the devastating effects. Let's consider a precious 10-year-old girl standing on the threshold of adolescence. What kind of planet will we leave to her? That was the concern underpinning UNFPA engagement at COP29 last year, And it is why we're increasing our work on the climate front. Speaking with women and girls in the communities where UNFPA works brings home the tremendous needs and challenges they and our teams face. Therefore, I'm pleased that the Executive Board witnessed this work firsthand during the joint field visit of the Boards to Cambodia, which UNFPA coordinated, and during your visits to Moldova and Ukraine. And I do hope that you were able to appreciate the great extent to which United Nations entities are working together. Last year, even as the war ground on in Ukraine, UNFPA reached close to 1 million people with sexual and reproductive health services. We gathered demographic data, which is supporting the government as it grapples with demographic uncertainty including loss of population and the human capital that represents. In a first, Board members saw up close UNFPA's innovative contribution to building demographic resilience in both our upstream and our project delivery work. We'll hear more about this important work in Eastern Europe and Central Asia from our Regional Director in just a moment. Indeed, more and more countries are seeking to integrate population dynamics into development policies to respond to demographic changes, including low fertility and population aging. Given our mandate and human rights-based work, UNFPA is uniquely positioned to support governments to adopt policies based on a broader life cycle approach. We want every adolescent to grow up safe, healthy, and empowered, exercising her rights and choices. UNFPA aims to accompany and support her throughout her life course— prenatally, when she's in her mother's womb, through childhood, her teenage years, marriage and motherhood if she so chooses, and onwards to menopause and hopefully a healthy longevity. Amid stagnation in the reductions of maternal deaths, just this week, our program division launched UNFPA's new reproductive, maternal, and newborn health and well-being strategy. It's called Start with Her. And with this new strategy, we intend to reignite a global sense of urgency to end these needless deaths during pregnancy and childbirth. Whether we're speaking about climate change, demographic shifts, or the life cycle of an individual, resilience is the name of the game. For UNFPA, resilience means responsiveness to the realities of the world around us. It means being agile, adept, and adaptive. This is why the development of our next strategic plan, 2026 through 2029, is so exciting. The plan is ambitious. It's aspirational. It builds on the momentum generated by previous plans, and I believe it will set the organization on an optimal course towards 2030 and beyond. Guided by the recent formative evaluation of the current, of the current UNFPA Strategic Plan, which was conducted by the Independent Evaluation Office. Our emerging vision for this new Strategic Plan sees us further rising to the challenge of accelerating progress towards our 3 existing transformative results: zero unmet need for family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices. At the same time, the new plan will position UNFPA to more fully reflect the breadth of our mandate and the ICPD agenda. The introduction of a proposed 4th outcome on demographic resilience is a case in point. A measured focus on demographic resilience will enhance and reinforce our vitally important work to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights across the life cycle. It will help us adapt to the range of country contexts in which we work and to provide the diverse support that governments are requesting from UNFPA. From the data and evaluative evidence, we already know a great deal about what works, where and why, and about how our work can support national governments to build demographic resilience while upholding the rights of women and girls. Our focus over the next strategic planning phase will be on sustaining the gains we've made to date, stepping up progress, and making sure that progress is inclusive, equitable, and leaves no one behind. Efforts to protect the ICPD agenda will be fully integrated into this accelerated approach. The new Strategic Plan will be fully aligned with the priorities of the recently adopted Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review , translating those priorities into impactful joint programming that leverages UNFPA's comparative advantages. In the home stretch to 2030, it is increasingly critical for UNFPA to bring our experience and our global leadership to bear in addressing the complex interlinkages between demographic trends, health and well-being, and the achievement of the SDGs. This is the leadership and support governments look for from UNFPA, and we will work with countries at all stages of demographic transition to help them plan for changes in their population structure and identify appropriate policies. UNFPA will also seek to protect, promote, and advance the ICPD Programme of Action and our Strategic Plan in the normative space at the United Nations, leveraging the results of the ICPD30 process as we transition to Beijing+30 this year and supporting connections that advance ICPD implementation and UNFPA's value proposition. We count on Member States' support and partnership in these endeavours, including during the High-Level Political Forum, and we look forward to a successful and consensual Commission on Population and Development as it addresses the critical topic of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. Mr. President, in order to ensure that we ourselves in UNFPA are resilient and future-fit and optimally positioned to deliver on the full breadth of our mandate and the ambition of our strategic plan, UNFPA's internal transformation journey continues. As shared with the Board during our recent informal The HQ Optimization Initiative remains on track, with staff relocations to Nairobi commencing in March. We have a comprehensive plan in place to support our colleagues and their families throughout this transition, and we are confident of a smooth and successful move. The new program division and Division for External Relations both operational since August 2024, are already showing positive results, including stronger collaboration, streamlined workflows, enhanced knowledge management, and a more integrated organizational structure. The progress achieved thus far fills us with a great sense of accomplishment. We look forward to the full realization of the HQ optimization in the months ahead. And to delivering even better for the women, girls, and communities we serve. We remain committed to transparency and accountability throughout this process and count on your continued support. In related news, UNFPA recently signed a lease agreement for our new headquarters office in New York, located at 730 Third Avenue. The new office space will be roughly half the size of our current offices. And very good news, our rent will also be reduced by more than 50% annually compared to our current location. As discussed earlier this week, we welcome the Board's guidance on issues of organizational culture, which will help us continue to improve. Over the course of my tenure, UNFPA has invested heavily in building the culture we need to deliver on our commitment to leave no one behind. This includes fostering a culture of trust, respect, and inclusion within the organization and maintaining zero tolerance for wrongdoing, including all forms of discrimination, harassment, and abuse. We've made important investments in our oversight offices, and continue to enhance ways to ensure compliance with recommendations from the independent oversight bodies. We are also making important strides in building a culture of innovation where staff have the courage to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and pioneer fresh solutions and approaches. UNFPA recognizes the critical importance of robust risk management in meeting the expectations of donor countries and all member states. To this end, we have adopted a comprehensive enterprise risk management framework guided by a clear risk appetite statement and supported by strong governance mechanisms. By proactively addressing strategic risks such as funding sustainability, reputational integrity, and operational resilience, we ensure transparency, accountability, and adaptability. These efforts demonstrate our commitment to fostering trust and confidence among shareholders while effectively delivering on our mandate. We continue to strengthen our speak-up culture of reporting and managing risk wisely as custodians of public resources that deliver life-saving results for women and girls. I'm pleased that, once again, UNFPA received an unqualified audit opinion from the United Nations Board of Auditors, which highlighted strong financial health, thanks to the continued support of donors and sound financial management practices. UNFPA is committed to accelerating action to address the Board of Auditors audit recommendations in a timely fashion, and we will continue to keep the board apprised of our progress. Mr. President, distinguished board members, in 2024, a year that was wracked by violence and instability, we saw devastating conflicts intensify in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine. While violence escalated in Haiti and Lebanon, and protracted crises from Afghanistan to Myanmar to Syria and Yemen left communities increasingly fragile. Climate-driven storms, floods, and drought displaced millions from Cameroon and Nigeria to Bangladesh and the Philippines. Women and girls were often singled out for suffering, raped and assaulted by armed men as a tactic of terror and war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Sudan, and beyond. Even as the number of sick and wounded rose, healthcare services were targeted for attack. In Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, and elsewhere, hospitals and health facilities were pummeled to rubble, starved of supplies and fuel, besieged, and attacked. It was also the deadliest year for aid workers, with more than 280 humanitarians killed amidst rising insecurity and disregard for international humanitarian law. This has been a major concern for me and all of UNFPA senior management, the safety, the security, the well-being of UNFPA personnel, particularly our courageous frontline humanitarian colleagues. That's a top priority, and I hope that that remains a top priority for our Executive Board as well. As we all know, pregnancy and childbirth do not stop for war. Women and girls continue to need protection from violence, Human rights do not end when disaster strikes. The needs of women and girls do not cease when they seek safety. And UNFPA is there at their side. Since the ceasefire went into effect last week in Gaza, 52 UNFPA trucks have entered carrying critical supplies for safe births, and emergency obstetric care, as well as postpartum kits, contraceptives, and winter items. UNFPA calls on all parties to uphold the ceasefire and fully honor their humanitarian commitments so that we can reach all of those in desperate need across Gaza. Yet what the women and girls of Gaza and the region need above all is just and lasting peace. Turning to Sudan, the world's largest humanitarian crisis now, where protection needs have soared. Last year, UNFPA supported 51 safe spaces for women and girls, deployed 90 mobile health teams, and provided supplies and equipment to 124 health facilities. In Haiti, UNFPA supplied hospitals with medicines and equipment and deployed mobile health units in Port-au-Prince. In the Sahel, UNFPA-supported midwives are a lifeline for women cut off from access to vital maternity services due to conflict, disasters, and displacement. In all these situations, UNFPA works with local partners, including women-led organizations, so that those on the front lines who know their communities best are empowered to lead in crisis responses. We also work in close collaboration with our United Nations partners in humanitarian settings. UNFPA is the global leader on sexual and reproductive health and the largest provider of gender-based violence services, coordinating the humanitarian system's collective prevention and response efforts for gender-based violence. In this year, 2025, we expect more than 11 million pregnant women to require humanitarian aid, and more than 92 million will need gender-based violence support. Unfortunately, UNFPA's crisis response is underfunded, sometimes by as much as 75% in some countries, and we project that this funding gap is only going to widen even more this year. UNFPA's 2025 Humanitarian Action Overview calls for $1.4 billion to reach 45 million women and girls and young people in 57 crisis affected countries. This support is essential to save lives, sustain health, and protect people from violence. It is also an affirmation of every woman and girl's right to live in peace and dignity. Mr. President, while funding from 2024 is still being recorded and reconciled, I am extremely proud to announce that already we can say that 2024 is on track to be another record-breaking year for UNFPA funding overall. With the recent stop-work orders, we are unclear what this means for existing obligations, and we will continue to update the Board as appropriate once we have more clarity. Nonetheless, these results are a testament to how UNFPA delivers for women and girls every day. This support is not something we ever take for granted. Indeed, there are strong competing demands for aid funding at a time when that funding is under pressure, and we appreciate deeply the trust and faith placed in us by our partners and their commitment to women and girls. Part of the increase is due to a noteworthy rise in non-core funding, in particular growth in humanitarian funding, with Afghanistan, Palestine, and Yemen the top recipients. Yet while humanitarian funding continues to grow, so too do the tremendous needs, far outpacing the available resources. I must express my concern at the same time that UNFPA experienced a flatlining of core funding at $380 million. We are forecasting a further decline in core in 2025. Last year, 2024, the number of donors to core funding declined slightly to 94, and that's a number that we hope to robustly increase in 2025. The imbalance between core and non-core funding reflects general funding trends in the United Nations system. UNFPA's overall core-to-non-core ratio fell to 23% in 2024, and that's the lowest ratio on record for us and well below the Funding Compact target. This imbalance has important implications, for our way of working and our ability to deliver. I offer our profound thanks to all our donors, to Programme Countries, and all partners for their generous support. Let us celebrate the achievements we have made possible together. I also urge Member States to remember their Funding Compact commitments to increase core, flexible, and pooled funding to UNFPA. This flexibility is more important than ever in adapting to changing needs and environments. Last week, the Executive Board received a presentation from the Multilateral Organization Performance Assessment Network , the Secretariat on the Assessment of the UNFPA Organizational and Development Effectiveness. UNFPA is gratified by the very positive MOPAN assessment, which found UNFPA to have a strong vision, delivery, and commitment to United Nations Development System reform. We hope the findings of this assessment further strengthen your confidence in UNFPA as a partner that delivers strong results despite a challenging operational context. UNFPA works every day with hundreds of government agencies around the world representing diverse political, religious, and cultural beliefs. We are committed to finding common ground consistent with national laws, yet we will never compromise on our principles or mandate. We will keep holding the ICPD banner high. We will continue to stand tall for sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. To the generous and steadfast partners and friends who have stood with us through thick and thin, UNFPA thanks you. We look forward to continuing to walk shoulder to shoulder with you, advancing the ICPD agenda, the SDGs, and our 3 transformative zeros. However, I am compelled to underscore that the current stop-work orders and the potential loss of significant future funding from one of our key government partners will have a major detrimental impact on UNFPA programming. That said, UNFPA has planned carefully for various scenarios. We have been very prudent in managing our budgets and are continually hard at work to identify operational savings so that we can continue to deliver results under different funding scenarios. However, our programs and the communities we serve will pay a big price in the face of the expected major reduction in core resources during the next budget cycle. The sizable loss to our humanitarian funding will be even harder to compensate for, and I'm loath to predict that there will be a resulting closure of UNFPA operations in some of the world's most extreme crises affecting women and adolescent girls who are pregnant or in need of rescue following gender-based violence. In Afghanistan, for example, we estimate that more than 9 million women and girls will lose access to services, and more than 1,700 female service providers will no longer be employed. UNFPA will be forced to shutter nearly 600 facilities, and these include mobile health clinics, family health houses, mother and child health centers, and psychological counseling psychosocial counseling centers, all providing irreplaceable and often life-saving services. Resilience applies to UNFPA as well. We are committed to diversifying and expanding our revenue streams to enhance our financial resilience so that we can continue to deliver strong results for women and girls. While we saw a small decline in funding from international financial institutions, Institutions, the IFIs, last year. We have a strong pipeline of IFI funding for 2025. We're also seeing the results of our first development impact bond in Kenya and exploring other innovative financing opportunities. We've begun developing a major gift strategy, exploring endowments and other mechanisms, and targeting high-net-worth individuals to establish lasting funding streams for critical programs. We also raised over $55 million from foundations and philanthropies, and that was a threefold increase over the year 2023. UNFPA will build on this momentum through a series of strategic engagements, including a catalytic moment in the coming months, co-organized with philanthropic partners to leverage their networks and their influence. We're also expanding the way we engage business. We want to see the private sector advance sexual and reproductive health and rights through their workplaces and their supply chains. Because if companies invest in programs and policies that, for example, provide menstrual health and menopause support, if they promote prevention of gender-based violence and harassment, and foster family-friendly workplaces, then we can reach millions of women in the global workforce. I am pleased to report that UNFPA just had huge success at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, where earlier this month we strategized to place sexual and reproductive health and rights on that agenda, as historically they were not a high priority. Through continued advocacy and the collective action of our partners, UNFPA has changed that. In Davos this year, UNFPA launched the first group of champions for the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business, and it's led by such companies as Essity, Bayer, Ferring, and MSC, the Mediterranean shipping company. These champions have committed to implementing workplace programs on women's health with the potential to reach over 300,000 employees globally. Finally, our Equity 2030 Alliance continues to advance women-centric health solutions by galvanizing a broad range of partners to promote gender equity in science, technology, and financing. All of these partnerships demonstrate UNFPA's unrelenting commitment to exercising its normative role, including with the private sector. Mr. President, in keeping with our practice of bringing the realities of the field to the Executive Board here in New York, I will now turn the floor over to Florence Bauer, our Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, who will provide a brief update on some of UNFPA's activities in the region. Florence, over to you.

Thank you, Natalia. Thank you, Mr. President. The Eastern Europe and Central Asia region is grappling with a range of complex and interconnected challenges. The war in Ukraine has caused the greatest humanitarian catastrophe in Europe since World War II. It continues to take a heavy toll on millions of women and girls, cutting them off vital sexual and reproductive health service, and increasing risk of gender-based violence, including sexual violence. The war has also exacerbated geopolitical tensions and realignment in the region, resulting in instability and increased risk of conflict. And we see gender equality and reproductive rights becoming increasingly politicized in this context. Hard-won gains on gender equality and women's bodily autonomy are at risk. Concerns about demographic change put additional pressure on women's rights. As governments grapple with the effect of low fertility and population aging, they often narrowly focus on boosting fertility as a solution. This can have potentially devastating consequences for women and girls, restricting access to essential information and services, and limiting opportunities to participate in society and the economy. To respond to this changing environment, UNFPA has recalibrated its approach in the region, shifting to a focus on supporting countries in addressing demographic change in line with the ICPD Programme of Action and firmly rooted in rights and choices. This recognizes the challenges countries face in tackling demographic change, and help them find solutions that are effective without infringing on people's rights and on ICPD priorities. Because we have seen that focusing on boosting fertility hasn't worked, neither in increasing birth rate nor in addressing demographic challenges more broadly, even in countries that spend significant portion of their GDP on family support. What is needed for countries to successfully manage demographic change is a comprehensive approach firmly based on evidence and on the needs and rights of people. In our 12 new country programs that we're currently working on, we're offering exactly that: expertise and support for countries to prepare for and adjust to the changing demographic realities, intervention to expand human capital and gender-responsive family policies, and empowerment and inclusion of women, older people, youth, and other marginalized groups, and combat zones for an effective response. With this recalibration, we're ensuring that UNFPA remains a key partner for governments in the region in ensuring that countries can strive even in the context of rapid demographic change. UNFPA is a major player in humanitarian crises in the region, especially right now in Ukraine and neighboring countries. We were proud to showcase our humanitarian work to the distinguished members of the Executive Board during the recent visit to Moldova and Ukraine in December. The visit also gave us an opportunity to demonstrate the strong nexus between our humanitarian and our development work. In Moldova, for example, our work to enhance national capacities to deliver services to refugees also always benefits the local populations, and improve their access to services. In Ukraine, our humanitarian intervention also helped build human capital in support of Ukraine's new demographic strategy aimed to tackle the country's demographic challenges that were so dramatically worsened by the war. Ukraine lost an estimated 10 million people since 2014, as millions have been displaced and birth rates have collapsed because of the the world. Distinguished delegates, UNFPA remains committed to supporting the countries of the region in navigating these complex challenges and harnessing the opportunities for demographic resilience. I thank you all for your support, and I'm looking forward to presenting our new country programs to you later this year. Thank you, Natalia.

Thank you so much, Florence. Appreciate that. Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, at the core of UNFPA's work is a simple, unwavering belief: no woman should die while giving life. No woman or girl should live in fear of violence. And every woman should have autonomy over her own body and the ability to chart her own future. Time and again, the evidence shows that when women and girls can access the sexual and reproductive healthcare that is their right, their communities and entire societies benefit, putting us all on the path to a more sustainable future. This understanding was at the heart of the ICPD Consensus forged 3 decades ago by 179 member states in Cairo, and it remains as relevant today as it was then. UNFPA is no stranger to challenge and adversity, yet we pledge to always go the extra mile to seek common ground. Surely, preserving the life and dignity of women and girls in need is still something that we can all agree on. UNFPA will continue to work diligently with our partners and with the communities we serve to uphold the safety and dignity and hope of every woman and girl, no matter what. Because while political winds and funding decisions may change, our vital mission does not. Reproductive rights are non-negotiable, and you can count on UNFPA to stand with women and girls. And we ask you to stand with women and girls too.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the Executive Director and her team for these initial remarks. Before I open the floor, I would like to ask Ms. Pirondini to give us some information about the protocol that we will follow in this meeting.

President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we will open with statements by Bureau members. This will be followed by group and cross-regional interventions. After group interventions, the floor will be given to permanent representatives that have requested in writing to be inscribed in the list of speakers. The Permanent Representatives previously inscribed will be followed by the Permanent Representatives requesting the floor during the meeting. After Permanent Representatives, the floor will be given to Deputy Permanent Representatives. First, those that had requested to be inscribed in writing, followed by the Deputy Permanent Representatives requesting the floor during the meeting. Finally, the floor will be given to all other delegations that have requested to be inscribed in the list of speakers, followed by all other delegations requesting the floor during the meeting. Interventions will be strictly limited to five minutes for bureau members and group interventions, and three minutes for all other interventions. Thank you, Mr. President. Esta ha sido la práctica.

This has been the process that we have followed so far, and in order to make the best use of time, we will follow this as well. And we look forward to appropriate and concise responses, and perhaps if we need more time, it might be possible to respond in writing. Having said that, I would now like to give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Romania and Vice President of the Board.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Madam Executive Director. We really appreciate your input. It is very rich and very dense, of course, covering quite a lot of your activities. Thank you to you and your colleagues for being available throughout you know, the past year and now in between the sessions.

I welcome—

I mean, I don't know where to start. You touched on so many important issues. The new headquarters, I think we understand, at least we understand from this side of the table, that this is not an easy process to implement, especially the impact on the staff. But I think in the board you'll be finding support to make sure that the important work of the UNAPA is not affected, and of course to address the trust of the staff. I think it's so much important that we need to turn every stone. The important work of the UNAPA, I think not only that we get it from your statement and your report and the work, But I think I also had myself a chance to see it on the ground in Cambodia, in the Republic of Moldova, in Ukraine, and this important component to protect and to promote the rights of women and girls is so valuable, and I would say unparalleled in the UN system, working, I think, underground, There is an important difference that you are making. I'm very much sensitized by the words you said about the diminishing funding, the core funding especially, and we have to make sure that this important work of the UNFPA is not affected. As a matter of fact, witnessing how groups of women and girls place their confidence in the UNFPA, in the UN in general, and the international community, I think it's It's humbling and we need to do a lot, especially this year we celebrate 30 years since the Beijing Conference. It is also important and one thing that we noticed during the field trips, you have elements and mechanisms in place to avoid overlap of work with other UN agencies and I think we would be encouraging that to continue. Because avoiding overlapping also provides even a partial response to this issue of the funding. Combating gender-based violence, I think, is very much important as well. And I did see, you know, the— this important app, the Safe App, the GBV Safe App, which I think not only facilitates access to information, but it provides the sort of confidence that women and girls need to prevent that. On the management part, Madam Executive Director, I think in the board itself, you'll always find, let's say, an open ear, an open eye to address any issues. We know very well that the work that you are implementing sometimes meets numerous challenges, not only financial but also, you know, in terms of implementation on the ground and obstacles. And I think it is important that we have— we make every step, we as member states together with you, to turn every stone to maintain the confidence in the important work and the way the UNFPA implements its mandate. And I think myself, as a member of your Bureau, stand ready to continue this important dialogue because the confidence is the most important. Confidence is actually the foundation of the way we are able to mobilize not only financial support but also political support for the important work of the UNFPA. I will conclude by referring also to another pillar of action of the UNFPA, which is population. Worrying trends worldwide, globally, the aging of the population at an accelerated pace everywhere. And I don't know exactly, probably at some point we need to have a proper conversation on this issue because it affects all of us and how also we have to look at how we can connect much better our work with the provisions, predictions of the Statistical Commission, the UN. But this is not an issue that should be left unattended and I think I would encourage a very thorough conversation and probably even a wake-up call. If it comes from the UN, probably it's more important. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for that statement, Vice President. I will now give the floor to the Alternate Permanent Representative of Belgium, who will speak on behalf of a group of countries, and I believe this will be followed by a statement from the same person in their national capacity.

Thank you very much, President.

Executive Director, ladies and gentlemen, In the interest of time, a full version of the statement will be sent to the Secretariat to be included in e-statements. I deliver this statement on behalf of Austria, Australia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, EU as a donor, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Iceland, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Latvia, New Zealand, Norway, Mexico, Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and my own country, Belgium. We stand at a critical juncture, 5 years from 2030, with only 17% of Sustainable Development Goals targets on track. The urgency for collective action has never been clearer. The 2024 Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review provides the UN Development System with a vital framework to accelerate SDG progress. Alongside the guidance from the SDG Summit's Political Declaration and the Pact for the Future, the QCPR must now inform strategic planning, ensuring aligned mandates and further consolidation of UNDS reforms. A fully coherent and effective UN development system is critical for promoting integrated cross-sectoral approaches, while accelerating progress towards the full implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, and the realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. Prioritizing gender equality within these efforts is vital for ensuring that women and girls have equal access to healthcare services and opportunities. The QCPR reaffirms Member States' priorities: poverty reduction, humanitarian-development-peace collaboration, climate and biodiversity, food security, digital transformation, disability inclusion, addressing the needs of displaced persons, and combating violence against women and girls, all while adopting a rights-based approach and embedding the needs of future generations. Translating these priorities into impactful joint programming is critical. We therefore call upon entities to include a chapter in their strategic plans that defines their comparative advantages within the UN Development System, based on their mandates. Recognizing that reliable and sufficient funding is essential for an effective UNDS, we welcome the new Funding Compact, And we, as Member States, must work to improve the quality of our funding to the UN Development System, recognizing the advantages of more flexible funding, while UN entities must strengthen transparency, accountability and efficiency. The QCPR reinforces the leadership role and responsibilities of Resident Coordinators within UN country teams. Full support to the RC system is key. In this regard, we welcome the recent decision of the UN General Assembly to provide assessed contributions to the system. Entities must empower RCs to foster cohesive and effective system-wide efforts. We call on UNFPA to support the RCs' efforts to lead and coordinate UN country teams through their mandate. Outstanding goals of the UNDS reform require urgent attention. We call on UNDS entities to recommit to these reforms with system-wide coherence, coordination, and impact for development set as a priority objective in their strategic plans. We thank UNFPA for starting the use of the checklist at last year's annual session, and we look forward to evidence-based and analytical reporting from all UNDS entities. In addition, we call on UNDS entities to harmonize reporting. The QCPR also emphasizes gender equality, inclusivity, and resilience as integral to the UN programming. We call on entities to adopt and implement system-wide strategies for disability inclusion, gender equality, and youth empowerment, incorporating measurable indicators for progress. In conclusion, the 2024 QCPR provides a clear roadmap. Let us act with urgency, leveraging this guidance to accelerate progress and fulfill our collective commitment to leave no one behind. I will now deliver a few remarks in my national capacity, if I may. In a difficult context where polycrisis seems to have become the norm, Belgium commends UNFPA for the excellent results of the recent MOPAN evaluation. Looking also at the findings and recommendations of the formative evaluation, it is clear that UNFPA has effectively delivered on its Strategic Plan 2022-2025 despite operating in a challenging environment. So congratulations to you and your team, both here and especially on the ground, for that. As UNFPA embarks on the development of its next Strategic Plan, the insights and recommendations from the MOPAN evaluation must be thoroughly integrated. Belgium looks forward to a productive collaboration with UNFPA and the Executive Board, including on the 4 transformative results on demographic resilience. UNFPA has successfully transformed itself into a development humanitarian organization, effectively aligning its operating model with its strategic vision. Belgium encourages UNFPA to further strengthen the integration of humanitarian-development-peace nexus. The MOPAN evaluation highlights the importance of the ongoing headquarters optimization process and its objective to better serve partners. Belgium appreciates the regular updates and welcomes the establishment of a robust monitoring framework to assess its performance and efficiency. This should not only improve internal processes but also enhance UNFPA's ability to respond effectively to the evolving needs of its partners on the ground, ensuring optimal resource utilization for maximum impact. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action in 2025, Belgium reaffirms its commitment to gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment. Recognizing the critical importance of SRHR to achieve these goals, we encourage UNFPA to leverage its comparative advantage and enhance collaboration with UN Women. Belgium firmly believes multilateralism is indispensable for advancing global health, including universal access to SRHR. Recognizing the urgent need to accelerate progress in this domain, we welcome the pivotal role of UNFPA in addressing these critical challenges. Despite the complexities and challenges, we remain firm in our conviction that a healthy world is inextricably linked to a stable and secure world. A world where everyone can fully, meaningfully, and equally participate can only be realized through equitable access to health services, including SRHR. Belgium believes that actionable and equal partnerships are And this is why we are strongly committed to the EU-AU Partnership on Global Health, working with European and African actors to enhance local production and equitable access to vaccines, medicines, and technologies, to strengthen national public health institutes, and to advance a One Health approach in Africa. Looking ahead, Belgium reaffirms its commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action and its unwavering support for UNFPA's efforts to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. The upcoming 58th Commission on Population and Development and the review of Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5 during the High-Level Political Forum offer crucial opportunities to accelerate progress towards universal SRHR access. We look forward to a world where no population control policy impedes on the right of women and girls to bodily autonomy. All stakeholders, including member states, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector, must work together to build a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable future for all. We reaffirm hereby our dedication to work with UNFPA on the next strategic plan 2026-2029.

I thank you.

Thank you very much, Vice President, for these 2 statements. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mozambique speaking on behalf of the African Group of States. You have the floor.

Thank you, President.

Madam Executive Director, As the President said, I'll make these remarks on behalf of the African members of the Executive Board, namely Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tunisia, Zambia, and my own country, Mozambique. Madam Director, we listened carefully to your statement. There is lots to unpack. But we took particular note of the sense of urgency you conveyed in calling upon us to collectively confront the geopolitical, strategic, and structural headwinds in these uncertain times— times that demand more and not less support for UNFPA's mandate. Assistance and protection, particularly for women and girls. At this stage, let me commend the bravery of your teams who, despite the challenging context, continue to deliver life-saving support to the needed. Mr. President, the Group appreciates the update on headquarters optimization, particularly the establishment of the new Programme Division and the Division for External Relations, which have fostered a more integrated structure, enhanced collaboration, and improved knowledge management. We also acknowledge UNFPA's partnership with the African Union Commission and the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, reaffirming the importance of national ownership in shaping population health and development policies. Financial sustainability and transparency are imperative. A multi-phased approach is needed, strengthening partnerships, engaging the private sector, expanding the donor base, and leveraging innovative financing, as we heard from Dr. Skene's statement. While we commend UNFPA's efforts to diversify the donor base and explore innovative financing, we are concerned about declining core contributions, which risk undermining its work. We urge UNFPA to strive toward the Funding Compact threshold and call upon development partners to sustain their financial commitments, particularly in these challenging times. In conclusion, we commend UNFPA's dedication to transparency and accountability and encourage continued investment in oversight, risk management, and ethical leadership. We look forward to engaging in the preparation of the next Strategic Plan. I thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, sir, for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Bangladesh. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me begin by expressing my deep appreciation for the Executive Director for her very insightful presentation outlining the works and the future plans of the organization. In Bangladesh, we deeply value the longstanding partnership with UNFPA, which continues to support our national priorities in achieving the development goals. Excellencies, we believe that a steady flow of finance is key to responding to the needs of the vulnerable segments of the populations. We look forward to UNFPA's continuous, cautious financial management to overcome the challenges. While we are concerned at the diminishing funding in these unpredictable times, we are confident about efficient management by UNFPA. Bangladesh comments UNFPA's emphasis on building resilience at the community levels, particularly for those facing stigma and discrimination. Being at the forefront of climate change impacts, we recognize the value of anticipatory action plans and pre-positioning of resources to safeguard the most vulnerable segments of the society, particularly women and children, and protecting their rights during disasters. We encourage scaling up of all these efforts globally. We call for incorporating the lessons learned into future development agenda. We believe empowering women and girls can help us achieve the transformative changes. At the same time, we underscore the need to invest in youth through education, health, and skill development programs. We also call for enhanced South-South cooperation to leverage knowledge and innovation for youth employment in developing countries. Finally, we encourage UNFPA to expand its use of digital technologies to reach marginalized communities and to amplify the impact of its work. As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Beijing Platform, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing the ICPD Programme of Action and creating a world where no one is left behind. I thank you, Mr. President.

Gracias, Tedpur Sudekaradas.

I thank the distinguished representative for their statement, and I now give the floor to the distinguished permanent representative of Colombia. You have the floor, madam.

President, Colombia thanks the Executive Director Natalia Canem for her statement. Our country wishes to reiterate furthermore our thanks for the work carried out by the agency in positioning national priorities and ensuring that the mandate of the fund is fulfilled in order to ensure that the country program is delivered during the current session. The link between human rights and development is clear in the UNFPA's actions. The growing demand for assistance in humanitarian crisis should lead to questions being asked for all actors. What can each stakeholder do to ensure that we limit the causes of these needs? And therefore, we thank the agency for delivering responses focused on resilience and on transformative action to dealing with the consequences of crises. While these crises are global, They particularly affect vulnerable populations. Esteemed Director, Colombia wishes to underscore that as we look to adopting a strategic plan for the UNFPA, it is crucial for the fund to bring actions on the ground that ultimately defend the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, adolescents, and girls. The complementarity and interdependence between the Beijing Declaration and Program of Action and the Declaration on the ICPD, as well as the regional documents, is undeniable. Colombia wishes to commend the humanitarian work of the Fund. At the same time, we wish to underscore that concrete actions that are robust and connected are necessary in order to bring us closer to achieving the SDGs and Agenda 2030. Efforts aimed at achieving lasting and transformative solutions is where our focus should be.

Thank you. Gracias por su declaración.

Thank you for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Finland. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, dear colleagues. First of all, thank you, Executive Director and Regional Director, for excellent presentations this morning. This is a pivotal year for the global gender equality agenda. SRHR remains at the heart of achieving SDG 5 and ensuring that no one is left behind. We are pleased to see that in recent years UNFPA has taken significant steps forward despite a challenging operating environment, and is also— as is also evident from the recently concluded MOPAN assessment. As global challenges are making our shared goals more difficult to reach, UNFPA has been able to adapt and to make the most of changing and challenging circumstances. Your work for women and girls, for SRHR, and to counter gender-based violence is something we deeply applaud. We also applaud the ongoing organizational reforms and stress the importance of risk management and results driven approach in the next strategic plan. As we approach the final full programme cycle before 2030, I would like to highlight some specific priority areas. Firstly, ensuring meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities, especially in fragile contexts, needs to be a high priority. We are eager to contribute to UNFPA's next Disability Inclusion strategy in line with UN-wide commitments. Secondly, youth-friendly services. Comprehensive sexuality education and access to SRH services for girls and young women are crucial in advancing gender equality and human rights and enabling sustainable development. Finland encourages UNFPA to continue this transformative work. Third, demographic data. Finland values UNFPA's role in supporting rights-based policymaking through data collection, national censuses, and insights on maternal health and adolescent pregnancies. The State of the World Population report remains a vital advocacy tool for all of us. Finland sees immense potential in strengthening partnerships with UNFPA to advance SRHR through innovation and technology. Collaborative efforts with member states and private sector can deliver impactful, sustainable solutions. Exploring synergies in digital health and innovation helps making further strides forward. Finland reaffirms her commitment to unearmarked core funding and calls on others to increase flexible contributions to sustain UNFPA's critical work. To conclude, I want to thank the Executive Director for her brilliant leadership and UNFPA and its staff for being a champion of SRHR. And I reiterate Finland's unwavering support to UNFPA's work. I thank you.

Gracias por su declaración.

Thank you for this statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Bulgaria. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, and allow me to congratulate you and the Bureau on the assumption of the role of President of the Board and wish you all the best in your tenure. I would also like to thank Executive Director Khanam and Regional Director Bauer for their extremely insightful presentations. UNFPA's efforts to implement the DICPD agenda— and this is Sustainable Development Goals are more crucial than ever. Today, we face political uncertainty and setbacks in human rights, armed conflicts, an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, extreme weather events and natural disasters, as well as demographic shifts that deepen divides and widen inequalities. These challenges demand urgent attention, but they also present opportunities that must be seized. Boghera commends UNFPA for rising to these challenges by transforming its structure, governance, programmatic approach, and performance, ensuring it can effectively fulfill its mission, especially for women, girls, and those most at risk of being left behind. We encourage the Agency to continue strengthening its humanitarian response and interventions. In a world where sexual and gender-based violence remains rampant, the promotion and protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights must remain a top priority. Regarding financial sustainability, Bulgaria recognizes the potential funding risks that UNFPA may encounter. We appreciate its proactive efforts to mitigate this risk by strengthening resource mobilization with existing donors and diversifying funding resources, including partnerships with international financial institutions. The private sector, and non-traditional donors. As we look ahead to the new strategic plan, we emphasize the importance of ensuring that it addresses the evolving needs and challenges of countries working toward the ICPD agenda and the SDGs. We welcome UNFPA's commitment to acting on the recommendations from the independent evaluation of the current strategic plan. In particular, we stress the need for greater focus on population dynamics and diversity. As you know, this is an issue very close to our hearts, and especially demographic resilience. Strengthening demographic resilience will ensure that everyone everywhere can fully enjoy their human rights and build a future of choice and opportunity. We firmly believe that demographic resilience and diversity are cornerstones of stronger, fairer and more inclusive societies. In conclusion, Madam Executive Director, allow me to express our deep appreciation to UNFPA and its dedicated staff who work tirelessly and often in impossible conditions to give women and girls the chance to live in dignity, to make choices about their own lives, and to develop their full potential.

Thank you.

Gracias por—

Thank you. Thank you for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Sweden.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me start by thanking Executive Director Dr. Khanan for her inspiring but also thought-provoking presentation. She deserves all our support. Over the last 5 years, we have seen significant progress towards achieving UNFPA's 3 transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending the unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices. However, we have also faced severe challenges. We've seen the lack of political will to support sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. UNFPA's work is therefore needed more than ever, and I want to emphasize that Sweden will unequivocally stand up for UNFPA's mandate for gender equality and for all individuals' full enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Investing in SRHR improves the health and well-being of women, children, and men. It also brings numerous other benefits, from preventing maternal mortality to improving women's access to education and the labor market, and thereby stimulating economic growth and social stability. UNFPA's next strategic plan will be key for effective investments in SRHR. Sweden remains committed to providing political and financial support with high expectations for transparency, effectiveness, risk management, accountability, and results at country level. In addressing demographic challenges, individuals' rights and choices should always take precedence over states' considerations concerning population dynamics. Sweden welcomes the new and extended country program. We underline the importance of adequate capacity at the country offices to strengthen UNFPA's humanitarian response, as well as for advocacy and normative work to end gender-based violence, child marriage, and female genital mutilation. We also welcome UNFPA's decision to endorse the UN Secretary-General's Strategy on Protection from violence and discrimination of LGBTIQ+ persons. Sweden encourages UNFPA to continue advocating for national resource mobilization and to broaden its donor base. 2 weeks ago, Sweden announced its annual core support to UNFPA, which is $36 million in 2025, as well as a contribution of approximately $9 million to meet the urgent SRHR needs in Sudan and Ukraine. I would very much like to thank UNFPA's leadership and staff for their dedication and tireless work, often in very complex situations. Finally, in this day and age, it should not take courage to stand up for women's, girls', and young people's rights. It should simply be normal and above all expected action. Thank you.

Gracias a usted.

Thank you very much, Madam, for this statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished permanent representative of Italy.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, Madam Executive Director. Thank you, Mr. Director. Allow me to start, first of all, by thanking you for your comprehensive presentation. We welcome your emphasis on transparency, accountability, and oversight. Allow me also to commend UNFPA work and efforts at all levels, and in particular those deployed on the field to reach to and assist as frontliners the most vulnerable and directly affected categories of the population in the most challenging emergency and humanitarian settings. IDA is a traditional partner of the UNFPA and has supported consistently through the years its operation through both core and project funding. The protection of women and girls from all forms of violence and abuse The fight against all harmful practices and the promotion of maternal and reproductive health are common priorities we share and uphold. Italy has supported through the years the joint programs to end child early and forced marriage and to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation. In 2024, we have doubled our contribution to FGM, and we advocate together with our partner countries for fostering action across all levels in close collaboration with the governments, national and grassroots community organizations, and other key stakeholders. Italy shares with the UNFPA the strong focus on Africa through our national plan on Africa, the Mattei Plan. We are committed to implement a collaborative form of partnership to support investments and socio-economic development in our partner countries, also with the support of the private sector. The 30th anniversary of the ICPD has taken place in a context of rising challenges for the international community and has demonstrated how pertinent still is the Plan of Action adopted in Cairo in 1994. The issue of population dynamics is a case in point. UNFPA embraces a multifaceted mandate that encompasses some of the most pressing transformations of the current times, like aging, migration, and climate change. We underline the strategic and horizontal value of these issues, which are sitting at the crossroad where the agendas of different regions of the world can meet in a complementary and constructive way. So count on us to bring this joint effort forward. I thank you.

Thank you, sir, for this statement. And following the protocol described Earlier, I will now give the floor to the Executive Director for a few responses. You have the floor, Madam.

Much—

and thanks to all member states who have spoken and given guidance. This is a time when we are honing and sharpening our strategic plan, and all your comments are very well received indeed. Concerning the comments by Ambassador Romania regarding the upcoming plans for the optimization of headquarters and moving a significant part of our programming to Nairobi, we have seen that part of the adaptability of UNFPA is not just the cost savings, but it's being present to be able to engage directly with communities. And being in a closer time zone and also on the African continent is part and parcel of the new shape of the strategy that Dianne and Andrew and Julia are putting together. So, your comments in that regard are very welcome. I'm also so pleased that you were able to see firsthand in your moments in Cambodia, in Moldova, and in Ukraine, the response and the satisfaction of women that their needs are being attended to, even though it is, of course, very complex, very— in some instances, very dangerous, but it is valuable. And the fact that we are trying to work in concert with others and not duplicate is exactly one of the premiums, I think, of UNFPA's emphasis on being a good partner. For the confidence that women and girls place in us, we also want to show them that we're moving beyond just the traditional offerings. And you saw SAFE app, for example, in moments of confusion, it can be difficult to know where to turn, where to run to. And this SafeYou app gives vital information as to where there is shelter, where there is support, where you can receive the information that you need. We are encouraged to see that the diversity of populations, now that countries are no longer all getting bigger and bigger, the Population Fund has to attend to this particular aspect of a changing environment. And I would also like to agree that within the United Nations, the coordination role that UNFPA plays on the ground is something that benefits the wider sector. From Belgium and the group of countries as well as Belgium in the national capacity, you've emphasized that the urgency is clear and that the QCPR framework is there to be implemented rapidly to leave no one behind. In fact, our focus is not just internal but also on the peace and development nexus, which allows us to avoid so much humanitarian expenditure, time, effort, and personnel. So we will continue to capitalize on our comparative advantages to think about pioneering methodologies. You mentioned the checklist and on youth empowerment as one of the cornerstones, things that we do. We appreciate the support for gender and also for the funding Compact, and I would like to assure member states that in our new strategic plan, we are paying attention to full alignment, including to the QCPR priorities, and harmonizing with, among others, UN Women, UNDP, and UNICEF as we carry out our work. In giving special attention to adolescents and youth, we focus on the unique challenges that a young person in today's world has to figure out. And everywhere in the world, teen pregnancy is a threat to the individual, but also to the family structure, child marriage, other harmful practices. We have to emphasize that capacity-building efforts, it's not just one agency, It's not just the UN. It is governments. It is the social norms. Certainly, we appreciate the comments and the support. I am gratified because we cannot take for granted that these assessments, our own independent evaluations, MOPAN and others, will be favorable. We strive to meet the mark, and I'm pleased that this time Obviously, there's always improvements that will be necessary, but we very much appreciate the positive assessment of our organizational and development effectiveness. For Mozambique and the Africa Group of States, thank you very much for— I think in much simpler terms than I did— spelling out that these geopolitical and financial and structural challenges are a threat to life and well-being, and that we demand more support, not less, in this upcoming era. I believe that family planning in many countries is going to be transformative for women and girls, and it's related to death during childbirth, but also newborns, as you pointed out in the group statement. UNFPA has been on the forefront alongside UNICEF in combating harmful traditional practices, and I am glad that we are seeing some progress on things like female genital mutilation. But the danger is always backsliding when you have other concomitant threats. So thank you very much indeed for the comments and for reminding member states that core funding makes a difference. This is what kept us agile during the time of COVID And hopefully, this is what is going to, quote unquote, keep the lights on at a time when we're facing a very unusual and unexpected situation. For us, we aim to continue to be transparent, to work hand in hand with countries, and to make sure that We're integrating our work with the structures that are already on the ground. Many of you, and thank you so much, Ambassador Bangladesh, have brought up the need for UNFPA to work in an anticipatory way when there are predictable, shall we say, or seasonal crises. In that regard, I think the new attention that our humanitarian response division has brought to stockpiling, to prepositioning, to better enable humanitarian delivery has served us reasonably well. The issue of rapid availability and movements is one that we still need to refine, and we look forward to working with Bangladesh on others as we deliver that life-saving care. You also highlighted, as did others, youth employment. Part of the duty of UNFPA, as we emphasize young people, is to assure that their ability to compete in a modern job market, to use some of these digital instruments that can really catapult them forward, a lot of it means that we still have to put women and adolescent girls at the center. That's who's missing at the table, and we've been working very hard with the tech companies, with private sector, and with young people themselves, as we did last year in their meeting in Benin, to understand better how can we help them thread that needle more rapidly. Colombia spoke to the importance of resilience and paying attention to the most vulnerable populations. We agree with this 100%, and it's really sad when you look at the statistics how repeatedly we see certain groups who are marginalized being prevented from fulfilling their aspirations. For maternal mortality and for other types of conditions that affect the most vulnerable populations, we will continue to prioritize them and hopefully get that balance right, the urgent situation versus, as you phrased it, the durable solutions that we need to be looking towards. We will continue to invest invest in results that matter, and we certainly appreciate Colombia's strong leadership in the Latin America region when it comes to the Montevideo Consensus and the ICPD benchmarks. Finland, I have to thank you so much for acknowledging the work on the ground. Our colleagues really are doing their best under circumstances that are not always ideal, but you emphasize something that Jana and Andrew and I always say: good management is part of good programming. So that is something that we repeatedly emphasize in our strategic plan upcoming as well. Meaningful engagement of people with disabilities is the business of UNFPA, and I think that we have benefited from nesting under the Secretary-General's Disability Inclusion Strategy to elucidate our own. It's constantly being revised. And UNFPA's latest staff group, the Disabilities Resource Space, is going to be able to help us to improve there. And thank you, Finland. The Ambassador mentioned the State of World Population reports. We've tried to make these more than a listing of facts, but to be appealing, and appealing more and more to a general audience, not just people who care as much as we do about statistics and data. And the digital use of these State of World Population reports has really increased in the hands of our Division on External Resources. And you also emphasized unearmarked core support, and we thank you very much for this. Our consultation processes have more and more taken into account member states' desire to see these issues identified and that external consultation involve the people affected, whether that's the youth-led organizations or the people with disabilities or whoever it is. We are trying to have an informal structure so that we can keep you updated on our progress there. For Bulgaria, which after all was the site of our first Demographic Resilience Conference in Sofia, that marked a change in our adaptation to be able to serve countries where they are. And diversifying our approaches has been a wise thing to do as we see the rapid changes in population structures. And you also emphasized diversifying our funding base— IFIs, private sector, philanthropy, non-traditional donors. This obviously is going to be a big focus upcoming. And I was very pleased also that you joined the field visit and lent your support there. I feel like I'm racing a little bit, but I'm trying to condense, so I will just speak briefly to comments of Sweden and Italy and to say thank you very much for emphasizing that partnership is key and that the results at the country level is what we are really devoting ourselves to. That caution about our own internal capacity in various countries is well taken. And we again hope that the new strategic plan will go a long way in tailoring country by country, need by need. The normative work is really crucial. And we will be emphasizing this during the lifecycle approach in the Commission on population and development upcoming in April. We also will assert the rights of all individuals to safety and dignity, and this is becoming an issue for people of sexual diversities right now. We need to pay attention to making sure that everyone is safe no matter who they are or who they love. For the new strategic plan, we want to make it normal people to stand up for women and girls' rights and choices. And insofar as evaluation has been a cornerstone of what we're doing, apropos of remarks by Ambassador of Italy, we want to incorporate all our relevant actions and to make them measurable so we know where we have good progress and where we don't. The approach of the new strategic plan is to assure that not only are we evidence-based, but we also choose wisely to do the things that make the most sense and not try to spread the butter so thin on the bread that there's nothing to be seen. And this does involve making difficult choices. We aim to do this in concert with the countries and to make sure that our plan fits with country plans as we are forward-looking and responsive to these dynamic challenges, but also to the dynamic opportunities that we have to create together in the moments ahead. So, Mr. President, I think I'll leave that there for now, and I'm happy to go back to anything else.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you. Thank you much. We take note of your offer to continue this dialogue beyond this morning. Inevitably, time will elapse, and so we're grateful for this offer to continue the dialogue later on. I now give the floor to the alternate permanent representative of China.

You have the floor.

President, China would like to thank Executive Director Kanem for her report and for her responses. We commend UNFPA's achievements in 2024. On the work of UNFPA in 2025, I wish to make the following 3 points. First, China calls for UNFPA's Strategic Plan 2026 to 2029 to stay centered on development, respond to challenges faced by developing countries in the areas of sexual and reproductive health and population development, focus on practical needs of program countries and promote the achievements of the 3 transformative results, also known as 3 zeros. China is ready to continue to engage constructively in the process of the new strategic plan and contribute China's wisdom and Chinese solutions to the work of UNFPA. Second, China commends UNFPA's efforts to promote headquarters optimization, strengthen its internal oversight and accountability, and work towards building a strong organizational of culture. We encourage UNFPA to draw on lessons learned in the evaluation of the implementation of its Strategic Plan 2022 to 2025 to enhance risk assessment and management and to further improve the transparency of its governance. Third, China urges developed countries to fulfill their ODA commitments effectively and to provide UNFPA with adequate and predictable core resources to ensure that the organization can be agile and to respond to new situations and challenges in a timely manner. China also encourages UNFPA to build broad partnerships and innovate and expand its funding channels so as to secure strong support for its effective operation. President, China attaches high importance to international cooperation on population and development and is discussing with UNFPA on developing a country program for the new cycle. We expect this to be a new opportunity to further deepen our cooperation with UNFPA to promote high-quality population development in China and support Chinese modernization. Meanwhile, China will continue to make voluntary contributions to UNFPA to the best of its ability, carry out trilateral cooperation under the framework of South-South cooperation, and help other developing countries countries implement the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda. Finally, I wish to reiterate China's unwavering support for UNFPA. We believe that UNFPA will be able to overcome all potential difficulties and challenges and provide more— better and more effective support and assistance to developing countries.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir, for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished alternate representative of Japan.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Executive Director Kanneh for her strong leadership and to the UNFPA staff who are contributing to the crucial humanitarian activities in the world. In December last year, UNFPA launched its 2025 Humanitarian Action Overview, and I had the honour to participate in the launch event. Last year saw many crises around the world, and according to UNFPA, over 122 million people were forced to flee due to emergencies caused by conflicts, and disasters. Many of these crises have required humanitarian responses on a scale unprecedented in recent years. As humanitarian crises around the world continue to worsen due to the economic and political situation of each country, the funding of the activities of UN agencies, including UNFPA, is facing more uncertainty. In view of this situation, let me briefly make 3 points. First, we should continue to make efforts in supporting UNFPA. Japan has recently decided to provide $18.05 million to support UNFPA in its 13 projects in Africa, the Middle East, and other regions assisting women and girls in vulnerable situations. In cooperation with UNFPA, we should make further efforts in securing support as much as possible. Second, on the side of UNFPA, as mentioned in the independent evaluation of the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025, we hope that UNFPA will respond to the changes in the availability of financial resources by diversifying its funding sources and making efficient use of its resources. Third, innovative solutions should be explored. Japan will host TICAD 9 in Yokohama this August under the theme of Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa. In this regard, Japan has decided to support UNFPA's activities to promote digitalization and innovation in 4 African countries, namely DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Madagascar. Through partnership with Japanese companies, we hope to achieve UNFPA's three transformative results through such innovative solutions. In closing, while we are facing global humanitarian crisis and instability, we would like to reiterate our call for collaboration toward the realization of universal health coverage UHC, which enables all to access. Healthcare they need. Japan will continue to collaborate with UNFPA to deliver support to the people in need, especially the hardest-to-reach people. I thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you very much, sir, for that statement. I will now give the floor to the distinguished Alternate Permanent Representative of Denmark, and then we will hear from Germany, Norway, and Côte d'Ivoire. You have the floor.

Madam Executive Director, let me start by thanking you for an honest and substantial statement here today and for your further reflections shared on the input we have given you so far. Mr. President, 2025 is a pivotal year for UNFPA. the ongoing headquarters optimization process, the development of a new strategic plan, and the challenges of adapting to an evolving funding landscape. All at once, as the Executive Director rightly emphasized, sexual and reproductive health and rights face increasing pressure globally, especially the last R, the rights, which UNFPA and partners have to work hard to protect. Distinguished members of the Executive and observers, UNFPA continues to demonstrate its value as an outstanding investment. The midterm review, the independent evaluations, and the recent MOPAN assessment highlight UNFPA's remarkable efforts in preventing maternal deaths, addressing the unmet need for family planning, and eliminating gender-based violence and harmful practices. Despite setbacks, UNFPA has demonstrated an impact that reinforces its indispensable role in driving the ICPD Programme of Action forward globally. Madam Executive Director, as we begin this critical year, allow me to highlight some of Denmark's key priorities. First, we look forward to engaging with UNFPA on the development of the next Strategic Plan. Building on the success of the Global Youth Dialogue in Benin, co-hosted by Benin, Denmark, and the Netherlands, we are particularly eager to see how the Cotonou Youth Action Agenda and the voices of future generations will contribute to this plan. Second, it's imperative that UNFPA remains fit for purpose, delivering on its essential normative and human rights-based mandate. Denmark supports the continued focus on accelerating progress toward the 3 transformative results, which are vital to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. On this, we note that the formulation of a potential 4th outcome related to demographic resilience— Denmark looks forward to engaging in discussions to ensure it complements and strengthens the overall strategy. In this regard, we would like to ask, how will this outcome enable UNFPA to deliver in ways it has not done before while maintaining a rights-based approach and ensuring that resources are not diverted from the current 3 transformative goals. And third and finally, we are committed to collaborating with UNFPA and partners to achieve a successful outcome at this year's CPD. Our focus will be on advancing health priorities, ensuring access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for all, particularly in humanitarian contexts, and strengthening maternal and newborn health systems. In conclusion, Denmark reaffirms its unwavering support for UNFPA and its vital mission. We remain fully committed to working together to ensure that the years ahead reflect our shared priorities and continue to deliver impactful and meaningful results for all.

Thank you. Gracias a usted por su declaración.

Thank you, Madam, for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished Alternate Representative of Germany.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished Executive Director, Excellencies, and dear members of the Executive Board. From the outside, Germany, of course, aligns itself with the joint statement just delivered by Belgium, but I would like to add a few remarks at national capacity, one of a more general nature. For us, Germany, reproductive health and rights are fundamental. They are fundamental to achieving equality, to combating discrimination, to ensuring that every individual, every woman, can live a life of dignity and autonomy. Today, unfortunately, these rights are under severe pressure worldwide. Protecting these rights is not only a matter of health and empowerment. These rights are a cornerstone of safeguarding universal human rights, human dignity, and gender equality. For us, these rights stand for the values of the United Nations Charter. And I want to reaffirm Germany's unwavering support to safeguard and to promote these rights. The second is more specific, Mr. President. I would like to make a few short comments on the next strategic plan. In general, we believe the report must reflect, first, our shared commitment to human rights at the core of sustainable development, and second, the full inclusion and participation of women and girls as the drivers. 3 focus areas of particular importance for us: first, the need to prioritize maternal and newborn health, improving the quality of care, enhancing midwifery support and integrating maternal and newborn health services in a consistent and comprehensive manner. Second, priority must be given to the unique needs of adolescent girls, protecting them from harmful practices, early marriages, and unintended pregnancies. At the same time, ensuring access to education and health services remains essential. Third, efficiency. In the face of financial constraints that we are collectively facing, increasing efficiency will remain crucial. UNFPA is a frontrunner in interagency collaboration and we commend you for that. UNFPA is therefore well positioned to further expand its leadership to strengthen synergies within the UN system, with other UN agencies and global health initiatives.

Mr.

President, In conclusion, Germany remains firmly committed to UNFPA's mission, and we will actively contribute to the development of the new strategic plan. Now is a pivotal moment, we believe, a pivotal moment to strengthen UNFPA, to show our collective commitment to promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights, and to ensure dignity for all, and thereby creating accelerating progress and new momentum towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. And as I have 30 seconds left, I would like to take these 30 seconds to thank UNFPA staff. I had the honour to be part of the trip to Moldova and Ukraine. I was deeply moved by what your staff is doing on a daily basis, not there but everywhere, under exceptionally difficult circumstances. And thank you very much to your team and to you, Madam Executive Director, for your leadership. Thank you.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much for this statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished Alternate Permanent Representative of Norway.

Thank you so much, President. Let me just start by really thanking you Executive Director Dr. Khanem, for your remarks and for your comprehensive overview of UNFPA's achievements so far and also your plans ahead. Let me also say really thank you for visionary and strategic leadership in turbulent times. Let me also emphasize our appreciation for UNFPA's Stewardship last year during the 30th anniversary of the ICPD conference, including also, I would add, our successful collaboration on the 8th International Parliamentarians' Conference on the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action in Oslo in April last year. President, protecting and promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights has a high priority in Norway's foreign and development policy, financially and politically. UNFPA is our steadfast partner in this endeavor, also looking ahead. We look forward to a good consultative process on the next Strategic Plan 2026-2029, including to ensure that the 4th outcome of on demographic resilience will complement and support the 3 transformative results. President, humanitarian needs have increased drastically over the past 5 years. We are deeply concerned about ongoing humanitarian crises which seriously hinder and prevent access to SRHR basic services. Your humanitarian efforts are critical for protection against sexual and gender-based violence and access to response services that meet the needs and priorities of survivors. Norway would therefore like to thank UNFPA for your important humanitarian efforts and for the excellent collaboration and joint achievements in recent years. UNFPA has proven time and time again that the organization stays and delivers sexual and reproductive health and rights services in very complex situations on the ground. We highly appreciate the dedication and professionalism of UNFPA's leadership and its entire staff. We hope and believe this will continue when you finalize the HQ optimization process and a new chapter fully begins. Lastly, we would like to congratulate you and UNFPA's very high score in the MOPAN assessment. I can assure you of Norway's strong commitment to every individual's rights to decide over their own body, health, and sexuality, and also for our continued commitment and support UNFPA, of course. I thank you.

Gracias a usted.

Thank you, sir, for this statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished alternate representative of Côte d'Ivoire.

I would like to thank the Executive Director Dr. Khanem for her informative presentation. My delegation aligns itself with the statement by Mozambique on behalf of the African Group, and in our national capacity would like to add the following. Mr. President, in the current difficult context, Côte d'Ivoire is delighted with its partnership with UNFPA and its consultative approach that allows us to harmonize countries' priorities with the Fund's activities, in particular in the context of the 8th Quadrennial Cooperation Programme, through which my country has committed to achieve the 3 transformative results from the 2022 to 2025 Strategic Plan, particularly when it comes to reducing gender-based violence, reducing the exploitation and abuse of women, girls, and children, reducing maternal and infant mortality, and unmet needs in family planning. This partnership has allowed my country to notch up encouraging results with the implementation of several projects that benefit our populations, in particular for women and girls. These include in the area of sexual and reproductive health in particular the project entitled Sahel Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend, SWEDD, the implementation of which with the technical support of UNFPA is helping to improve sexual and reproductive health policy. There is also the 2 Hours for Life project which aims to improve access to urgent obstetrical and neonatal care. We also have projects for the sociopolitical and economic empowerment of women that involve keeping girls in school and the establishment of platforms to combat gender-based violence across the country's territory. My country also welcomes the efforts made by UNFPA to launch its new revised gender strategy, and we very much encourage UNFPA to continue this process in the context of the new CP9 2026 to 2029, with a particular focus on those areas that have seen the least progress. The implementation of this strategic plan requires sustained financial mobilization in order to guarantee the resources needed for the implementation of cooperation programs with states. For that reason, despite the difficult international financial situation, we call upon member states and all partners as well as the partner community to continue and to increase their support for the UNFPA budget. My delegation welcomes the implementation of the West and Central Africa Country Programme, which is a partnership that is helping to improve the living conditions of the people in these areas that face conflict and climate change. And to conclude, my country reiterates its satisfaction with UNFPA's work and—

Thank you.

Merci à vous, Madame.

Thank you, Madame. Let me now give the floor to the distinguished permanent representative of Timor-Leste.

Thank you for giving me the floor, and thank you for the comprehensive briefing, Mr.

Chair.

The United Nations Population Fund has been involved in Timor-Leste for over 2 decades. The UNFPA efforts in Timor-Leste have been guided by its Country Programme Documents, which outline the organization's strategic priorities and activities for programming— for each programming cycle based on Timor-Leste's National Development Plan, by supporting key national priorities, particularly in health, gender equality, youth development, and population data for planning. We welcome the new CPD for Timor-Leste for the next 5 years, from '26 to '29, as uttered by Madam Executive Director this morning. Timor-Leste, with its youthful population, is an example of how strategic interventions in these areas can drive sustainable development and improve overall well-being. In terms of maternal health, Ensuring high-quality maternal healthcare is fundamental to the health and well-being of a young population. Access to comprehensive antenatal care, safe delivery services, and modern contraception can significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. In terms of gender-based approach, we believe that promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls are essential for fostering a just and inclusive society. In Timor-Leste, such programs can help eliminate gender-based violence, ensure equal access to education and employment, and create an environment where women can fully participate in all aspects of society. In terms of gender equality initiatives, in a population where the reproductive age group is high, comprehensive sexual education is critical for equipping young people with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. A curriculum-based approach to teaching sexuality, therefore, is important to enable young people to understand their bodies, relationships, and sexual health, empowering them, empowering them to protect and advocate for their rights. In Timor-Leste, sexuality education can also play a pivotal role in reducing rates of teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and gender-based violence. The UNFPA contributes significantly to promoting comprehensive sexual education in Timor-Leste. It has been done so to empower young people to accurate information on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and life skills. In addition, Timor-Leste's large population of young people represents a significant opportunity to harness the demographic dividend. This refers to economic growth potential that arises when The working-age population is larger than the dependent population. To fully realize its potential, it is essential to ensure that young people are healthy, educated, empowered, and employed in decent work. Mr. Chair, through strategic planning and implementation, these programmes can drive positive change, reduce inequalities, and ensure that the youth are equipped to contribute to the country's growth and development. As Timor-Leste continues to navigate its path towards progress. The success of these initiatives will be instrumental in shaping a brighter and more equitable future for all its citizens. We welcome UNFPA's continuous effort, and my government stands ready to cooperate on these programs. I thank you.

Gracias a usted por su declaración y le ofrezco ahora la—

Thank you very much for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia. And then Brazil and the Netherlands, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Mr. President. Australia aligns with the cross-regional statement delivered by Belgium. I make the following remarks in my national capacity. Australia is steadfast in our support for UNFPA and its work protecting and improving the lives of people across the world. UNFPA's work remains as relevant and urgent as ever. Australia is pleased to provide multi-year core funding to UNFPA, and we have a keen interest in the development of the new Strategic Plan. The new Strategic Plan is an opportunity for UNFPA to innovate and adapt while recommitting to the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. Let me take this opportunity to underline key priorities for Australia in the next UNFPA Strategic Plan. First, the strategic plans of UN agencies taken all together must demonstrate a holistic UN offer. At the same time, each agency must be clear about what they do best. This was a fundamental ask of the QCPR. For UNFPA, the new strategic plan must continue to support the full breadth of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people across their life cycle. SRHR and the ICPD agenda should be UNFPA's through line in the collective UN offer. Second, we support UNFPA in your thinking to bolster demographic resilience in the next Strategic Plan. Demographic transitions across the next 2 decades will be rapid and will shape the trajectories of countries, communities, and future generations. The Strategic Plan must ensure UNFPA has the skills needed to support countries facing these challenges. Third, the next Strategic Plan will require careful balancing of resources to ensure equitable financing and technical support across all regions. Finally, it is critical that UNFPA is focused on ensuring adequate risk assessment and the mitigation of decreased funding, particularly for core resources. Securing funding from diverse sources must be at the forefront of the strategic plan. Australia welcomes the opportunity to engage with UNFPA on the strategic plan, and we express our support for consultations with member states. We request that this continue regularly in the lead-up to the submission of the plan to the Board for approval.

I thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam, for this statement.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil

commends UNFPA and its team for their unwavering commitment to advancing the population and development agenda, particularly in key areas such as gender equality and sexual and reproductive health. We recognize UNFPA's critical role in building resilience and ensuring that no one is left behind, especially in the face of conflicts, deepening inequalities, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. As we collectively reshape UNFPA's Strategic Plan for 2026-2029, Brazil remains committed to a shared vision of demographic resilience, sustainable development, and the promotion of human rights. The continued focus on 3 Transformative results— ending preventable maternal death, ending unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices— remains paramount. In this regard, Brazil reaffirms its commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action and underscores the necessity of global solidarity as we mark Beijing+30. We also reiterate our dedication to support initiatives that promote universal access to reproductive health services, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable populations. Last December, UNFPA and the Brazilian Ministry of Racial Equality signed a 4-year technical cooperation agreement to expand institutional capacity and foster inclusive public policies. This partnership reflects our shared commitments to upholding the rights of marginalized groups. UNFPA has also been a strategic partner in modernizing Brazil's statistical and geoscientific capabilities, notably supporting our most recent demographics Stress the importance of flexible core funding and urge all partners to reinforce their commitments to sustaining UNFPA's essential work. As the incoming COP30 President, Brazil is committed to integrate climate considerations into UNFPA's programming as a cross-cutting element. Addressing climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges, and UNFPA's role in fostering sustainable community-driven solutions in support of its 3 transformative results will be invaluable. Thank you, Mr. President and Madam Executive Director.

Thank you for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Netherlands.

Thank you.

Gracias, señor presidente, and thank you also on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We are proud to be a long-standing partner of UNFPA and also very proud to say that we're the chair of the Commission on Population and Development this year. So let me also, on behalf of the chair, say Thank you to UNFPA for providing such staunch support to us in this effort. And thank you, Dr. Khanam, for this extensive presentation. Especially your points on innovative financing appeal to us. And 2025 is a pivotal year for UNFPA, in which the next strategic plan will be developed and endorsed by the Executive Board, the final plan before 2030. The midterm review, formative evaluation of the current Strategic Plan, as well as the recent MOPAN assessment, provides strong starting points for developing an evidence-based plan based on lessons learned and with UNFPA's comparative advantage within the UN system at its core. And let me also echo some of the comments made by, by the Danish Mission, the DPR, on the Youth Action Agenda in the developed in Cotonou and taking those recommendations also into the strategic plan. We encourage UNFPA to ensure that the human rights-based approach and focus on norm protection remain central to the strategic plan. The current challenging funding environment necessitates UNFPA to make choices and hone in on where it is most value to add. In the light of this, we ask UNFPA to ensure that it retains its strong and effective focus on comprehensive sexual reproductive health and rights, as well as reaching marginalized groups. The Kingdom of the Netherlands would welcome a complementary chapter in the new strategic plan outlining UNFPA's comparative advantage within the wider UNDS. 2025 is also the year in which the HQ optimization process will be in full swing. UNFPA's commitments to monitoring the the effects of the optimization process on its effectiveness is well noted. We particularly encourage UNFPA to diligently monitor the impact on normative performance. So let me raise the question, how does UNFPA intend to use the results of this monitoring exercise beyond using it to report to the Board? For example, will this be used also to inform potential adjustments that may need to be made? And then lastly, I would like to applaud UNFPA's continuous efforts to increase the visibility of results achieved with funding, and in particularly the core funding. The Kingdom of the Netherlands encourages UNFPA to continue this work to show the value and impact of your agency.

Thank you.

Grazie a usted.

Thank you very much, madam, for that statement. I now give the I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Korea, to be followed by the Dominican Republic.

Thank you, Mr. President, and distinguished Madam Executive Director. Marking the 25th year of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and the 30th year of the Beijing Declaration, this year is particularly meaningful in terms of strengthening the rights of women and girls. This year is even more important in that UNFPA's Strategic Plan 2026-2029 will be drawn up. In this regard, I would like to make the following comments. First, my delegation welcomes UNFPA's enhanced efforts for the HDP nexus, as UNFPA is increasingly engaged in the transition from relief to development, such as prevention and response to GBV and building of the SRH system in communities when the world is going through a massive humanitarian crisis. In this light, the ROK committed $32 million in multi-year contributions to provision of life-saving integrated SRH and GBV services in conflict-affected and fragile settings We hope that the HDP nexus approach and its monitoring efforts are included in the next strategic plan, along with the MOPAN assessment results, and carried out systematically. Second, we welcome UNFPA's reflection on strengthening its strategic positioning on population dynamics and other key areas including aging population. About half of all countries are experiencing low fertility, and 24 countries of them, including Korea, have ultra-low fertility rates. The aging population poses significant challenges to sustaining the development that has been accomplished so far. It is against this backdrop that the Korean government has hosted the Global Symposium on Low Fertility and Aging in partnership with UNFPA annually since 2017. We hope this partnership develops into a practical platform for other member states with similar challenges. Third, we hope that the HQ optimization to Nairobi will be successful and smooth. We appreciate the leadership's efforts in that the placement rate of international staff is as high as 99%, while the staff attrition is lower than UNFPA's global average. We wish UNFPA a smooth transition as the HQ optimization will take place from March to August. Firmly supporting UNFPA's commitment to achieving the 3 zeros, the Korean government nearly quadrupled its core contributions to UNFPA last year. And has strived to maintain its quality funding, such as multi-year contributions to humanitarian thematic fund. We also hope that UNFPA will also accelerate its efforts to secure more diversified funding sources. I thank you.

Gracias a usted por su declaración.

Thank you very much for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Dominican Republic. Republic, to be followed by New Zealand.

Thank you, President. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and friends, very good afternoon. We thank Dr. Natalia Kanem for her briefing where she highlighted the great efforts carried out by the Fund to fulfill its mandate in a complex and complicated juncture. We commend the commitment of the UNFP aid in reaching the most vulnerable populations, especially in the Global South. But just like you, we continue to be concerned by the issue of regular or core funding. We recognize the fundamental role of core funding. In ensuring that the UNFPA can successfully fulfill its mandate and effectively respond to new challenges. We urge states to give priority to regular or core funding and to guarantee the flexibility and sustainability of UNFPA programs. In this regard, and as we said yesterday, we believe that it is important to implement all mandates stemming from the General Assembly in this regard, not just the QCPR. We are of the view that we should carefully study the mandate handed down by General Assembly Resolution 79/228 relating to global partnerships, and especially paragraphs 11 and 12. In paragraph 12, it states that GEO recognizes that these partnerships should give priority to core resources while noting the need to make non-core resources from partners flexible and aligned with strategic plans and national priorities. Now that we are working on the new strategic plan, I believe that it would be important to include these components as well. By way of conclusion, we wish to reaffirm our commitment to the defense of human rights, including health and reproductive rights, sexual health and reproductive rights for all. We would ask the UNFPA to continue its efforts to address inequalities and discrimination, especially those that are gender-based or based on ethnic origin or socioeconomic situations. especially in middle-income countries, and we would like to use this new strategy for these countries in particular. Thank you very much.

Thank you for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of New Zealand, to be followed by France.

Thank you, Mr. President. New Zealand was pleased to join the group statement delivered by Belgium. We also wish to make some brief remarks in a national capacity. Mr. President, New Zealand is a strong supporter of UNFPA, and we place significant importance on the ongoing development of UNFPA's next strategic plan. We hope and expect that UNFPA's strategic planning process will include robust engagement with other entities within the UN development system to ensure that development priorities that were set out in the QCPR resolution are rationally and efficiently distributed across agencies in accordance with their respective mandates. The effective functioning of the Resident Coordinator System is crucial if the UN development system is to optimize resources for development impact on the ground. One key way that UNFPA can support this is to ensure that interagency cooperation at the country level is is founded in coherent, jointly developed strategic plans. Otherwise, each hardworking country team will be obliged to reverse engineer a coherent way to implement these strategies, a time-consuming task that would distract from delivering tangible development outcomes. Lastly, New Zealand welcomes timely joint briefings as part of the strategic plan development process. These help member states to observe and to understand the broader strategic benefits of UN development system reform. Thank you.

Gracias por su declaración.

Thank you very much for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of France, who will be followed by Canada.

Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you, Mr. President. Allow me first of all to thank you, Madam Executive Director. for your presentation and your commitment and that of your team to women and girls around the world. Sexual and reproductive health and rights are the basis of the rights of women and girls, their empowerment and gender equality. France is convinced that investing in health and sexual and reproductive rights is essential in order to together achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda. That is why we devote €90 million to the UNFPA Supplies Programme, making us the 3rd biggest donor to thematic funds of UNFPA in 2023. Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, each year 121 million women fall pregnant without having chosen to do so. 60% of them put an end to their pregnancy and 45% of those abortions are not medicalized. Infant mortality hasn't fallen since 2015. In this critical context, UNFPA's role is essential and even unique. France applauds the work of the agency to guarantee access to essential health services in all contexts and in particular in crisis contexts. We welcome the Fund's mobilization on issues of risk management and consolidating a fully inclusive organizational culture that should continue. Our work and our collective commitment must also be strengthened in order to preserve the Fund's capacity to act at a time when there are growing challenges. 2025 is a watershed year for UNFPA. It will be marked by the adoption of a new strategic program for the next 4 years. With that in mind, France would be paying attention to actions made to strengthen the humanitarian response division and supply chain management within the agency in accordance with the recommendations of the Board of Auditors and again in service of the operational focus of the fund. France also recommends that the transfer of the headquarters, the preparations for which were presented at the beginning of the week, be carried out without prejudice to the continuity of the fund's operations at this critical moment for the rights of women. Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, equality between men and women is at the heart of France's feminist diplomacy. As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Programme of Action, France reiterates its confidence in UNFPA's strategic direction and its commitment to supporting the Fund in achieving its goals. Thank you.

Gracias a usted por su declaración.

Thank you very much for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Canada.

Monsieur le Président, Madame la Directrice.

Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, ladies and gentlemen delegates, Canada wishes to express its gratitude for the critical work of UNFPA and its staff in a challenging and rapidly evolving context. In 2019, Canada made a historic 10-year commitment to support the health and rights of women and girls globally because investing in comprehensive sexual rights— sexual and reproductive health and rights is a smart, evidence-based, cost-saving investment that saves lives and protects rights. Canada reaffirms its commitment to the Program of Action from the International Conference on Population and Development and will continue to work with all stakeholders on supporting comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights. We commend the notable achievements of UNFPA as described by the Executive Director, including the launch yesterday of UNFPA's Strategy for Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health and Wellbeing for 2025. To 2030. However, nearly 800 women still die every day from preventable maternal causes, and we remain deeply concerned about the numerous obstacles jeopardizing the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Women and Girls in all their diversity. Canada is also concerned by the global setbacks in terms of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. This concerning global trend requires concerted action.

The challenges that we face also require strong organization that is fit for purpose. Continuous efforts by all member states towards strengthening the organization's effectiveness, efficiency, and rigorous management of results remain key. We look forward to celebrating progress on areas such as quantum implementation, supply management systems, and the humanitarian response division. Humanitarian crisis and fragile systems exacerbate challenges faced by women and girls. This is why Canada continues to support UNFPA in humanitarian contexts. While UNFPA has improved its humanitarian response capacity, strengthening the operationalization of UNFPA's humanitarian mandate and better strategic integration of its development and humanitarian work are key priorities we have heard from the last MOPAN assessment, the report of the Board of Auditors, and the formative evaluation of the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan. We applaud the positive MOPAN assessment, which found UNFPA to have a strong commitment to UN development system reform. We look forward to UNFPA harnessing progress achieved and implementing the guidance received from the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review Resolution, including as a key key input to the development of the new UNFPA strategic plan for 2026 to 2029. Allow me to conclude, Mr. President, Dr. Canham, distinguished delegates, by reaffirming Canada's strong commitment to UNFPA to address and overcome the challenges we face together and to achieve gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the empowerment of all women and girls.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom, to be followed by Mexico, Russia, Russian Federation, and Nigeria.

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you to Dr. Carney for her remarks. And the UK aligns with the joint statement delivered by Belgium, and I'll now deliver our remarks in a national capacity. So let me start by thanking UNFPA staff for their continued efforts to safeguard sexual and reproductive health and rights. These rights are under siege in many places, with alarming rollbacks putting critical services for women and girls at even greater risk. The UK reaffirms its commitment to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the ICPD, which remains a cornerstone of our collective work to achieve universal access to SRHR and gender equality. For the UK, comprehensive SRHR remains at the heart of our international development work to end preventable deaths of mothers and babies and ensure women and girls have bodily autonomy and are able to make their own informed decisions about whether, with whom, and when to have children. The UK is and will remain a strong supporter of UNFPA both through our funding and advocacy for SRHR for all. The UK values UNFPA's leadership in humanitarian crises around the world. We thank UNFPA for ensuring that sexual, reproductive, and maternal health access and sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response are prioritized from the onset of an emergency. UNFPA's work in humanitarian crises is life-saving. Providing a lifeline to women and girls in dire circumstances. We are deeply concerned, however, that this response is underfunded, particularly in neglected crises, and that SRHR services in humanitarian settings are still overlooked. How is UNFPA linking up with other parts of the UN system, working across the UN's humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts to uplift SRHR services in crises and what more can be done. We commend UNFPA's achievements and the significant improvements identified in the MOPAN assessments, as, as well as key recommendations to make UNFPA future-fit, and we look forward to continued consultations on the upcoming strategic plan. The global community is not doing enough to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and this must be a critical moment to incorporate lessons lessons learned and accelerate progress towards these shared goals, refining UNFPA's approach so that we can better achieve the 3 transformative results? How is UNFPA employing technology to better ensure that results are achieved? In closing, we look forward to continuing our close partnership to deliver a world where every woman and girl have control over their lives and their own bodies, so they and the societies they live in can fulfill their potential.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam, for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.

Thank you very much, President. The year 2025 is a key moment in terms of moving forward with gender equality and the 3 zeros of the UNFPA, in that it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action and also review of SDG 5 at the HLPF. Also, the 30th anniversary of the Cairo Programme of Action that we celebrated last year gives us invaluable impetus that we cannot ignore in terms of strengthening the transformative action of the UNFPA. Over these 31 years, we have made significant progress, but there is still much to do. Mexico recognizes the work of the UNFPA in promoting gender equality and sexual and reproductive health. In this regard, we wish to highlight their work in our country where they are carrying out the 7th country program cycle in close collaboration with a number of different sectors to help us move to a world where each pregnancy is desired and where every birth is safe and where every young person can fully develop their potential. An innovative initiative is the Human Development Index developed by the representation of the UNFPA in Mexico in collaboration with the National Institute for Statistics and Geography, the National Population Council, and the Mexican Institute for Youth. This index, which is a pioneer globally, is based on the variables of the traditional Human Development Index, but it adds variables, key variables such as sexual and reproductive health. We are particularly grateful for the cutting-edge strategy that is focused on strengthening professional midwifery. We also recognize the work of the UNFPA in the private sector, with the private sector, and we invite them to continue strengthening their strategic alliances here. One example that we commend is the collaboration that Mexico has had with the Prada Group. This has provided training in design, financial education, human rights, and gender equality for indigenous women from the textile sector, contributing to their bodily and financial autonomy. In Mexico, we believe that guaranteeing sexual and reproductive rights is a central pillar. In this regard, we highlight national projects such as I Decide, that seeks to ensure the financial sustainability of the national strategy for preventing teenage pregnancies. In this regard, I am particularly grateful for the support of the UNFPA in consolidating this agenda and moving towards achieving the SDGs. We know that we can count on the UNFPA. You should also know that you can always count on Mexico. We will continue working to achieve tangible results, stepping up our efforts with determination and commitment as time is ticking till 2030. The opportunity to transform lives and build a more just, egalitarian, sustainable future is in our hands, and we cannot miss this opportunity.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam, for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

Distinguished Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, the Russian Federation supports the important work of UNFPA. We are of the view that a fundamental reference point in interstate cooperation in the area of population for the post-2015 period is the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development. its implementation should help achieve internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals. In this regard, we note the leading role of UNFPA in implementing the targets of the ICPD in full and as they are interlinked. At the same time, we support the Fund's plan to include in the next strategic plan a separate element on population trends and demographic statistics. In recent years, the Russian Federation has financed thematic UNFPA thematic projects in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. We look forward to continuing this cooperation. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much, sir, for that statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, for giving Nigeria the floor. and especially for the admirable way you have presided our meeting and guided the discourse through the week. First, we would like to express our thanks to Madam Executive Director and your team for your excellent work in the UNFPA, prioritizing the protection and promotion of rights of women and girls through the larger ICPD platform. Nigeria is one of the countries most impacted by the issues under your mandate, and we continue to value our partnership and collaboration, which have yielded many positive outcomes. In February 2004, Nigeria submitted its national report of the 4th cycle periodic review to the United Nations Human Rights Council. In that report, we highlighted our work in the last 4 years in promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls, combating female genital mutilation, addressing child trafficking, child labor, infant and maternal mortality through the strengthening of our legislative and institutional frameworks. In this regard, our Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, which was signed into law in 2015, is being enacted at all the subnational governments in Nigeria, giving huge impetus to the fight against gender-based violence and related challenges. Similarly, the Child Rights Act 2023, which is a domestication of the Conventions on the Rights of the Child, has been enacted as laws in the 36 states in Nigeria, ensuring that the protection and promotion of the rights of children is given the priority that it deserves. Our 4th cycle periodic The court also underscored the guiding principles in line with our national laws, norms, and values with regard to sexual and reproductive health rights for girls in particular, considering their vulnerability and special needs. Our engagement with the UNFPA will continue to be guided by these values, which have become part of our national laws. Madam Executive Secretary and Mr. President, we echo the imperative of improved funding for the UNFPA in order to safeguard the important work of the organization and express our desire to continue to work with you in the preparation of your next strategic plan for 2026-2029. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Thank you very much for that statement.

For our executive director, the floor to leave us eager to continue this conversation after this meeting. Madame, you have the floor.

Gracias, señor presidente. Thank you very much. One of the good things about having wonderful colleagues is that we can share some of the responsibilities. responses, so I will try to be as concise as possible. But it's been a very rich discussion, and thank you so much for engaging with us, for the suggestions, and also for some of the cautions and caveats, because it is a very complex environment in which UNFPA operates. Starting with comments by the China delegation, which we appreciated Your insistence that we have to be practical. We have to do things that we can demonstrate make a difference. And that this implies we have a strong organizational culture. That we reach out for partnerships and that we draw on the results of evaluations, including risk assessment. I appreciated all the comments which ask developed countries to contribute to ODA and to assure that we will be able to pay for some of the services that we are trying to develop. The emphasis on oversight was welcome, and I want to explain that UNFPA has now a new tradition, if you will, of an integrity group, and it consists of our audit and investigation services, our independent evaluation office, our independent ethics office, our legal office, the ombudsman, and also DHR and my office. This is part of taking account of the lessons that we're learning and also instilling them throughout all the regions of the world where we work from an oversight standpoint. South-South and trilateral cooperation indeed so important, and this will be featured in our new strategic plan. Moving on to comments by Japan in particular, thank you for acknowledging our staff. We do have dedicated staff who work under difficult conditions in shifting sands And especially in humanitarian circumstances, the support of our executive board goes a long way. A lot of our staff are tuned in and listening to the debate online. So, for those of you who spoke about the staff, we thank you for that. And I'd also like to say that our humanitarian work benefits from teams learning from one another. I would like to emphasize that as we think through our next steps and where our comparative advantage will be, UNFPA has had an extraordinary trajectory on humanitarian affairs just in the last 10 years. And I would like to turn to you, Andrew, our Deputy Executive Director, Management, Just to say a couple of words about that trajectory in our humanitarian development.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Executive Director. Well, that trajectory— UNFPA has grown in humanitarian funding from $294 million in 2019 over 5 years to actually 2024, we're actually thinking of— we were actually recording an amount of about $583 million for the funding. Now, humanitarian funding is representing over 40% of our overall funding, and we've also seen significant growth in that time, and MUSE is one of the preferred mechanisms of the humanitarian trust fund as well, which now reached a level of 49 in 2024. In just closing on that, Natalia, I just draw attention to your statement, part of your statement, that in that record year in 2024, a significant amount of that was received from, of course, a member state over which we have now received some recent stop-work orders. and so the implications for that on that funding and the program work, we will need to report back to the Board on.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Andrew, and again for the management support. And as many of you in the earlier conversation and now have referred to the importance of Africa in the world landscape, Jenny, I'd like to turn to you just to explain what it is that we've been doing and, in particular, the demographic dividend and young people's concerns.

Over.

Thank you, Executive Director. It's my honour to really mention how much we have been working on Africa, how much Africa is important for UNFPA mandate. Thank you to the African member states and to all other member states who mentioned it. 4 main points. The first one, the youth agenda. The Cotonou Youth, led by Denmark and Netherlands, I think, have yielded children, if I may put it this way, and it is already placed in the SP2629 as a major component and focusing on SRHR, but also it is in the outcome of future generations during the Summit of the Future. The third point of youth agenda is the peace and security. We have been working very closely to ensure that the peacebuilding architecture, they are embedded in it. The second agenda is the maternal health. Maternal health strategy, the Executive Director mentioned, starting with her. As one of the member states said, one mother is dying every 2 minutes, so that is very important in the work we do. In the humanitarian part, the humanitarian midwives have an important extraordinary role in building capacity in case they cannot come back and save women there. So I wanted to mention that because this is one of the things UNFPA does. The other thing I would like to mention here is really the partnership— African-EU partnership, South-South cooperation, the TCAD. All those are very important for us, partnership, but the supply partnership as well is absolutely critical. In Africa, we have 44 countries countries working, with which we have mobilized 44 million domestic resources. I would like to mention here the work of our external resources in working with the IFIs to make sure that we helped for the IDA replenishment, advocating with countries how much it is important for them so that we can continue programs just like the SWEDD and women and girls empowerment. I may stop there, Executive Director.

Thank you.

Well, thanks so much. Let me just move on to say specifically to Denmark that you said something that spoke directly to our hearts in expressing support for a consensus outcome in the Commission on Population and Development. You also asked about the 4th outcome on population, which we have given a lot of thought to in terms of our new strategic planning. And I would like Julia Bunting, who leads our program division, to speak to that and also to speak to Start With Her, because maternal mortality has also been referenced by a number of the board members today. Over to you, Julia.

Thank you, Executive Director. So, the proposed 4th outcome in the new strategic plan on population population dynamics and demographic change underpins UNFPA's unwavering commitment to ensure that the sexual and reproductive health and rights and choices of all individuals are protected, respected, and enhanced, and that gender equality is safeguarded in all contexts. UNFPA's engagement is critically important as Member States around the world experience continued demographic transitions in the years and decades ahead, as our colleague from Australia referenced. The 4th outcome will provide expanded opportunities for UNFPA to engage with the growing number of countries that have anxieties about demographic change and put forward evidenced and rights-based responses to help these countries strengthen demographic resilience and make the most of demographic change. As the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA's engagement on these important macro issues, which, as many have highlighted, are also reflected in the QCPR and other documents, aligned with our critical normative role globally and in countries in supporting member states to ensure that social and economic policies and programs designed to respond to diverse demographic trends are grounded in individual rights and choices. In relation to the Starts with Her strategy, that UNFPA launched just a couple of days ago to advance our work on reproductive, maternal, and newborn health. We're incredibly excited about it because we recognize the important role that we play as a member of the United Nations family in supporting the life-saving needs of women and their babies around the world. We do it in conjunction with other UN agencies, including WHO and UNICEF, under the Every Woman, Newborn Everywhere partnership, and we do it recognizing that progress in advancing maternal mortality has stalled in recent years. So, with a renewed commitment to ensure that in the 6 years through to the end of 2020, we further accelerate that progress and ensure that no woman dies giving birth. Thank you.

Thank you so much, Julia, and also for the leadership, because we're very excited about recommitting to stemming maternal deaths. Many of these deaths are entirely preventable, and it takes partnerships across the board. And that answers, I believe, some of the comments that we heard from Germany and Norway. I would like to agree, though, that this is a pivotal moment. When times get tough, women and girls should not be dropped to the bottom of the list. And so everybody's vocal support for the issues that we condense into this terminology of sexual and reproductive health and rights is much appreciated. I was in Cairo personally as a young professional, and I also attended the Beijing meeting in 2005. So as we sorry, in 1995. So as we look now to 30 years, we can say that a concerted effort led to progress. Things are definitely better for women and girls today than they were then. But as some of you have also remarked, Mexico in particular, we still have a long way to go. In engaging with you on our strategic plan. I'm always amazed that our executive board is asking for more informals and more information. We try to pare things down so that we don't, you know, overwhelm our members with, should I say, too much information, TMI. But we're delighted that these issues are of importance to you, and certainly we will continue to use that informal methodology to consult with you as we have thus far as we engage with the new strategic plan. We would like to be as clear as possible, including for the new 4th transformative result that we're proposing, because that clarity also makes it easier for us to discern who are the future collaborations going to be with, and to be very frank, who can we appeal to for more financial support? Because precious core support is a big part of our ability to be effective. I would like to thank Côte d'Ivoire and others who talked about the double impact of climate and conflict. conflict on the life of a woman and girl. And this is one of the things that, working together with the World Bank in the Sahelian Women and Employment and Demographic Dividend Program, Africa's large youth population is going to predominate, and we have the opportunity to invest in them from now. And that education is going to be very protective, especially when coupled with universal health coverage and other things that make life better. For Timor, who spoke about the 2 decades plus that we've had a strong partnership, I wanted to mention that just this morning, my predecessor, Executive Director Thoraya Obaid, was in contact, like of our retirees. She follows the schedule, and she knows that this is our board week and wanted to wish us well. She was a proponent of tailoring our programs to the cultural contexts in which we work. And critically, the work on comprehensive sexuality education is protective. It equips young people to not just to understand the anatomy of their body, but to understand relationships. Girls and boys, everyone needs to know how human relations are impacted by sexuality and the rights that go along with consent. So this type of cooperation in Timor, including with the older generations as well, as we think about the life cycle, There's a lot that older people can do to support younger people and vice versa. So thank you very much for your example of how the demographic dividend is working in your country. Australia and others also spoke to the urgency of the moment, and we really believe that the holistic offering, knowing our comparative advantage, again, the clarity that helps us to deliver better. This is going to help us avoid duplication and also to support the strong normative values that UNFPA represents. When I traveled to Brazil last year, I had the opportunity to see resilience, leaving no one behind, all of this terminology in action. And people who are marginalized are really smart and they have ideas about how to get out of the predicament that they're in. So using the power of statistics and that geospatial capacity to be able to identify quilombolo communities, all of this is new, it's innovative, and we think that that's the true worthiness of our population approach. But flexible core funding, again, is part of what makes this possible. All eyes will be on Brazil for the COP in, uh, COP30 next— this year, and UNFPA of course will cooperate fully. We also understand very clearly, and Netherlands underlined this, that it's the human rights-based approach that's the successful approach. And in chairing the Commission on Population and Development, we look forward to working very closely together. We were asked about monitoring of the HQ optimization, and I will just simply say that yes, the monitoring is part of course correcting if we need to do that, and we will be paying attention to this. Before asking Florence, if you will, to respond to Republic of Korea and others who spoke about the importance of strong support for healthy aging and low fertility. I want to assert that the humanitarian activities that Korea and others have supported really make a big difference, and the importance of coordinating is something that we're imprinting in our approach to that work. So please, Florence, if you could Just briefly say a few words about how we're refreshing our approach to low fertility in particular.

Thank you so much, Executive Director. Indeed, we have more and more countries that are facing shrinking fertility, at the same time aging population, and this is creating a level of anxiety that puts in danger the progress that has been achieved on gender equality, and in particular on the principles of rights and choices. And that's why UNFPA, as part of the Demographic Resilience Programme, supports countries to navigate these trends by investing in human capital. And this includes, for example, promoting gender-responsive family policies in different countries, including in the Western Balkans, so that the women are put in a position where they can have a career and the number of children that they wish to have, because we do see that very often they actually want more children, children than what they manage to have. So that's why it's important to create conditions where they can meet their fertility wish. Thank you.

Thank you for that. And obviously there's a lot more that we could say on any of these individual topics, and we would love to engage with you more on these issues, whether in informal meetings or by coming to see you. So, let me just thank everyone for your interventions. I'm very conscious of the time. And I would like to, again, agree that 2025 being a key moment, the issues of adolescent pregnancy and how it curtails the future of a girl, the political will that we saw in Mexico, for example, attending the inauguration, of Presidenta Scheinbaum, and of the importance of data and statistics. Russian Federation and others have already alluded to that aspect of resilience in the work of UNFPA. We hope to be able to claim our value proposition. Lastly, for Nigeria, as you mentioned UPR last year, your country was the first to have an adolescent pregnancy-related policy on the books in the African continent. And I believe that actions that put statutes in place to protect people against violence— FGM, MMR, everything that you mentioned— will be really crucial. So, Mr. President, in closing, I would like to acknowledge one of our long-serving staff who was a member of UNFPA's Executive Board branch, Ms. Lordeth Ferguson, has been one of the unsung heroes responsible for our ability to have a smooth functioning board process. Lordeth, thank you. As you retire, we want to acknowledge you for your professionalism and for your tireless support and hard work.

Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. President, it is said that to be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. For UNFPA, trust is something that we will never take for granted. It is trust that builds the resilience that UNFPA shows time and again, even through unprecedented challenging And while circumstances and political winds may change, UNFPA will never forget who it is that we are intended to serve, who it is that we are accountable to, and ultimately that is the women and girls and communities who have put their trust in us. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you to you. Thank you to your team. And as I said, I think we are all eager to continue this conversation going forward. We have reached the end of this agenda item. I thank you, Dr. Khanem, and your colleagues from the UNFPA for this very instructive discussion. We have also reached the end of the UNFPA segment, and we shall therefore reconvene at 3 PM this afternoon to continue with the joint Thank you very much. The morning meeting is adjourned. Yes.