(Part 1) High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development - General Assembly, 81st session

Good morning to all of you. I call to order the high-level meeting to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. This meeting is held in accordance with Resolution 80/207 of 18 December 2025. As mentioned in my letter, of 16 September 2026. This meeting will consist of an opening segment and a plenary segment. I now invite the Assembly to view a video on the anniversary.

Never has humanity had greater wealth knowledge and technology, yet real progress and development is on the string. Over 800 million people remain trapped in extreme poverty. Imagine if every person and all peoples were able to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural, and political development. With the cost of debt reaching $1.4 trillion in developing countries, 3.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on debt interest than on education or health. Imagine if countries could formulate national development policies that prioritize the well-being of their people over excessive debt servicing costs. Every year, $500 billion is lost to tax abuse. In developing countries alone, those losses amount to nearly half of public health spending. Imagine if all countries implemented the duty to cooperate with each other on fair international tax rules to eliminate obstacles to development. Official development assistance is facing its largest annual decline on record. The countries least responsible for climate change are suffering its worst impacts and lack the resources needed to respond. Imagine if effective international cooperation resulted in the appropriate resources and capacities to foster truly sustainable development. Military spending has increased every year for a decade. At the same time, Nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths occur in countries marked by conflict or fragility. Imagine if the international community did its utmost to achieve disarmament and used the released resources to protect human rights and development. Today, just 12 individuals are richer than half of humanity, with billionaire wealth surpassing $18 trillion. Imagine if the benefits resulting from development were distributed fairly to everyone. When inequalities deepen, societies become poorer and less resilient, more divided and more fearful. It is time to rebalance power and reshape human rights economies. Eliminate inequalities and entrench social justice. and guarantee active, free and meaningful participation in development. Imagine if the UN Declaration on the Rights to Development was enabled to fulfill its transformative promise.

Thank you for watching the video. I will now make a statement as the President of the General Assembly. Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, dear colleagues, thank you for joining this 40th anniversary commemoration of the Declaration on the Right to Development. For me, this is also a deeply personal occasion. I was there 40 years ago during the 41st session of the General Assembly when this declaration was adopted. I remember that occasion. I remember the spirit of that moment, the sense, particularly among those furthest behind, that their voices had been heard, that their concerns could no longer be ignored, and that the vast disparity between developed and developing countries were not peripheral to this Assembly's work, but central to it. Forty years later, Here we are, and the core message of that declaration remains as powerful and as necessary as ever, that every person, that all peoples have the right to participate in and contribute to and enjoy development. Development is not merely about economic growth. It is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural, and political process. It is about the constant improvement of human well-being through people's active, free, and meaningful participation, and through the fair distribution of its benefits. At its heart, the declaration affirms a simple truth. People must remain at the center of development as its participants, its beneficiaries, and its authors. Excellencies, The decades that ensued saw what is perhaps the greatest leap in human development in history. Global life expectancy has increased by nearly a decade. The likelihood of a child dying before their fifth birthday has fallen by 60%. And the likelihood of that child going to school has risen. Some 1.5 billion people have escaped extreme poverty. And a technology that did not even exist when this declaration was adopted now connects more than 5 billion human beings. Each of these figures represent something far more meaningful than a statistical gain or a simple number. A child lives longer and thrives. A young person learns. A family enjoys greater security, and a community gains new possibilities. Yet, for all our successes-- and there have been many, and this organization has been quite central in ensuring them. Let's not forget that. Yet, all for our successes, we also know that progress has been uneven across regions, within societies, and across development goals themselves. Indeed, only 36% of the 139 SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress. Many countries continue to face structural barriers, financing constraints, unsustainable debt burden, and unequal participation in global decision making. And 40 years after declaring development a right, far too many of these rights to education, to food, to a job, depend on factors beyond a person's control, determined by geography, by gender, by environmental conditions. So as we mark this anniversary, our task cannot simply be to celebrate the progress of the past 40 years. We must also reflect honestly on what those 40 years have taught us and act on those lessons. The first lesson, Excellencies, is that development must be inclusive. The declaration does not speak of passive beneficiaries. It speaks of participants and contributors. Development cannot be delivered to people from above. It must be shaped with them. It must empower the very people it aimed to support. That means ensuring that women and young people, marginalized communities, and those farthest behind have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their lives. And it means addressing the structural obstacles and historic and contemporary inequities that continue to constrain progress. Unequal access to finance, technology, and markets, limited fiscal space, and immense debt burdens that continue to constrain governments' ability to invest in their people. To be clear, closing the financing gap for sustainable development is not a peripheral concern. It is fundamental to empowering communities and thereby fulfilling the right to development. This is why the second pillar of my presidency is clear-- no one left behind, no country left out. We must restore faith in multilateralism by ensuring that it delivers for those who have too often been excluded from its benefit. The second lesson is that development is indivisible. It cannot be separated from human rights, from environmental concerns, and from peace and security. We see this today in countries where conflict wipes away decades of development in a matter of months. where human rights abuses undermine public confidence in justice and jeopardize social cohesion, and where debt burdens force governments to choose between servicing debt and investing in their people. These relationships also work in the other direction. When development gains falter or erode, when people lose access to decent work, education, food, and health care, to name a few, the social contract begins to tear. frustration grows, trust weakens, insecurity and instability deepens, and which in turn places human rights under serious and increasing pressure. The architects of the Charter understood this interplay, and it is for these very reasons that this document, the United Nations Charter, our foundation, is built on those three supportive and interactive pillars. Peace and security, development, and human rights. None can endure without the other. And the third lesson is that our understanding of development must evolve as our world evolves. The reality is that the world today is not as it was in 1986 when the declaration was dropped. Indeed, a few could have imagined the digital world we inhabit today. or the speed at which artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are now transforming economies, societies, and institutions. These technologies offer extraordinary opportunities to improve social services, expand access to quality education, create new jobs, and help accelerate progress towards sustainable development. But opportunity does not guarantee equity. The digital divide remains vast. While 68% of the world's population use the internet in 2024, 2.6 billion people remain offline. The respect, protection, and promotion of human rights, including the protection of children from Technology related harms, including potential adverse consequences arising from artificial intelligence, together with safety, transparency, accountability and meaningful human oversight, are essential considerations throughout the AI life cycle. Excellencies, Mr. Secretary General and friends, the right to development in the years to come will hinge on our ability to capitalize on and leverage these powerful new technologies, all the while mitigating the risks, which are many. That is why innovation with inclusion is one of the priorities of my presidency. We must bridge digital divides, build capacity in developing countries, and ensure that governance of new technologies is inclusive, transparent, participatory, and grounded in human rights, and human security. Every country should have the opportunity not merely to consume the technologies of the future, but to help shape them. Excellencies, 40 years ago, this assembly elevated the notion of development from an aspiration to a right. There is power in these words. A right creates duties. It demands accountability. It requires that we measure progress not only by aggregate growth, but by whether people can live with dignity, exercise their rights, and shape their own futures. Today, let us honor the declaration not only through commemoration, but through implementation. Let us protect the hard-won gains of the past four decades. Let us address the inequalities and structural barriers that persist. Let us make multilateralism more representative, more responsive, and more capable of delivering for all. The world has changed profoundly since 1986. Our commitment to the right to development must not. And I thank you. I now have the immense pleasure of inviting our Secretary-General to make his statement. I give you the floor, sir.

Mr. President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, 40 years ago, Member States made a powerful promise. The Declaration on the Right to Development recognized that development, human rights, and international cooperation must advance together. Today we celebrate that vision, but we also recognize a stark reality. For millions of people around the world, that promise remains unfulfilled. Yet we know how to make it real. The Sustainable Development Goals provide the blueprint to leave no one behind. And thanks to the foresight, dedication, and resilience of countries, communities, and activists of all ages, We have made remarkable progress since the declaration came into being. Extreme poverty has fallen dramatically. Near half the world is now covered by some form of social protection. People are living longer. And scientific and technological advance have transformed lives and livelihoods and expanded opportunity. But today, the promise of development faces new tests. Inequalities are widening. leaving countries and communities behind. Communities continue to struggle with persistent food insecurity and lack of access to water and sanitation. Rising debt, conflicts, and economic instability are impeding development and economic growth. The climate crisis is reaching devastating new levels each year, reminding us that there can be no development on a degraded and unhealthy planet. And while the digital revolution and artificial intelligence hold enormous potential to improve lives, they can also be drivers of exclusion and division. Excellencies, this anniversary is more than a moment of reflection. It is a call to action, to deliver on the promise to protect the right to development for all, to expand the participation and inclusion of people and countries in global progress, and to push for more progress. by building on the renewed commitments of the Second World Summit for Social Development and its Doha Political Declaration, and investing in the proven tools of poverty reduction, quality education, food security, water and sanitation, universal social protection and health coverage, and technological access for all. by heeding the civilian commitments call to mobilize domestic resources and recapitalize multilateral development banks, changing their business models to massively leverage private finance, by effectively addressing the severe consequences of debt burdens faced by developing countries through innovative tools like debt pauses and swaps and initiatives like the Borrower's Platform, by reforming the international financial architecture making it more representative and response to the needs of developing countries and more in line with the realities of today's global economy, by tackling the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, and speeding up transition to renewable energy, by forging partnerships and alliances with businesses, civil society, and young people, by recommitting to the human rights and dignity of all people, particularly youth, indigenous peoples, and the most vulnerable communities around the world by ensuring the presence and participation of women at every decision-making table and by renewing the spirit of global solidarity that lies in the heart of the UN Nations Charter. Excellencies, This anniversary reminds us.

The development, human rights, and peace are not separate ambitions. They advance together. And in today's divided world, this vision can still unite us. And the Sustainable Development Goals are the roadmap to get us there. Today, let's honor the Declaration on the Right to Development in every country, for every person, and for our common future. I thank you.

I thank you, Mr. Secretary General, for your statement. I now give the floor to Mr. Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President of the General Assembly, Secretary General, excellencies, distinguished participants. The Declaration on the Right to Development clarifies and strengthens our shared work to achieve all three pillars of the United Nations, sustainable development, peace and security, and human rights. States agreed that they must empower every member of society to participate in decision-making and in the distribution of the benefits of development. Rooted in struggles against colonialism and exploitation, The declaration also emphasized states' commitment to dismantling structural inequalities in the global economy and to cooperation with each other in an environment of mutual respect. Because development is not about enriching an elite, and it cannot be measured by narrow focus on GDP alone. The goal of development is broad and transformative, to deliver greater freedom, human dignity, and well-being to every member of society. In fact, development as freedom was what Amartya Sen put forward in his book that awarded him the Nobel Prize. The 40th anniversary of adoption of the declaration calls for states to live up to their commitments by addressing three obstacles to its implementation. The first obstacle is that our international economic and financial systems are grotesquely out of balance. Unequal terms of trade and unbearable debt repayments squeeze human rights and human dignity out of public budgets. The burden falls heaviest on the most vulnerable members of society. It further heightens the inequalities that tower over the lives of hundreds of millions of people, crushing their rights and deepening their disenfranchisement through abject poverty. The second obstacle, the failure to alleviate human misery, is coupled with a seemingly insatiable competition for military, economic and personal power. And The Secretary General yesterday in his address to the General Assembly dealt indeed with what power means in today's world. The declaration specifically calls for countries to disarm and to reallocate weapons budgets to people's development. But 2025 was the 11th consecutive year of increasing global military spending. It now amounts to some 2.8 trillion US dollars. That is eight times more than the estimated cost of ending extreme poverty globally. But strengthening peace and security depends on inclusive and sustainable development, which fulfills the rights and aspirations of ordinary people and builds social cohesion and resilience to shocks. It also rests on the creation of a fair and just international order, all of them key to the Declaration on the Right to Development. The third obstacle is that our economic systems and patterns of consumption are destroying the landscapes we live in, poisoning the air we breathe, and exterminating the species with which we coexist. Even the newest technologies have a voracious appetite for energy and scant regard for the scale of the environmental harm. We need a fundamental rethink of our approach to our economies and societies. Development must be equitable and environmentally sustainable. It cannot be equated to economic growth achieved at any cost to people and the planet. We need a strong shift towards greater equality, participation, dignity, freedom and mutual respect, and we need to recommit to the principle of international cooperation, which is at the core of the right to development. The right to development is at the heart of sustainability. It is the basis of my office's work to promote human rights economies, which tackle inequalities and deliver greater well-being and hope for everyone. In fact, it is part of the mandate of my office. And it provides a sound foundation for states' consideration of future global development frameworks beyond 2030. And I encourage constructive engagement towards a legally binding instrument on the right to development. The Declaration on the Right to Development is a blueprint for strong, resilient, and truly inclusive societies that cooperate with each other in an environment of mutual respect. Let's come together around this anniversary year to reimagine development that delivers human rights for all. Thank you.

I thank the High Commissioner for Human Rights. I now give the floor to Ms. Chee Yoke Ling, Executive Director of the Third World Network. You have the floor, madam.

Thank you, Excellency. Thank you, Excellency, President of the General Assembly, Secretary General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I will share perspectives really from a broad range of civil society and activists, researchers, I call them, from around the world, especially from the developing countries. In our experience, working at the local and national level and engaging very actively at the UN level, not to mention the WTO, IMF, and the World Bank. So the right to development for us is an inalienable human right, and it requires, as has been mentioned over and over again, not only today, but throughout the last 40 years and starting in the declaration itself, it requires fundamental restructuring of the global economic, financial and trade system, because that's the external global inequities that have actually become more sharp, as we've seen in the last 40 years. So for us, it is a people-centered approach indeed, and we do not see any contradiction with the whole bundle of human rights that are together forming the right to development. And in order to do that, we will have to definitely include people as part of the solution, as part of the creation. It's not just about people. People also are in organizations, recognizing the organizations of civil society and communities and the right to speak collectively. The UN human rights treaties and mechanisms, the special rapporteurs and the independent experts on the entire range of human rights have all contributed in the last 40 years to realising, to some extent, the right to development, and they must remain an integral and robust part of the international system. For us, I want to focus on the systemic obstacles. There is, and we all have enough numbers, we do not need to be convinced, that there is a net massive south-north flow of resources. So the lack of realisation of the right to development is a sustainability because from the declaration we moved to the 1992 Declaration of Rio Summit on Environment and Development, where we looked at polluter pay, we looked at precaution principle, and we incorporated and reaffirmed the right to development, and very importantly, equity, common but differentiated responsibilities. These have been reflected as legal commitments in the climate treaty, in the biodiversity treaty, and a host of other treaties, as well as in high-level adopted plans of action in this institution. So for us, the real obstacles have to be addressed in the World Trade Organization, in the IMF, and in the World Bank, for example, and the increasing private actors, private creditors, credit rating agencies. They shape, they rate our fiscal policy. They rate our ability to borrow in the South, and they are a crunch on our policy space. So we welcome some of the moves that have taken place, especially from Sevilla, to have the UN take up some action around credit rating agencies. and this is absolutely crucial and we want to see momentum in that process. We welcome the platform for borrowers to be able to convene, but it doesn't go far enough. We need to have really, really the global structure that we have asked for from civil society for decades, which is a global, under the UN auspices, an orderly restructuring of debt. If we don't have that, this fragmented, on the sidelines kind of initiatives will not be sufficient. We welcome the Tax Cooperation Convention. convention. I was personally able to be here in August in the last session, and it was very encouraging to see that not only is the Africa Group that championed and got this through to a vote in this Assembly, but also that more and more countries from the South are coming together to fight for a truly effective tax convention that will do away with transfer pricing, illicit financing, tax havens, and also tax the wealthy. As we have seen, there are more individuals who are richer than their countries. But we also see tremendous resistance from the wealthy countries. To say that the OECD rules are enough is actually accepting the status quo, which is why the tax convention was fought for, because the status quo does not work. So we would welcome much more political commitment and we will be sure to be there to be taking part in the tax convention. The state duty and extraterritorial obligations is so fundamental in international law. It's at the heart of the right to development because international cooperation comes only That's a real thing if there is commitment and obligation. We see the impunity when extra-territorial obligations are violated. The last 10 years, it is really, really not just heartbreaking, but it is such a disservice of human rights. How can we talk about human rights in one place and then bomb people to death in another place? We hear the word annihilation. Annihilation in this century is something that is incredible to even imagine would be used in these halls. We also see annihilation potentially by AI and the governance of AI. And thank you, Secretary General, because you actually took initiative a few years ago to say we have to do something about governance of the digital economy. But it hasn't gone far enough because the control of technology, the control of technology from the time we were looking at chemicals to seeds to pharmaceuticals and today to AI is in the hands of very few companies. In fact, increasingly, decisions are made by very few individuals in those very few companies. So this kind of concentration of corporate power attacks the policy space of the South. We see trade agreements, investment agreements in the last 25 years have taken away policy space. Investor to state dispute settlement systems that give the rights to foreign investors to sue governments. Countries like Pakistan, you know, to be awarded a $6 billion award because a mining company was asked not to continue because of environmental security reasons. How can we hold our countries to such blackmail? So for us in civil society, pushing back and having a moratorium and not having investor state dispute systems recognized as a right of private investors in these agreements of investment and trade have to be taken out. We also want to make sure that human rights is at the center, not corporate rights. So lastly, I want to just emphasize that for many of us, The declaration has moved very far because we have a draft international covenant, and that has gone through a long process of consultation and debate and discussion in Geneva. It's now landed here in New York, and we look forward as a civil society to working with the United Nations and, more importantly, with our own member states and our own governments because our work for global peace, security, human rights will have to start at home, at the local and national level, but we need the United Nations to convene, to make sure that the norms are respected, to hold all of us accountable. Thank you.

I thank Ms. Chi. We have thus heard the last speaker in the opening segment. I'd like to express my appreciation to our distinguished speakers, Mr. Secretary-General, Mr. High Commissioner, Madam Chi, for their contributions. Thank you. We will now begin the plenary segment. Before I open the floor for interventions, I would like to remind delegations that the time limit for statements will be three minutes for delegations speaking in their national capacity and five minutes for statements made on behalf of a group of states, which will be strictly enforced by means of automatic microphone cutoff. Having said this, I would appeal to all speakers to deliver their statements at a reasonable pace to facilitate interpretation into the six official languages of the United Nations. I thank you for your cooperation. I would now like to invite the representative of Zimbabwe to take the floor.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, development requires its fullest meaning when every person and nation have a genuine opportunity to shape its course and share in its benefits. Four decades later, the importance of people-centered development and fundamental principles of equality, participation, international cooperation remains both critical and compelling. We commend the remarkable advances in science, technology, health, and education. However, Skewed global development, inequality, unsustainable debt, and fair trade conditions, and inadequate development financing are still prevalent. Likewise, climate change and a widening technological divide continue to constrain prospects of many peoples, particularly in the global south. This adversity, therefore, is an appropriate opportune moment for renewal and action. To achieve this, conducive macroeconomic environments and enabling conditions for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development are essential for the realization of the right to development. Furthermore, the sovereign preserve for countries to pursue development pathways that are responsive to our unique circumstances, priorities and aspirations should be protected. Zimbabwe has made significant progress towards entrenching development that ensures the dignity of ordinary people, beginning with household and national food security. The quality of social services, including innovative education and wider Access to potable water and sanitation are priority areas for my government. Development and climate finance commitments should be honored. The global south deserves greater access to concession of finance. Further, in this technology-driven era, the right development must now be appropriately guided, leveraging on artificial intelligence, digitalization and energy transition to narrow inequalities and not deepen them in an era deserving our attention. Developing countries have a responsibility to humanity to actively help create, govern, and benefit from new and emerging technologies. As we celebrate this 40-year milestone.

Thank you, Excellency. I thank the representative of Zimbabwe. I now invite the representative of Namibia. You have the floor, Excellency.

The past 40 years have yielded some positive results towards realizing the right to development through multiculturalism and concerted efforts. However, still much needs to be done. Subsequently, there is a need to have a clear directions, particularly to assist the global south. Namibia wish to highlight that there is an undeniable link between the level of development of state and their ability to deal with disasters, with particular reference to the impact of climate change. Therefore, the principle of common but different responsibility needs to be respected as a matter of urgency. The question is, how do we measure tangible progress in the implementation of this declaration over the next 10 to 20 years, as well as 40 years. The charter has given us a clear direction that demands the right to development as a matter of principle. And those who pioneered it, they realized the importance of development as part of human rights. Unless and until the sovereignty of all states is respected and all states have the tool to development and sustain the livelihood of their citizens, the right to development will remain an abstract. States must respect the right of all states to exercise their sovereignty over their people, land, and natural resources. In Namibia, we have adopted a policy of value addition and natural resources beneficiation. That is why we are calling for a transformation for the international financial architectures in order to enable even the local entrepreneurs to have access to affordable funding to enable them add value to our own natural resources, thus making sure that the development will be filled deeper in the rural areas. We must heed the call of Article 3 of the Declaration and create an enabling environment for the right to development for all states, including by implementing international law to rid the world of illegal occupation and unilateral coercion measures that will really enable countries and states to develop their country. May the 40th anniversary renew and strengthen our collective resolve as the international community to translate the declaration into.

I thank you, Your Excellency. I now invite the representative of Suriname to take the floor.

Ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed. Four decades after the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development, its promise remains unfulfilled for too many countries and too many people. 40 years after this declaration, reaffirming the right to development is no longer enough. The measure of our commitment will not be the declarations we adopt, but the difference they make in real people's lives. The right to development cannot remain an aspiration. It must be reflected in measurable action that advances human dignity, equal opportunity, and fundamental human rights. Suriname is one of only two carbon-negative countries. Until today, we are struggling on a path to development in a world where we now not only face the constraints of a fundamentally unequal financial system and the lasting effects of colonialism and slavery, We also suffer the adverse effects of a changing climate that robs many developing nations of even the scarce opportunities they have for social economic development and progress. And there is still no mechanism today for real assistance of these countries for the loss of economic growth after natural disasters. We need affordable financing in the world, appropriate debt solutions, technology transfer, capacity building together with full application of the multidimensional vulnerability index. The international financial system must enable sustainable development, not constrain it. This anniversary should therefore mark a shift from a right declared to a right realized. Suriname is committed to this endeavor. Let's be honest and real and start working on the financial system, a system that is unsustainable, a system that we will really need to change in order to secure a future for humanity, a future of peace and development. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Suriname. I now give the floor to the representative of Federated States of Micronesia. You have the floor.

Chair, excellencies, distinguished delegates, 40 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights to Development, Micronesia reaffirms a simple truth. The right to development cannot be realized without fair, accessible, and predictable financing, especially for structurally vulnerable countries like ours. For Micronesia, development is inseparable from resilience. For each year, climate impact coastal flooding, king tides, typhoons erase hard-won progress and strain national capacities. The declaration affirms that development is an inalienable human right. Yet today, Micronesia continues to navigate a global financing architecture that does not reflect our realities as a remote, archipelagic, small island developing state. High capital costs, limited access to concessional finance, the repeated climate shocks constrain our ability to invest in recipient infrastructure, food security, and digital access, and social protection. This is why the multidimensional vulnerability index is so important. The MFI is not an academic toolkit, but a practical instrument that recognizes structural vulnerabilities beyond income and guide fairer access to financing. The MFI offers a pathway to align global financing with the principles of equality, participation, and solidarity that the declaration enshrines. Chair, National policies alone cannot overcome systemic barriers. The declaration requires an enabling international environment, and that environment must evolve. The sustainable development gap, financing gap, now measured in trillions, has become a dividing obstacle for countries like ours. We cannot build seawalls. protect coastal communities, or strengthen food systems if financing is inaccessible or delayed. Chair, the declaration remains a powerful and practical guide, but its promise will only be realized when financing aligns with vulnerability, not just income. For Micronesia, the right to development is the right to survive, to adapt.

I thank Your Excellency, the representative of Federated States of Micronesia. I now give the floor to the representative of Cabo Verde. You have the floor, sir.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Kabviru Irubayi joins Burundi's statement on behalf of the African group. 40 years after its adoption, the Declaration on the Right to Development remains as relevant as ever. The declaration reminds us that development is an all-compassing economic, social, cultural, and political process. All individuals and all peoples have the right to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from development and to share its benefits fairly. For Cape Verde, development cannot be measured only by economic growth. It must improve people's lives, protect their dignity, and ensure equal access to education, health, housing, employment, and social protection. At national level, we maintain our commitment to the 2030 agenda, the African Union's agenda 2063, and Antigua and Barbuda agenda for 2024. In Cape Verde, we have expanded social protection and access to education and strengthened the national health service. Cap Verde was certified as a malaria-free country in 2024 and achieved elimination of measles and rubella in 2025. Our government is committed to preserving these gains and responding to the inequalities that persist within the framework of the Cap Verde for All agenda. education, health, housing, social solidarity, decent employment and territorial cohesion will remain at the center of public policies. We will promote greater citizen participation, particularly among young people and women, accelerate the digital and energy transitions, and pursue growth that creates opportunities and distributes prosperity more fairly. Excellencies, the declarations also recognize that national efforts must be supported by effective international cooperation. On this anniversary, let us renew our commitment to a model of development centered on the human person, sustained by peace and international cooperation, and capable of leaving no country and no person behind. Cabo Verde remains committed to contribution to this collective effort. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Cabo Verde. Now I invite the representative of Samoa to take the floor. Thank you.

Mr. President, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Right to Development Declaration, it is timely to reflect on our journey to date. For Samoa, development is an absolute human right, and that equality of opportunity for development is a prerogative both of nations and individuals. The 2030 Agenda stands as the foundation global blueprint guiding our collective pursuit of sustainable development. It provides not only a shared vision, but an agreed framework that integrates economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection as mutually reinforcing pillars of progress. For Samoa, the 2030 Agenda also provides an indispensable framework for aligning national priorities with global commitments, while ensuring that no one is left behind. It underscores the urgency of addressing structural vulnerabilities, building resilience to external shocks, and mobilizing adequate means of implementation, including finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. These priorities are not new. They are clearly articulated in the Samoa pathway, reaffirmed across our regional frameworks, and re-emphasized in the Antigua and Barbuda agenda for SIDS. What is missing is not clarity. It is implementation at scale and delivery with urgency. Mr. President, sustainable development provides the only framework that integrates our realities It allows us to pursue growth while safeguarding our natural capital, strengthening our resilience and protecting the well-being of our people. The alternative is clear and unacceptable. Rising debt, degraded ecosystem, increased vulnerability and diminished prospects for future generations. We therefore call for scaled up and predictable climate and development finance, accessible to SIDS and aligned with our national priorities. Second, accelerated support for resilient infrastructure, renewable energy, water security, and sustainable ocean-based economy. Last, strengthen partnership that recognize the unique vulnerabilities of SIDS. including through the full operationalization of the multidimensional vulnerability index and the implementation of APAS. For Samoa, sustainable development is the only path because all others lead to greater vulnerability and ultimately to instability. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that this path is not only available but achievable. Thank you.

I thank you, Your Excellency, representative of Samoa. I'll give the floor now to the representative of Burundi, speaking on behalf of African group.

Your Excellencies, Heads of States here present, honorable ministers, Excellencies, Mr. President.

The African Group aligns to the statement delivered by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Alignment Movement.

The group believes that the declaration remains a blueprint and a reference in addressing inequalities.

Within and between developed and developing countries.

Today's gathering is not a mere celebration, but a call to concrete actions to move forward.

It emphasizes the fact that the right to development is an inalienable human right, and that equality of opportunity for development is prerogative to every state and individual citizens. Mr. President, Africa considers the right to development as a key pillar.

In the achievement of human rights and fundamental freedoms of its populations in conformity with the Charter of the United.

Nations.

The African group reaffirms explicitly this right in the African Charter of Human Rights and People's Rights. as its first international human rights instrument. Mr. President, the right to development is a critical human right that underscores the inherent dignity and equality of all. Globally, the group believes that development should not only be limited to economic growth, but also be seen as enhancement of human well-being and the realization of individuals' full potential. It implies that nations, particularly those that have been historically sidelined or exploited, to have the right to forge their developmental path without external interferences that negates their best interests. Mr. President, The group emphasizes the needs for the meaningful operationalization of the right to development as we approached the expiration of the 2030 agenda of the African Union. In this regard, it is crucial to close the digital divide, to commit to the universal health coverage, to truly commit on the common but differentiated responsibilities on climate justice, and to open up trade markets for developing states for their diversified products, as well as to alleviate the debt.

Burden.

Mr. President, let me conclude by.

Wishing to recognize the rights of peoples in all societies to their economic, social, and cultural development as it is without doubt that the right to development serves as an.

Integrating human right that addresses poverty in all its forms and dimensions.

Thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the representative of Burundi. Some of our listed speakers are not yet in the room. I'll wait very briefly for them to I take their seats. I will now invite the representative of Cuba to deliver his statement. Thank you.

Thank you.

With the Declaration on the Right to Development of 1986, a new hope was created. 40 years later, that promise remains unfulfilled. The current economic world is unjust by design, perpetuates dependence and exploitation of developing countries through a financial architecture that includes unilateral coercive measures. The economic blockade by the United States against Cuba remains in force and has been strengthened and exacerbated in an unprecedented way. The United States imposes against Cuba a criminal energy blockade which aims to create massive humanitarian damage. It prevents any commercial relations of any country with ours through intimidation, including secondary sanctions and pressure on international governments and actors. A critical situation is thus created, an international order in which the government of the United States claims to decide who can trade with who, what kind of relations they can have with a blockaded island, unilateral interests of the United States are imposed. This order is unsustainable, it's unjust, and it's dangerous for all peoples. Today it's applied against Cuba, tomorrow it could be applied against any other state. The government of the United States will not achieve the goal of subjugating the will of the Cuban people, and Cuba will not renounce on its right to self-determination. Together with the Non-Aligned Movement, we will continue to advocate for a world where development is not a privilege of the few, but rather the right that is available to the many. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Cuba. I now give the floor to Saint Kitts and Nevis on behalf of the Caribbean community, CARICOM. You have the floor.

Mr. President, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the 14 member states of the Caribbean community, CARICOM. CARICOM welcomes the convening of this high-level segment of the General Assembly to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. Today's commemoration serves not only as a moment of reflection, but also as an opportunity to mobilize political will and commitment for the implementation of the declaration. The right to development remains central to our efforts as building a fair, equitable, and just world for all. It acknowledges the inextricable link between the realization of human rights and the development of the human person. It stands at the intersection of the pursuit of human rights and the means of their practical attainment. For CARICOM, this right is fundamental. Our countries believe that people must remain at the center of development and their right to participate, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural, and political development must be protected. As countries who contribute minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, we remain the most exposed to the detrimental impacts of climate-related events, which have the potential of eroding, in only a matter of hours, decades of development progress that our countries have made. For CARICOM, the climate crisis is also a development crisis, with small, open economies and limited production bases, we also remain highly vulnerable to global economic shocks and other disruptions. These vulnerabilities should be recognized as real challenges that must be meaningfully addressed for the protection of the human rights of our people. CARICOM is committed to advancing development consistent with our national priorities and our sovereign rights to determine our own development pathways. However, national responsibility and sovereignty must go hand in hand with international cooperation. The realization of the right to development requires an international system that is responsive to the needs of developing countries. CARICOM therefore, we iterate the importance of the international cooperation, solidarity and equitable economic relations between countries for the attainment of sustainable progress for all. We remain particularly concerned that our development gains continue to be threatened by climate related shocks. high debt burdens, limited fiscal space, lack of access on concessional financing, and the persistent structural inequalities within the international economic system. Promoting the right to development must therefore include resilient building, the use of the multidimensional vulnerability index, and the other measures of progress beyond the GDP, as well as the overall reform of the international financial architecture. CARICOM also emphasizes the importance of international trade as an integral instrument for development. An open, fair, rules-based, equitable international trading system will contribute meaningfully to the development prospects of small economies. Greater opportunities must be provided to improve productive capacity, diversify economies, and allow small states to participate more effectively in international trade. We recognize the significant potential of new and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to accelerate development in our societies. although they have the ability to address existing inequalities in access to technology and... Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Forty years ago, the adoption of the declaration marked a historic commitment to placing human beings at the center of development and recognizing development as an inalienable human right. It reaffirmed that all human rights are universal, indivisible, independent, and interrelated, and that they must be promoted and protected fairly, equally, and with the same emphasis. This commemoration also comes at a time we enter the final phase of implementing 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, providing a timely opportunity to translate renewed commitments into meaningful action. As we recall, the principles of the right to development informed the agenda the 2030 Agenda, alongside other relevant key international instruments. The principles continue to provide an essential foundation for inclusive and sustainable development at national, regional, and global level. Yet, despite the progress made, as documented in various international reports, it is regrettable that the full realization of the RTD remains incomplete. This year's commemoration therefore provides a timely opportunity to take stock of progress on implementation of previous recommendations. Kenya remains fully committed to advancing the right to development in all its dimensions, and this commitment is firmly anchored in the Constitution of Kenya, which was passed in 2010 and reflected in the implementation of Kenya Vision 2030, currently being pursued through its fourth medium-term plan. Gender equality is central to this endeavor. Kenya recognizes that development cannot be inclusive when women carry a disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work, lack equal access to productive resources, remain underrepresented in decision-making, or face violence in their homes, workplaces, communities, and digital space. Kenya has made significant progress in advancing gender equality. Our constitutional, legislative and institutional framework provides a strong foundation for equality, non-discrimination, inclusion, equity and affirmative action. At the same time, we recognize that gender inequality still remain entrenched, particularly in access to land, credit, technology, markets, affordable finance and decent employment. These barriers disproportionately affect women in the informal economy, rural and arid and semi Our experience demonstrates that laws and policies must be complemented by meaningful public participation, community-led approaches, participatory monitoring, and social accountability. And these approaches are essential to address gender-based violence, gender wage gaps, unequal unpaid care responsibilities, and harmful social cultural practices that continue to constrain women's full participation in social, economic, and political life. As we look to the future, digital transformation climate change, economic transitions, and emerging technologies must be harnessed to...

I thank the distinguished representative of Kenya. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union on behalf of the European Union and its member states.

Mr. President, Excellencies, 40 years ago, we affirm a simple but powerful idea. Development is not just about economic growth. It is about the rights, dignity, and freedom of all persons and their ability to shape their own future. The Declaration of Right to Development highlights that everyone is entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy development. It established the right to development as inseparable from the full respect of all human rights. Sustainable development, democracy, good governance, the rule of law, and respect of human rights all reinforce each other and demand the same emphasis, treated fairly and on equal footing. Today, these principles remain as relevant as ever around the world. An increasing number of people are affected by poverty and food insecurity. Inequality is growing. Climate change continues to affect lives and livelihoods. Violent conflicts are driving displacement and instability. We also hear concerns about deeply rooted inequalities that affect our international system. reflect in an equal access to finance, technology, or trade. If we are serious about the right to development, we must also be serious about building a more just, more inclusive, and more effective multilateral system. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development remains our shared roadmap in this regard. We urgently call on the world United Nations membership to maintain its focus on realizing the sustainable development goals. We also reaffirm our commitment to the civil commitment which renews the global framework for development financing in support of the 2030 agenda and the SDGs. The first voluntary review of the European Union on the implementation of the 2030 agenda demonstrates our ongoing engagement with sustainable development, both at home and abroad. Together with the member states, the European Union is the world's largest provider of development assistance, accounting for almost half of it globally in 2025. Through the global gateway strategy, The European Union promotes public and private sustainable investment, boosting smart, clean and secure links in areas like digital, energy and transport, while also strengthening health, education and research. In four years, we have mobilized more than 306 billion euros in global gateway projects in partner countries in a wide range of areas. Development is also about voice, participation, and justice. No country can achieve sustainable development if half of its population is held back. That is why gender equality is an essential prerequisite for sustainable development. At a time when the United Nations and the wider multilateral system are under significant stress, The European Union remains committed to advancing the right to development through partnerships, cooperation, and investment in people, institutions, and democratic values. We will continue to engage conceptively, transparently, and inclusively to ensure that the right to development advances together with the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights. Thank you very much.

the distinguished representative of the European Union. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of the group of friends in defense of the Charter of the United Nations.

Mr. Chairman, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has the honor of taking the floor on behalf of the group of friends in defense of the UN Charter. Its member states hail the organization of this high-level meeting to mark a historic milestone, the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Develop. Mr. Chairman, our group of friends reaffirms the importance of promoting and protecting all human rights, both individual and collective ones, for all persons without any distinction of levels or categories. We would like to underscore that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interlinked, and interconnected. They must be addressed in a just and comprehensive way and equal conditions and given equal importance. We should avoid double standards and politization. With this in mind, we reaffirm the right to development as an inalienable, indivisible human right. its effective fulfillment is more important today than ever, given the persistence of profound inequality within and among nations that is due, amongst other things, to the prevalence of a profoundly unjust world order that excludes, that promotes the the exploitation of the human resources of the global south. This is based on a global system that concentrates wealth in few hands and an inequitable global economic order rooted in colonial mentalities, which is a cause for hunger, profound inequalities in technology and resources, as well as instability and global conflicts. Therefore, we need to move towards a full implementation of this human right. seeking to ensure that development is fully guaranteed and recognized within the international system of human rights. Today, there are persistent structural divisions between developed and developing countries. This is reflected in unequal access to wealth, resources, opportunities, and the benefits of scientific and technological progress. Overcoming these divides means stepping up our efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, to reduce inequality and create that allow all countries not only to advance towards sustainable development that is inclusive and centered on human beings, but also establishing an international economic order that is truly just and equitable. Mr. Chairman, the implementation of the right to development also implies full respect for sovereignty, free determination of each State to determine its priorities and development strategy in a sovereign way, free from any external interference, pressure, or conditions that are incompatible with the UN Charter and norms of international law. It also requires strengthening international cooperation and advance towards an international economic system that expands access for developing countries to finance to science technology and capacity and development of capacities that helps deal with unsustainable debt burden and ensures the effective participation of the countries of the global South in international decision-making processes on this point we strongly condemn the imposition of unilateral coercive measures that not only contravenes international law in the UN Charter but also represents an obstacle for the fulfillment of the right to development because it undermines the right of states to achieve their development and advance towards implementing the 2030 agenda. Therefore, we reiterate our appeal to completely and unconditionally and immediately lift the unconditional coercive measures. Mr. Chairman, 40 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development, we recognize the progress achieved, but also that a long road remains for its full implementation. Therefore, this anniversary should not only celebrate advances, but also reiterate our political determination and translate this declaration into concrete action. And we reaffirm our support for the current negotiations on a Global Compact on the Right to Development, and we urge all States to participate constructively in this process with a view towards advancing towards a legally binding international instrument that contributes to strengthening the full and effective implementation of this human right. As we commemorate these 40 years, we renew our commitment to transform the right to development from a universally recognized aspiration to a tangible reality for all. Development cannot continue to be the privilege of the few. It must be an effective right for all without any distinctions or excluding anyone based on cooperation, solidarity, sovereignty, and the full respect for international law and the UN Charter. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

The distinguished representative of Venezuela. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Mr. President, it's an honor for the Republic of Uganda to take the floor on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, NAM, especially on the subject which we have historically attached particular importance, bearing in mind the fact that the declaration on the right to development was promoted by our movement. At the outset, we would like to express our appreciation to His Excellency Dr. Karim Rahman, President of the 81st session of the General Assembly, for convening this meeting, and the Secretary-General, His Excellency Antonio Guterres, for his participation. The Non-Aligned Movement further welcomes the participation of Mr. Volker Eck, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Mr. President, The movement retaliates that the international financial and economic crisis and the resulting downturn in global economic growth severely affected in particular the economies of developing countries in the area through decrease in trade and foreign direct investment and increased contractions and high costs of credit, thereby negatively impacting on the realization of the right to development, constraining social investment, deepening poverty, and raising unemployment.

Rates.

NAAM reiterates that unilateral coercive measures imposed against member states of the movement in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, together with escalating trade tensions, carry the risk of undermining global economic stability and in particular affect developing countries by disrupting trade flows and global supply chains and by impeding the realization of the right to development. Mr. President, the movement urges the General Assembly, in accordance with Human Rights Council Resolution 54/18, to ensure the partialization of the right to development as a priority through the consideration, negotiation, and subsequent adoption of an international covenant on the right to development as a legally binding instrument. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Uganda. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Oman.

Mr. President, Your Excellencies, may the peace of God be upon you. The Sultanate of Oman is very pleased to be able to take the floor at this high-level meeting on the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the declaration which endorses the commitment of the international community to place human beings at the heart of development and make them an active participant who also benefits from it. My country is of the view that the genuine development cannot be just measured by the rate of economic growth. Genuine development is measured by the impact it has on the lives of people and to what extent it can offer a dignified life and provide social justice, as well as an equality of opportunities. and access of all strata of the community to basic services. Now, on the basis of this vision of ours, the Sultanate of Oman, guided by His Highness the Sultan of Oman, may God keep and protect him, We, therefore, are attaching special importance to the social system, a modern and inclusive one, which is based on the national vision, which places man at the core of its priorities. The development of the system of social protection within the Sultanate was a milestone towards national transformation, so as to broaden the basis for social protection to make sure that it covers all members of the community and integrate social protection programs and social benefits and the various means of support provided by the government. as well as civil society organizations, so as to ensure that there is a balance between financial sustainability and social action. And doing this in line with our vision 2040, and our vision of a society wherein all members can benefit from social rights and social protection. The system of social protection in our country was given the prize of best practices in Asia and Pacific.

I thank the distinguished representative of Oman. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lesotho.

Mr. President, the Kingdom of Lesotho joins the international community in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights to Development, adopted by the General Assembly in 1996. This milestone offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved and on the work that still lies ahead. The Soto family believes that the right to development is an inalienable human right. All human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, and must therefore be treated in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, with the same emphasis. Mr. President, four decades after its adoption, we must acknowledge that the vision for the declaration remains far from fully being realized. Humanity has confronted successive and overlapping crises that have severely eroded hard-won development gains. Yet the declaration has continued to inspire significant development outcomes. In the Kingdom of Lesotho, we have made notable strides in expanding access to education, healthcare, social protection and other essential services. However, for our people to fully enjoy the right to development, international solidarity must be strengthened. Without the requisite cooperation, the right to development will remain a distant mirage. The current decline in official development assistance, if not reversed, poses a serious threat to its realization. For our part, we are accelerating efforts to mobilize domestic resources. We count on the international community to effectively combat illicit financial flows, tax avoidance, and tax evasion, which deprive developing countries of resources vital to their development. We further reiterate our call for enhanced access to development finance on fair, concessional and predictable terms. As long as debt servicing consumes a substantial share of government revenues, the right to development will remain under siege. Beyond this commemoration, closing the digital divide within and among countries must be a priority so that no one is left behind in the digital age. In this regard, we make a clarion call for digital solidarity, including through the transfer of technology to least developed countries. Digital transformation offers LDCs a genuine opportunity to leapfrog development stages and realize the right to development in earnest. Expanding opportunities for trade and investment likewise remains essential to overcoming the structural constraints faced by landlocked developing countries and to unlocking their.

I thank the distinguished representative of Lesotho and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Djibouti.

Thank you. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Monsieur le Secretaire General.

In the name of God, the merciful and the compassionate, Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, 40 years ago, the international community affirmed through the Declaration on the Right to Development, a fundamental condition, saying that development as a universal right should allow all peoples to fully participate in economic, social, and human progress. 40 years down the road, this vision remains more relevant than ever. In Djibouti, under the leadership of President Minsgerly, this right is a reality and a national responsibility. But development can only be lasting if there is a conducive international environment. We therefore attach a special importance to the effective implementation of the civil compromise adopted in 2025 in the wake of the Conference of Financing for Development. The most recent ECOSOC forum enabled us to emphasize essential priorities within that. In particular, the reform of the international financial architecture, sustainability of debt, mobilizing private investment. and mobilizing financing for development. The Sivilla compromise now needs to be translated into tangible results. For us in Djibouti, this also has to take into account the realities of our own countries, our situation, financial conditions, and the vulnerability to shocks. And that is why we support the initiative beyond GDP, which is currently being discussed intergovernmentally. We think that we need to complement the traditional economic indicators with a better understanding in the well-being of environmental, and social factors that countries are facing. Your Excellencies, the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development should be for us an opportunity not just to reiterate the principle, but also to renew our collective commitment to create conditions which would allow its full implementation. Please rest assured that my country, the Republic of Djibouti, remains fully committed to multilateralism based on solidarity, equity, and shared responsibility. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Djibouti. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, the representative of the UN system, ladies and gentlemen, 40 years after it was adopted, the right to development remains at the heart of people's aspirations. In fact, the economic slowing down globally, the burden of the debt and the harsh funding conditions reduce the capacity of numerous countries to invest in their own development. More than that, the lowering of the level of multilateral funding and the volatility of capital flows is a major additional constraint for developing countries. My country, Cote d'Ivoire, in 2025, despite this situation, managed to show a growth rate of 6.5%. And this means that we are amongst the most dynamic economies on the continent. This is accompanied also by an improvement, continued improvement of social indicators, in particular, the human development index, which moved from 0.557 in 2021 to 0.582 in 2023. And there was also the poverty index, which receded from 55.4 in 2011 to 37.5 in 2021. And our goal is to reach 20% by 2030. We are continuing the implementation of our policies through our national development plan. $200 billion, which is based on our own resources, building on our strategic assets and creating, and we did this in April, a strategic development fund. which will help us reach structuring investment, development of strategic services, and help for the development of our economy. However, the effectiveness of this cannot simply rely on our national efforts. We need access to finances, markets, and productive investment. We therefore call for a far-reaching reform of the international financial system so as to allow developing countries to exceed to long-term concessional financing, to strengthen the role of multilateral development banks, and mobilizing greater level of resources for SDGs. We now have their annual deficit to be at the level of 4,000 billions of US dollars now that we are less than five years away from 2030. We're also calling our technical financial partners to support the new African initiative put forward by the African Development Bank to make sure that the funding on the African continent.

I thank the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Fiji.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Fiji is honored to join the international community in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development. 40 years on, its central message remains relevant. Development is not simply about economic growth, it is about people, their dignity, participation, opportunity and ability to share in the benefits of national progress. For Fiji, this principle is reflected in our National Development Plan 2025-2029 and Vision 2050, which place our people at the centre of our development journey. As a Chair for Small Island Developing States such as Fiji, the right to development must also be understood against the realities we face. Climate change, natural disasters, rising costs, external economic shocks, and limited fiscal space can erase years of development gains almost overnight. Our rural and maritime communities face the additional challenge of geography, which must never determine whether a person can access education, health care, infrastructure, economic opportunity, or essential public services. Development must therefore reach every community and every household. Fiji remains focused on reducing poverty, strengthening education and health care, expanding affordable housing and social protection, and creating great opportunities for women, young people, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. But national effort alone is not enough. The international system must provide developing countries with greater access to climate and development finance, technology, capacity building, and a resilient infrastructure. Development partnerships must recognize vulnerability as well as income, and international cooperation must enable countries to pursue development pathways suited to their own circumstances and priorities. As we mark this 40th anniversary, Fiji sees three priorities. First, development must remain people-centered and inclusive. Second, development gains must be protected through resilience, particularly against climate change and economic shocks. And third, the international system must become more responsive innovative and accessible to developing countries. Mr. Chair, the measure of development is ultimately not found only in national statistics. It is found in whether a family has opportunity, whether a child can receive an education, whether a community has access to essential services, and whether our people can look to the future with confidence. Fiji, therefore, calls on this anniversary for renewed collective determination to ensure that the right to development is not merely recognized in international declarations, are experienced in the daily lives of our people. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Fiji. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco.

Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cooperation, African Cooperation, I want to read the following statement. Ladies and gentlemen, the Kingdom of Morocco is taking part in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, reaffirming thus our firm commitment to the principles of this declaration and the principle according to which development is essential. This event is an opportunity to take stock of what we have achieved in 40 years for implementing this declaration. It's also the start of a new chapter that seeks to accelerate the implementation of development in a tangible and measurable way. In this context, we call on stepping up efforts based on four main priorities. First of all, support for national capacity. and national policy. Secondly, accelerate the implementation of development commitments and pledges. Thirdly, make digital transformation a pillar of development. And fourthly, put Africa at the heart of cooperation for development by supporting it in an effective way and allowing it to have access to financing markets and through support networks. Ladies and gentlemen, the Kingdom of Morocco has always been keen to implement public policies that specifically enshrine the right to development. We have been able to achieve socioeconomic development in a very tangible way thanks to the enlightened vision that makes human dignity justice and equal opportunities, the guiding principles for public policy. For the implementation of the aforementioned royal vision, Morocco remains involved in South-South cooperation. His Majesty the King has indicated that this cooperation is a strategic choice based on cooperation, sharing of experience, and a launchpad for partnerships in the African continent. Ladies and gentlemen, today we have a further opportunity to make cooperation a common framework for action, for global action, for all stakeholders, seeking to make human dignity as a foundation for policy and partnership. I would invite all of you to take advantage of this partnership for development and for inclusiveness. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Morocco. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Egypt.

In the name of God, the merciful and the compassionate. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to participate today in the 40th commemoration of the Declaration on the Right to Development, which was an important milestone for development and human rights regime. It is an important vision within which, to which we are reaffirming our commitment. It links human development, international cooperation, and the participation of people in development and benefiting from the development. Egypt is one of those countries who voted in favor of the declaration. And 40 years down the road, There is still a gap between recognizing the right to development and the capacity to realize that conflict, economic, and political crises are a heavy burden on developing states and can undermine the implementation of this right. We reaffirm, therefore, that a genuine development requires a conducive international environment. an economic and financial regime which is fairer, which addresses the issue of the debt and also reduces the structural barriers to developing states which impede attaining their objectives. Unilateral coercive measures are also an impediment, and they run against international law. International cooperation has to be strengthened. Mr. President, on the basis of national responsibility, we tried to translate our commitment to development into policies. And in the recent years, we undertook important measures for our citizens to develop in transport infrastructure, water infrastructure, sanitation, et cetera. At the same time, we invested in education and health care and broadened social protection. We strengthened efforts to provide greater opportunities for the handicapped children and women. We prioritized the rural areas and those which are most in need, and we have presidential initiatives here, which is a model in terms of local development now. It's impossible to be talking about development at the time when occupation, conflicts, and destruction of infrastructure continues apace. We reaffirm that the right of the Palestinian people to development cannot be separated from their right to self-determination and the creation of an independent state on the basis of 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. We welcome the efforts aimed at attaining a binding legal framework to strengthen dialogue and cooperation. I thank you.

Distinguished representative of Egypt. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guatemala.

Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Guatemala is happy to participate in this commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. For my country, This year is of particular significance because we also commemorate 30 years since the signature of the peace agreement that put an end to over three decades of armed conflict and paved the way towards a new chapter in our country. Both anniversaries remind us of the close relationship between peace, human rights, and development. The experience of Guatemala has taught us that there can be no development to social progress without peace, nor would it be possible to consolidate a lasting peace without progress on respect for human rights and creating opportunities for everyone. The Declaration on the Right to Development specifically recognizes this connection by putting human beings at the heart of the process of development and recognizes the right of each individual and of peoples to participate, contribute and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development. 40 years after its adoption, its principles remain as relevant as ever. Inequalities, conflicts and crises that we confront continue to affect in particular developing developing countries and clearly, uh, highlight the importance of international cooperation to create new conditions that make it possible to move towards more inclusive, sustainable development and. and also to seek financing for development. The experience of our country has shown us the importance that development policies respond to the needs and requirements of our own country and particularly benefit those who most need it. Guatemala reaffirms its commitment to the right to development and its implementation in line with the universal framework of human rights and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Guatemala reaffirms something that is part of our own experience. peace, human rights, and development are interconnected. It's important to advance in all of these to build more sustainable societies for all people. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Guatemala. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon. When the Declaration on the Right to Development was passed through Resolution 41/128, 40 years ago, the UN had recognized development as an inalienable human right belonging to every human being and all peoples. The international community affirmed a fundamental principle that development is not a privilege, nor an act of charity. Development is first and foremost about the people. Mr. President, Tanzania reaffirms its commitment to development as a universal human right, and to that effect, has implemented various plans and programs geared at catalyzing development processes for the people. For instance, Tanzania's development vision 2050, whose implementation commenced on the 1st of July 2026, aspires to achieve a prosperous and self-reliant nation by investing in our people, productive sectors, women, and young people. In this endeavor, we have set an ambitious target to increase per capita income from US$1,060 to $9,000 by the year 2050. That is a nine-fold increase. Mr. President, national plans and ambitions in themselves do not deliver. Beyond ambitions, which are in place, we need an enabling international environment. Across the developing world, high borrowing costs, debt distress, climate shock, and unequal access to technology continue to constrain development. For every stride we make, we risk being held back and penalized by any one of these challenges or the combination of all. This is why the General Assembly resolution reaffirmed that the right to development cannot be realized without adequate means of implementation. Tanzania, therefore, calls for three actions to be taken. First, a reformed international financial architecture that amplifies the voice of developing countries. Second, expand affordable financing and effective solutions to sustainable debt; and third, climate action, energy transition, and digital transformation as pathways to development, not new barriers, supported by predictable finance, technology transfer, and capacity building, while respecting national priorities. Excellencies, 40 years after the declaration, we should prioritize and showcase implementation of the declaration. of the United Nations, international financial institutions, and development partners.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania. Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Serbia.

Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, four decades later, the message of the Declaration on the Right to Development, that the right to development is a human right and the human person must be the central subject and beneficiary of development, has lost none of its relevance. At the time of rapid technological and other advancements, it carries even greater weight and importance. For the Republic of Serbia, it is particularly significant that the latest General Assembly resolution on the right to development once again recognizes the rights of women and the application of a gender perspective as important to its realization. It highlights the link between women's education, their equal participation in economic, political and social life, and the advancement of the right to development. This is principle that Serbia strongly supports and one that guides our development forward. We cannot speak of a society reaching its full development potential unless women have equal opportunities to pursue education, work, start businesses, participate in political life, and take part in decision making. The economic and political empowerment of women is essential for the development of society as a whole. Economic development is one of the Serbia's key priorities. Serbia continues to advance through cooperation with numerous international partners, infrastructure development, support for entrepreneurship, and the creation of new economic opportunities. It is essential that the benefits of such development are available to all citizens. In Serbia, women today account for one third of all entrepreneurs. That is why we regard their further economic empowerment as an important development potential for our country, rather than just a formal requirement for women's participation. When a woman is given the opportunity to develop an idea, start a business, employ others and contribute to the economic life of her community, the benefits extend far beyond the individual. They reach her family, her local community and the whole society. No country can fully realize its development potential without the knowledge, abilities and perspective of women. At the same time, no country can address today's global challenges alone. The Republic of Serbia, therefore, remains committed to the international cooperation, multilateralism, and strong development partnership in order to create conditions in which the right to development does not remain words written in international documents. Because genuine development, rely, is about enabling people to develop their talents and skills and realize their full.

I thank the distinguished representative of Serbia. I now call upon the distinguished representative of Pakistan.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Excellencies, the right to development is the right of every person to seek a better future and of every nation to possess the means to build it. 40 years ago, the Declaration of the Right to Development placed humans at the heart of development. affirming it as an inalienable right for the people. Its message was profound. Progress must not merely create wealth. It must advance social development and uphold human dignity. Regrettably, that promise today confronts a stark reality across the developing world Debt servicing is shrinking fiscal space and consuming scarce resources that should have been directed to human development around the globe. Ladies and gentlemen, climate disasters are erasing hard-earned gains, while technological inequalities threaten to carry old divides into a new digital age. A right cannot be realized where the means to realize it are denied. Therefore, a proactive approach is required. In Pakistan, our development pursuits are anchored in a homegrown economic transformation plan built on enhancing exports, embracing digital technologies, taking effective climate action, enhancing energy infrastructure, and ensuring equity and empowerment. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor complements this agenda. Beyond national efforts, ladies and gentlemen, for realizing the right to development, we should address debt distress. I call it debt trap. Reform the international financial architecture to provide concessional finance, deliver climate adaptation and loss and damage support, and bridge the digital and AI divide. Pakistan also supports the early adoption of the International Covenant on the Right to Development. Excellencies, the true measure of development is not how far the world advances, but whether humanity advances together in a collective mode. Let this anniversary mark the moment when we move from.

I thank you, distinguished representative of Pakistan. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar.

Mr. Chairman, our meeting today comes after a year of the holding of the Second World Conference of Social Development that Qatar had hosted in November 2025. Doha Political Declaration reaffirms that the realization of human rights and basic freedoms to all, including the right to development and the enjoyment by all of these rights without any distinction or discrimination. The national vision of Qatar of 2030 is promising vision for sustainable development and to ensure a dignified life for its people. We, it represents the objectives that constitute the strategic priorities of all our countries. We cannot speak of the right to development without shedding light on the catastrophic repercussions of wars and conflicts that undermine that right. We would like to refer here to the dangerous repercussions of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its effect on the right to development. The continued closure of the Strait is not only a challenge to the energy security, including LNG and hydrocarbon products, but its negative effects covers the food security and energy security for many parts of the world. The supply chains of fertilizers, in addition to the increased cost of transport and insurance, has led to negative repercussions on agricultural production. We reaffirm that the bare minimum for this stage is to restore the freedom of navigation through the Hormuz Strait in accordance with international law and the Security Council Resolution 2817. We are trying to contain the escalation and to reopen the way for diplomatic efforts. Therefore, as one of the parties contributing to the mediation, we are working for the reopening of the Strait at the soonest possible time. Any future arrangements for the Strait must be based on regional consensus and a complete respect for the international law in a way, in a manner that maintains the security and stability of the region. We reaffirm that the continued safe navigation in international straits is the main guarantee for the international supply chains and the sustained world trade. The achievement of peace and stability is the main condition for development. We take this opportunity to reaffirm the importance and the microphone was cut off.

I thank the distinguished representative of Qatar. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso.

Mr. President, Burkina Faso welcomes the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. Unfortunately, there are still inequalities between nations and within societies. For our government, the right to development is based on the freedom to design our own power and our endogenous lasting development. The local transformation of our resources and the strengthening of our national capacity. Despite the security challenges, this stance led us to an encouraging result. the rate of economic growth is 3.5%, which means that there is greater access to basic services, greater farmers' yield, and better environmental situation. The celebration of the 40th anniversary should also recall for us all of the injustices that the Sahel countries are suffering from through neocolonialism. Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, through the Sahel Countries Confederation, refuse to have the right to development relegated to the background or that human rights be used to exert political pressure. We call for impartiality when it comes to facts and the equality of treatment when it comes to examining human rights. When international justice mechanisms are being used as instruments of political pressure, their credibility is deeply impacted. It is in this context that the states of our Sahel Confederation started their withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the ICC. The full realization of the right to development also means that the international financial architecture has to be changed, that tax regimes have to be changed. It also requires that terrorism, interference, and attempts against the integrity and sovereign unity be considered as impediment to development. We will continue contributing, building a more prosperous, stable and just world. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso. I now call on the distinguished representative of South Africa. I just pause briefly.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. As we mark the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, let us be reminded that development is not a privilege, but an inalienable right that is inseparable from civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. Four decades since the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the world confronts challenges that are profound. widening inequality, debt crisis, climate emergencies, and pandemics. In the developing world, we've always understood development as a pathway out of the indignities of colonialism and apartheid. Development is necessary for peace, stability, and human dignity. The challenge before us is to move the right to development from a declaratory commitment to measurable progress. We believe this requires action in three areas. First, we must reform the international financial architecture. This must include debt reform, concessional financing for developing countries, and favorable, predictable climate finance. Second, we must mainstream development-compatible indicators into national and multilateral reporting on the SDGs. Growth alone is not enough. we must measure whether growth translates into the full enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights. Third, we must strengthen accountability mechanisms. One way to do this is to make the right to development a prominent indicator in the universal periodic reviews before the Human Rights Council, thereby holding both national governments and international financial institutions accountable for country-level outcomes. This approach is aligned with South Africa's constitutional framework, which ensures the justiciability of socioeconomic rights. Inequality threatens both development and democracy. As such, the International Panel on Inequality, a legacy of South Africa's G20 presidency, will also be critical to advancing these objectives. Excellencies, we know what is at stake when development is deferred or derailed. The question we must contend with now is whether we will simply commemorate the declaration's promise or summon the necessary political will to realize its objectives. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of South Africa. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guyana.

Thank you, Mr. President. Guyana aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of CARICOM. We are pleased to join member states in marking the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. This landmark declaration affirms that the right to development is a foundational right which bridges human rights and development and underpins the economic, social, cultural, and political development of every human being everywhere. For Guyana, the right to development has guided our work in strengthening social protection, building resilient health systems, expanding universal education, and ensuring that the benefits of our economic transformation are shared equitably across the citizenry. Mr. President, 40 years since the adoption of the declaration, progress remains uneven globally as structural barriers continue to hinder the development trajectory of many states, developing countries, including small island developing states and the low-lying coastal nations like Guyana face overlapping vulnerabilities, biodiversity loss, climate change, external shocks, and persistent financial financing gaps. The government of Guyana is advancing policies to put people at the center of development. We are expanding digital access accelerating climate resilient infrastructure, and ensuring that our low carbon development strategy delivers real benefits to communities. We are also investing in education and skills so that our young people can participate fully in the digital economy, in the digital and energy transformations and transitions shaping our global economy. Mr. President, looking ahead, our approach to emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and just transitions must be predicated on the right to development. These shifts must be safe, equitable, and inclusive. They must reduce inequalities, not deepen them. and empower developing countries to innovate. In closing, as we mark this anniversary, Guyana reaffirms its unwavering commitment to advancing a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Guyana. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil.

Thank you, Mr. President. Four decades ago, the Declaration on the Right to Development enshrined the fundamental principle that development is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural, and political process in which all peoples must be able to participate, contribute to, and benefit from. 40 years on, amid persistent inequality, recurring conflict, and mounting global challenges, the Declaration has lost none of its relevance. Its vision has been never more timely. For Brazil, the pursuit of development entails collective political, social, environmental, and sovereign commitments. It means tackling inequality, advancing social inclusion, pursuing development free from all forms of discrimination, and safeguarding the right to self-determination and people's full and complete sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources. The sovereign dimension of the right to development must not be overlooked. Unilateral coercive measures undermine the right to development and hinder the realization of human rights. Brazil, therefore, reiterates its opposition to such measures, which violate international law in the United Nations Charter. Since its adoption, the declaration has inspired the recognition of development as an inalienable human right, and reaffirmed that it must place human beings at the center, reducing inequality and eradicating poverty, while respecting all fundamental freedoms. Brazil translates these imperatives into concrete policies, linking social protection to health care, education, and other essential services. This initiative demonstrates that social inclusion and human rights are integral to development itself. Development also requires confronting structural discrimination. Racial equality is central to Brazil's vision of sustainable and inclusive development. We continue to advance policies to address the enduring consequences of slavery, colonialism, and racial discrimination. But the right to development cannot be fully realized through national efforts alone. It requires addressing inequality in between developed and developing countries and pursuing meaningful reform of global economic governance. Moreover, there can be no lasting peace without a more inclusive, representative and stable multilateral international order. We must recognize that progress in disarmament would significantly advance development by freeing resources to promote the well-being of all peoples. The next frontier of the right to development is being shaped by technology. International artificial intelligence, sorry, autonomous systems and unprecedented technological innovation must not.

I thank distinguished representative of Brazil. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Thank you, Mr. President. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, the right to development is grounded in a simple but very fundamental principle, that development is not a privilege. It is an inalienable right of all people and all nations. This means putting people at the center of the development, enabling them to participate, contribute, and benefit from development. For Indonesia, this starts with action at home. We invest in our people so they have the foundation to shape their own future. This means better access to education, nutritious food, and preventive health care. Our economy is also being transformed to create greater opportunities for our people. These efforts are a long-term investment for us. to break the cycle of poverty and to advance the 2030 agenda and its promise to leave no one behind. But as we look beyond 2030, the challenges ahead are changing. Digital transformation, the green transition, and other emerging challenges will reshape our economies and societies. The right to development must therefore remain our guiding principle as we navigate these changes. This requires greater access to financing, markets, technology, and knowledge, and a more equitable international financial architecture. The realization of the right to development is a shared responsibility of all nations. That is why we need stronger international solidarity and a stronger foundation for its effective implementation. A legal framework can provide greater certainty and strengthen our collective efforts. including through international cooperation. The International Covenant on the Rights of to Development represent an important step in that direction. We must therefore continue working to bridge the remaining differences and bring the covenant to completion and adoption. The 40th anniversary should be more than a moment to look back. It should be a moment to move forward, to generate the political will needed to complete this unfinished work. And ultimately, the test is simple. Can we make the right to development real in the lives of people? Our task is to ensure that it is not only recognized as a principle, but realized as right for every people in every nation.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malawi.

Mr. President, 40 years after the adoption of the declaration, the right to development remains as relevant and urgent as ever before. While considerable progress has been made, persistent poverty and inequalities, climate change, debt vulnerabilities, food insecurity, health emergencies, and the digital divide continue to constrain development progress, particularly in developing countries and least developed countries such as Malawi. For Malawi, the right to development is not merely an aspirational principle, it is a practical framework that recognizes every person and all peoples as active participants in and beneficiaries of development. It calls for equitable access to opportunities, resource, technology, education, healthcare, decent work, and social protection, while underscoring the importance of inclusive governance, participation, accountability, and respect for all human rights. In this respect, Malawi remains firmly committed to advancing its national development priorities under the Malawi 2063, which seeks to transform the country into an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation. Guided by this long-term development vision, Malawi continues to prioritize human capital development, agricultural transformation, economic diversification, climate resilience, and institutional strengthening with the ultimate objective of improving the well-being and quality of the life of all Malawians. Mr. President, Malawi recognizes, however, that national efforts alone are insufficient to overcome the complex and international challenges confronting developing countries. The realization of the right to development requires and enabling international environment, and a renewed global partnership founded on solidarity, equity, shared responsibility, and effective international cooperation. Malawi therefore calls for strengthening international cooperation to ensure that developing countries have greater access to concessional and affordable finance, sustainable solution to debt vulnerabilities, climate finance, technologies, transfer, capacity building, as well as fair and equitable participation in international trade. We further underscore the importance of reforming the

I thank the distinguished representative of Malawi. Thank you. Mr.

President.

Thank you. Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine.

Mr. President, Excellencies, colleagues, 40 years ago, the international community affirmed a fundamental principle development is not just a social and economic objective, but a human right enshrined for all peoples with no exception. The State of Palestine reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Declaration on the Right to Development and to its full implementation. Over the past four years, for decades, the world has made remarkable advances in science, technology, health, education, and economic development. Yet, disparities are widening, inequalities are deepening, and injustices persist. Equally concerning, the right to development continues to be deliberately impeded. The promise of the declaration remains particularly urgent for countries whose development is constrained by conflict, displacement, and the denial of fundamental rights. For Palestine, these challenges are not abstract, as our people resiliently pursue development in the face of colonial occupation, apartheid, and genocide. The Israeli settler colonial occupation inflicts profound developmental and humanitarian consequences on our people, the effects of which will span generations on housing, employment, education, and social inclusion. A joint report by the United Nations and European Union has warned that the Israeli aggression on Gaza has erased 77 years of human development. UNCTAD has also warned that the Israeli occupation erased 22 years of Palestine's economic progress in just 15 months. These grave Israeli crimes and violations remind us that the right to development cannot be separated from peace, security, human rights, and international law. And more importantly, these realities underscore that the Palestinian people's resilience in pursuing development against all odds is inseparable from their inalienable right to self-determination. Mr. President, today's 40th anniversary should be more than a commemoration. It should be a moment for renewed action. The State of Palestine calls upon the international community to renew its commitment to the principles of the declaration to strengthen international cooperation and solidarity, and to ensure that no people or country is

I thank the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nicaragua.

Mr. President, Nicaragua aligns itself with the statement made by Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter, and by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. 40 years ago, the international community took on the commitment of ensuring, making the right to development a reality for all peoples based on justice, solidarity, and international cooperation. Four decades later, its fulfillment continues to be a pending matter, which is a result of an international order that is unequal. that is the legacy of practices and models of domination, colonialism and neocolonialism. To advance towards the full implementation of the right to development, we must put an end to foreign occupation, to racism, to military aggression, economic blockades, unilateral coercive measures and other practices that are contrary to the UN Charter and international law, that only deepen inequalities, erode the sovereignty of states and are an obstacle to achieving the well-being of peoples. Nicaragua demands the elimination of these illegal measures, that prevent the development of peoples in violation of the principles of sovereign equality between states, non-interference, and self-determination. Likewise, It is essential to reform the international economic and financial architecture to continue moving towards a more just, democratic, inclusive, multipolar world order. It is urgent to adopt an international instrument that is legally binding on the right to development. Peoples await the fulfillment of the commitment undertaken and the realization of the rights promised. Mr. President, the right to development deserves to become a reality for all peoples based on inclusion and equality. Nicaragua will continue to defend a multipolar, inclusive world order based on the UN Charter, sovereign equality of states, self-determination, international cooperation, social justice, and full respect for international law, for the right to development. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nicaragua. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Yemen.

Mr. President, we would like to express our appreciation for holding this high-level meeting on the 40th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Development, which specified a full mention which emphasizes equality, justice, and international cooperation. Mr. President, after four decades since the adoption of the Declaration, right to development faces increasing challenges, particularly in the developing countries and those affected by conflicts. Despite the advance made in health, education, curbing poverty and development, there are aspects of inequalities and structural inequalities that limit the state's abilities to achieve development. The The chaos made by the terrorist groups deepened the economic and social problems and prevented the state from achieving sustainable development and delivering humanitarian assistance to the Yemenis. We emphasize here that our needs are not confined to humanitarian assistance. or financial assistance. We need integrated global assistance to achieve reconstruction and to reform infrastructure, as well as to help the different services that enable us to satisfy the needs of the Yemeni people, including exchange of expertise. This would contribute to developing governance, the rule of law, building national institutions that will achieve recovery. Mr. President, attaining the right to development requires moving to recovery and resistance through an integrated approach. that links humanitarian action with peace and safety. This requires an international environment to facilitate access to technology, strengthening and reforming international system to respond to the developing countries, particularly those affected by conflicts. There is a need to employ AI and technology in closing the gaps and achieving and gaining opportunities. We believe that enabling people to development requires peace and security and strong national institutions. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Yemen. I now call or give the floor to the distinguished representative of Angola.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor for the Republic of Angola to participate in this session dedicated to the right to development, which is a fundamental right that 40 years after the adoption of the Declaration of the United Nations 1986 continues to be extremely relevant to address the challenges of our times over the past few decades. The right to development has contributed to advancing towards a broader understanding of development beyond simply economic growth. It puts human beings, human dignity, participation, and equitable distribution of the benefits of progress at its heart. This approach has also contributed to strengthening links between development, human rights, equality, international cooperation, as reflected in the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. Mr. President, the National Development Plan 2023-2027 of Angola translates these priorities into programs and measurable indicators. supported by annual planning, mechanism and implementation and monitoring mechanisms. During the quarterly follow-up of 2026, it was informed that several hundred actions were either being implemented or completed, reflecting the 130 priorities that represent some 70% of the priorities while other performance indicators continue to be monitored. However, the true measure of the right to development is its concrete impact on the lives of people. Therefore, our task is to translate principles into action and commitments into progress. Your Excellencies, looking toward the future also means building consensuses and strengthening international cooperation. No country can fully achieve the right to development by itself. This requires an international environment that provides financing, sufficient financing, greater access to technology, to knowledge, and to partnerships that, while respecting national priorities, strengthen national capacities. This is why Angola reaffirms its commitment to an inclusive, sustainable, participatory, and measurable development with human beings at the heart of our national policies. 40 years later, after the adoption of the declaration, our role is not simply to affirm the right to development, but to translate it into concrete progress based on multilateral cooperation.

Mr. President, Excellencies, so protocol observed. In this system, 40 years ago, this assembly declared that development is not a privilege, but a human right, the right of every patient and every people to participate in contribute to and enjoy the benefit of their own developments. For Kiribati and the Pacific Ocean, state of Fiji, the space for lying at those spending some 3. 5 million square kilometer of ocean. That right is not abstract. It is our people's steady access to food, water, land, and opportunity. Despite the distances that separate our islands, the small scale of our economy, and constraint beyond our making. That is what equity and integrity mean for us today. Kiribati exceed the income threshold for graduation from least developed country status. Yet the very body that assess that graduation itself recognize that our vulnerability to climate change is extreme and permanent to require support that ordinary income measures cannot capture. This is why Kiribati welcomes the continuing work on the multi-dimensional vulnerability index and calls on the international community to put in into practice At home through our Kiribati Vision 20, the national manifesto, we are putting the principles of this declaration into practice, participatory people-centered development anchored in peace and stability with meaningful opportunities for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and our islands that shape the decision that affect them. Digital transformation offers Kiribati a chance to overcome the limitation of distance, the digital divide must not become an AI divide. Developing countries need that infrastructure, skills and capacity to shape, not just use, these technologies. We ask our partners to match our own commitments with climate finance that is predictable, consistent, and directly accessible, with support that reflects life vulnerability, not income alone, and with continued support for transparent, accountable national institution and resilience building, and for delivering the rights to development on the ground. Mr. President, the right to development will remain unrealized for the world's most vulnerable unless international cooperation, including the ongoing work Also, what the draft international covenant in the right to development measures the scale of what this declaration promised four years ago. I thank you all.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kiribati. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Panama.

Greetings. 40 years ago, this organization adopted the Declaration on the Right to Development, a brief text that continues to be relevant. Human beings are at the heart of development and their main beneficiaries. Panama subscribed to this principle. It defends it. And I want to honor this principle by sharing with you what we have achieved. Our country has maintained among the highest economic growth rates in the region, but specifically focusing on communities that not benefit from progress. As a country, we decided to, instead of looking at the average, to look at individuals. This approach led us to think, who is being left behind and our indigenous communities were focused. The challenge that we confront is that a country vision does not depend on the determination of a government and should become state policy with the design of a 20-year roadmap for social development and the the development of a technical base including registration of households, we have the strategic tools to help the country overcome the fragmented information that has limited our operational capabilities. And that starting from there, We develop a common infrastructure of social information focused on human beings, on households and their environments. As part of the same approach, we have been measuring poverty based on the cosmovision of the indigenous peoples. We're also making more visible the inequalities of people of African descent and addressing persons with disabilities. also, obviously, as a country, we're aging and we need to prepare to do this in a dignified way. This is why we believe in implementing a system of care, a care economy, implementing a system to measure dependency. And we also put children and older adults at the heart of our policies. None of this would be sustainable unless we care about the country that we will leave for future generations. Panama is one of the few nations in the world that captures more carbon than it emits. Thus, we protect our seas and our environment. And with the same discipline, we protect our public finances. We know that the environmental sustainability and fiscal sustainability are are two different topics, but they imply the same promise for the future. Without fiscal responsibility, there's no way to finance the resources and social investments that our people require. Today, the appeal of Panama is that let us move towards action. The microphone has been switched off.

I thank the distinguished representative of Panama. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belarus. I'm just going to pause for a moment. There are no more speakers in the room for this session, so unless somebody wants to make an intervention, I propose to adjourn until 3 o'clock, if that's okay. Okay, we'll adjourn until 3 o'clock. Thank you.