General Assembly: 18th plenary meeting, 81st session

Good morning to all of you. The 18th plenary meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. The Assembly will now consider the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 142, entitled "Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations. The documentation under this item is listed in the Journal of the United Nations. The position of delegations regarding the recommendation of the Committee has been made clear in the Committee itself and is reflected in the relevant official records. Therefore, if there is no proposal under rule 66 of the Rules of Procedure, I shall take it that the Assembly decides not to discuss the report of the Committee which is before the Assembly today. It is so decided. Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote. We will proceed to take a decision in the same manner as was done in the Committee, unless notified otherwise in advance. I therefore hope that we may proceed to adopt without a vote the recommendation that was adopted without a vote in the Committee. The Assembly will now take a decision and action on the draft resolution entitled "Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations: requests under Article 19 of the Charter", recommended by the Committee in its report. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same? I see no objection. It is so decided. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 142. The Assembly will begin its consideration of the agenda item 64, entitled "From the new partnerships for Africa's development to agenda 2063 progress in the implementation of sustainable development in Africa and international support and its sub items A and B the documentation under this item is listed in the Journal of the United Nations I will now make a statement on this item. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it's an honor to welcome you to today's joint debate. From NEPAD to Agenda 2063, Africa's journey has reflected a decisive shift. from development prescribed for Africa to transformation shaped, owned, and led by Africa. That leadership is indispensable to achieve both Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda. Today, we need to look beyond commitments and confront a practical question. Are Africa's immense assets delivering tangible results for Africa's people? The Secretary-General's report, two reports, A/81/297 and A/81/305, place before us a stark finding. Africa's development challenge is not a lack of resources. It is rather some form of a sovereignty deficit, the gap between legal ownership of strategic assets and the institutional capacity to govern the value they generate. capture a fair share of that value, and reinvest it for the public good. The scale is staggering. The sector journal's report on a strategic asset management framework for the Africa's sustainable development, which is contained in A81297, estimates that the cost of the sovereignty deficit to be approximately $2.1 trillion. This is compared with foreign direct investment of about $97 billion. Africa's extraordinary endowment too often produces large scale outflows, leaving the continent a net exporter of capital. The strategic asset management approach proposed in the Secretary-General's report merits serious consideration. It encompasses four classes of assets: financial, natural, physical, and human and technological data and outer space assets. The continent should shift from short-term extraction to long-term stewardship, from exporting raw value to building productive capacity, adding value and reinvesting in wealth at home. Above all, Africa's greatest asset is its people. Africa is the world's youngest continent, and by 2050, one in every three young people worldwide is projected to be an African. This is an extraordinary reservoir of talent, enterprise, and ambition. But its promise will be realized only through investment in health, education, skills, technology, decent work, and institution building. This requires capable institutions. African countries need adequate support for building the technical, legal, and financial expertise to negotiate fair agreements, administer taxation, combat illicit financial flows, and ensure that contracts serve the public interest. Today, African states capture, on average, only about 40% of the revenue their resources' wealth could yield. These are not abstract losses. They mean fewer classrooms, clinics, and decent jobs. When communities bear the environmental and social costs of extraction without an equitable share of the benefits, inequality grows, trust erodes, and the social contract weakens. The consequences extend beyond development. Our efforts must reinforce African agency. This means strengthening national and regional institutions, mobilizing domestic resources, curbing illicit flows, expanding local processing and value addition, and investing in people. It means harnessing the African continental free trade area, whose full implementation could raise Africa's real income by an estimated 7%, about $450 billion by 2035. It also demands fair partnership. External support must not retreat when fiscal space is shrinking. Preliminary OECD data shows that bilateral ODA from DAC members to Africa fell to $29 billion in 2025, down 23.9% from the previous year, while external debt service obligations were projected at $88.7 billion. We need more concessional finance and a fairer, faster, and more effective debt resolution architecture. Excellencies, commitments repeatedly made for Africa are insufficiently implemented, which in effect weaken trust in partnerships and multilateralism itself. Restoring trust, therefore, requires both delivery and reform. Reform of our organization, in particular, not only requires serious, deep, and meaningful transformation in New York, but also warrants stronger and more effective support and measurable impact on the ground. Country teams, peacekeeping operations, and sustainable development actors should work in an integrated and coherent manner, accountable to and responsive to national priorities. They should draw much more systematically on African institutions and qualified national professionals, including women and young people. Africa has no shortage of talent. I saw this firsthand myself in the UN country team's response to Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. As funding declined, functions previously performed by international personnel were localized, increased involvement of qualified national personnel and institutions maintained and in some cases improved the quality of services, often at approximately one-fifth of the cost. The United Nations should apply this lesson more systematically in Africa and elsewhere, according to country circumstances and in consultation with governments and communities. Excellencies, our objective is clear: to help enable Africa to transform its strategic assets into engines of structural transformation, inclusive and sustainable development, and lasting peace. Africa has resources. Africa has people. Africa has ambition. Our shared responsibility is to build partnerships that will fully realize Africa's true potential. I thank you. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, before proceeding further, I propose that time limits for statements in the debate on this item be five minutes for individual delegations speaking in their national capacity and seven minutes for statements made on behalf of a group of States. Is there any objection to this proposal? I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Russian Federation.

Mr. President, we are not certain that we will be within exactly five minutes, therefore we would prefer it if we were not rigidly limited on this very important topic. Thank you very much.

I have heard the distinguished representative of Russian Federation. I take it as an objection to my proposal, and therefore, no speaking time limit will be applied to the debate on this item. Nonetheless, I very much urge the distinguished representatives to limit their statements to five minutes voluntarily so that all speakers are able to take part in the debate and no one is left out. I thank you so much for your consideration. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of European Union on behalf of the EU and its member states.

President, Excellencies, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. I would like to start by thanking the Secretary-General for his reports, and I would also like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important debate and for his remarks. Let me now provide three highlights from our partnership with Africa. Last November, the seventh AU-EU summit in Luanda marked the 25th anniversary of our partnership. Under the theme, promoting peace and prosperity through effective multilateralism, our leaders promoted a partnership that contributes directly to the African Union's Agenda 2063 and to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The summit sent a clear message. Africa and Europe can and will continue to work together to achieve progress and international stability. The EU, with its member states, remain Africa's leading trading partner, leading investor, leading partner on peace and security, leading provider of official development assistance, and leading humanitarian donor. In uncertain times, the EU has been and remain a stable, predictable, and reliable partner for Africa. Our leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to an international order based on international law and effective multilateralism, with the UN at its core and with a common objective to enhance Africa's place and role in the multilateral space. We notably agreed to work towards achieving the Pact for the Future and the UN80 initiative with ambition. This dynamic is embodied by the renewed partnership the EU and its member states have set out with Africa. Second, Global Gateway is our flagship vehicle to achieve the 2030 agenda and its SDGs through equal and mutually beneficial partnerships. In line with the Seville commitment, Global Gateway leverages public and private funds to close the investment gap and build local value. At the time of the Luanda Summit, Team Europe had already mobilized 120 billion euro for projects across Africa as part of the Global Gateway Africa-Europe investment package. This is well on the way to exceeding the initial target of 150 billion by 2027. These projects are the result of close consultation with African partners at local, national, regional, and continental level, and are fully in line with the Agenda 2063 and the program for infrastructure development in Africa. We are on the path to build more resilient and lasting connections between Africa and Europe. Above all, these investments must add more value on the continent, foster sustainable industrialization, and create decent jobs and opportunities for Africa's young people. Finally, let me turn to the nexus between climate, peace, security, and sustainable development, which go hand in hand. We remain committed to supporting African-led efforts in conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding, including through strengthened cooperation with the African Union and regional organizations. and to implementing the outcomes of the 2025 United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture Review, with a focus on tangible impact on the field level. We emphasize the importance of the convening role of the Peacebuilding Commission in mobilizing international attention and commitment and promoting coherent support for nationally owned peacebuilding efforts in Africa. Investing in conflict prevention and sustaining peace saves lives, stabilizes economies, and recognizes that lasting peace and sustainable development are mutually reinforcing. Mr. President, Excellencies, last month, on the margins of the high-level week of this 81st session, the African Union, the European Union, and the United Nations met for their seventh triannual meeting. Together, we expressed concern over the fragile global food security landscape and the deteriorating situation in several parts of the world, driven by shocks related to climate change, the biodiversity crisis, environmental degradation, as well as conflict and disrupted navigation and supply chains. Food security, like climate resilience, is inseparable from peace, stability and sustainable development. Ensuring reliable and affordable access to fertilizer and other critical agriculture inputs while strengthening Africa's capacity for local production and regional distribution is key to reducing external vulnerabilities and enhancing agricultural productivity. Mr. President, colleagues, the EU and its member states remain fully committed to the renewed partnership with Africa based on national ownership, mutual respect and shared responsibility. As two of the largest multilateral blocs at the UN, our leaders reaffirmed in Luanda that solutions to many of today's global challenges lie in building, strengthening and leveraging effective multilateralism, mutually beneficial partnerships, such as the EU-Africa partnership here at the United Nations and beyond. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative for EU and for remaining within seven minutes. I invite the distinguished representative of Namibia, who will speak on behalf of the African Group. You have the floor, sir.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. We thank the Secretary General for his reports, which raise a fundamental question. How can Africa's wealth create greater opportunities and lasting improvements in people's lives? Our response is anchored in the 2030 agenda and the Africa Union's Agenda 2063, guided by African ownership and leadership. High debt servicing costs, declining development assistance, trade uncertainty, and climate pressures constrained our efforts. International cooperation must help African countries strengthen productive capacities and sustained gains. Mr. President, Africa's natural resources, human potential, and financial assets must support its own transformation. African states must be able to realize the full value of their resources. The sovereignty deficit identified in the reports concern the practical capacity to value assets, negotiate fair agreements, enforce contracts, and retain revenues. Addressing these constraints requires stronger African institutions and expertise, alongside fairer international partnerships. Regional cooperation and information sharing can strengthen these efforts. Critical minerals must generate opportunities beyond extraction. Local processing, technology transfer, skills, jobs, and industrialization. The African Continental Free Trade Area can help develop regional value chains. Protecting revenues also requires action against illicit financial flows, profit shifting and harmful tax practices. Stronger national tax administrations must be matched by international transparency, cross-border cooperation and effective asset recovery and retain. Your Excellencies, resource wealth must help improve schools, health services, infrastructure and social protection. Communities hosting extractive activities must participate in decision and share fairly in the benefits with women's participation and land rights protected. The relationship between resource governance and peace is equally important. Exclusion and unequal access to land, minerals and water can deepen grievances, while armed groups exploit illicit supply chains. Peacebuilding, accountable institutions and development must advance together. For our group, The growing demand for Africa's resource must translate into stronger African economies and more resilient communities. Its value will be measured by the industries we build, the employment we create, and the lasting benefits delivered to African people. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Namibia who spoke on behalf of the African group and for staying within seven minutes. I now invite the distinguished representative of Maldives. You have the floor.

Thank you, President. The Maldives thanks the Secretary-General for his report on strengthening the national and international architecture for financing sustainable development in Africa. Every development agenda is ultimately a promise to people, a promise of greater opportunity, greater resilience, and greater freedom to shape their own future. Agenda 2063 is Africa's own vision for an integrated, prosperous and resilient continent. Delivering that promise depends on whether African countries have the capacity and financial space to turn their own priorities into action. The Secretary-General's report underscores a fundamental challenge. Development needs continue to grow, while access to adequate, affordable, and predictable financing remains constrained. For Africa, the challenge is not only the amount of finance available, but also its cost and terms. High borrowing costs, debt service pressures, and limited fiscal space constrain investment in infrastructure, food security, health, education, digital transformation, and climate resilience. The ability to finance these priorities on sustainable terms will be central to translating the aspirations of Agenda 2063 into tangible progress and expanding the choices available to African countries. The Maldives recognizes this challenge from its own experience. Developing countries need adequate fiscal space and affordable finance to invest in national priorities and respond to external shocks. The financing architecture should therefore help countries build resilience, strengthen national capacity, and sustain investment in their development priorities. Sustainable development also begins with strong national institutions, effective public financial management, and greater mobilization of domestic resources. Stronger domestic resource mobilization also requires fairer international tax rules. The negotiations of a UN framework convention on international tax cooperation offer an important opportunity to build a more inclusive system in which developing countries participate fully in shaping the rules. Domestic efforts, however, cannot meet the scale of investment required. The international financial architecture must provide developing countries with more affordable, predictable, and long-term financing. Particular attention should be paid to the cost of capital, risk assessments, financing instruments, guarantees, and development finance should work together to reduce unjustified risk premiums and expand access to sustainable long-term finance. Debt sustainability must also remain central. The Seville Commitment provides for an intergovernmental process at the UN, including dialogue among member states, official creditors and debtors, international financial institutions, private creditors and other relevant actors. The Maldives supports convening that dialogue before the end of this year. It should give borrowing countries a meaningful voice and focus on practical improvements to the international debt architecture. No country should have to choose between meeting its debt obligations and investing in its people. Agenda 2063 will succeed when African countries have greater capacity to finance their priorities, manage their risks, and make their own development choices. International partnership should strengthen that capacity. If development is a promise, our responsibility is to ensure that countries have the capacity, financing and policy space to keep it. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Maldives for her statement and for staying within five minutes. I now invite the distinguished delegate of Thailand. You have the floor, sir.

You so much Mr. president I learned a life self with the statement of the group of 77 China allow me to add a few points in our national capacity we would like to thank the Secretary General for his insightful report on sustainable development in Africa the report delivers a very important message The greatest challenge to Africa's development is not a lack of resources. The continent is rich in natural resources, human capital, and technological potential. But the real challenge is how to manage all these assets effectively and turn them into lasting benefits for its people.

This, of course.

Requires national, regional, and international efforts. And Thailand believes that Africa's transformation is consequential, not only for the region itself, but also for the global community as a whole. This conviction underpins our support for Agenda 2063 and Thailand-Africa Initiative. as our main framework for strengthening political, economic, and development cooperation with Africa. Mr. President, allow me to highlight three priorities. First, we must help Africa mobilize more resources to finance its own development. Thailand supports reform of the international financial architecture in line with the SVEA commitment to give developing countries stronger voice and better access to predictable, affordable, and sustainable financing. As we speak, I'm glad to inform you that this very matter is being discussed in Bangkok at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group. At the same time, we must support Africa's efforts to generate greater value from its own resources. Thailand welcomes the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which promotes industrialization and regional integration. Thailand also welcomes ongoing negotiations on a UN framework convention on international tax cooperation as an important step towards a fairer and a more inclusive international tax system. and stronger domestic resource mobilization. Second, development cooperation must build lasting capacity. Thailand's approach is people-centered and demand-driven. In Africa, we have shared our experiences in areas such as food security, universal health coverage, climate resilience, and sustainable tourism. We have also supported scholarships, training, capacity building programs, benefiting more than 4,000 African officials and practitioners over the past three decades. The Thailand-Africa Development Forum is our main platform for translating chair priorities into concrete priorities, projects. We have received proposals in key areas, including agriculture, public health, tourism, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability. Agriculture and food security remain a key priority. Thailand is committed to establishing flagship agriculture learning center in Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Mozambique, and Kenya. We'll continue to advance these efforts through our development cooperation programs and South-Southeast trilateral cooperation. And finally, we must strengthen cooperation across the Global South. Thailand has deepened its engagement with African Union and regional economic communities, including through the accreditation of our ambassadors to the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. And looking ahead to Thailand's ASEAN chairmanship in 2028, we hope to bring ASEAN and Africa closer together, building on our shared strengths and giving the Global South a greater voice in shaping our future. Mr. President, Africa already has much of what it needs to drive its own transformation. Thailand will continue to stand with our partners in Africa in advancing Agenda 2063 and building a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for all. I thank you so much for your kind attention.

Thank you, distinguished representative of Thailand. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait. You have the floor.

Sayid Al-Raithi.

President, the State of Kuwait is following with great attention development in the African continent. The 2063 Agenda provides an ambitious vision for a continent that is unified and enjoys security and prosperity. a continent that builds its future through the efforts of its people on the basis of justice and equality. This agenda is not only a developmental agenda. It is a new African era that embodies the ambition of the continent to decide its own destiny. It reaffirms that peace and development are two sides of the same coin. Peace paves the way for development, and development provides peace with strong roots. The State of Kuwait reaffirms that the AU Agenda for 2063 and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda are two frameworks to achieve the aspirations of the African peoples, particularly to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, Furthermore, accelerating development in Africa is a joint responsibility that requires effective and sustainable international partnerships. The experience of the past century has proven that poverty is one of the deep causes for human tragedy. It fuels conflicts, undermines stability, and causes despair before it threatens state institutions. In this regard, we recall a quote by the late South African President, Nelson Mandela. "Eradicating poverty is not charity, it is justice. It is protecting a fundamental human right." The State of Kuwait believes that enabling people to live a decent life is not charity, it is an obligation, it is a joint responsibility and a main pillar to build a genuine and permanent peace. The value of a partnership is measured by the impact it makes in people's life. In this regard, I recall the African-Arab Summit of 2013, which was a milestone in the process of cooperation between the Arab world and the African continent. During this summit, the State of Kuwait launched a series of quality initiatives, including Dr. Abd al-Rahman Al-Sumait Award for African development valued at $1 million annually to contribute or to appreciate scientific contributions to health, education, and food security in Africa. We have also announced back then concessional loans valued at $1 billion through the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development. The Kuwaiti Fund continues to support development in the countries of the continent. We are adopting this approach in close cooperation with our partners. We are convinced that true development is not granted, it is built through joint action. The Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development has reached around 96 percent of the African continent through decades-old developmental grants and loans that included infrastructure, energy, water, transport, and basic services by respecting the national priorities of partner countries and by strengthening their own capacities. President, the State of Kuwait believes that strengthening international cooperation with the African Union and the United Nations is the best way to achieve sustainable development and comprehensive peace. We reaffirm our support to regional and international efforts to fund and implement the objectives of Agenda 2063. We also believe it is important for these partnership to be guided by the priorities of African countries. and to build their capacity to implement them. We also reaffirmed the importance of strengthening Arab-African cooperation in renewable energy, food security, and digital transformation. In conclusion, my country will always stand with friendly African countries, and we renew our commitment to continue our humanitarian and developmental support to achieve a prosperous continent that enjoys dignity, justice, and peace in line with its humanitarian legacy and its values, which centers people in development and permanent peace. The objective is for people to find in their own country a chance for a decent life. and a future that they can participate in creating. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kuwait. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia. You have the floor.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, in 1955, At the historic Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, reminded us that for many generations, our peoples have been the voiceless in the world. We have been the unregarded, the peoples for whom decisions were made by others whose interests were paramount. 71 years later, our nations have come a long way. We have gained our independence, strengthened our institutions, and taken a rightful place in shaping the world. Africa's remarkable journey is a testament to this progress. Despite global uncertainties, its economy grew by an estimated 4.4% in 2025, with 22 countries recording growth above 5%. Through Agenda 2063, Africa envisions a prosperous, integrated, and peaceful continent. Yet, as the Secretary-General's report highlights, something called sovereignty deficit persists, as reflected in high borrowing costs limited access to affordable financing, and insufficient value derived from Africa's abundant resources. How can we turn these challenges into lasting opportunity? Allow me to highlight three points. First, nations must be masters of their own resources. They must create value from their wealth and ensure its benefits reach their people. Indonesia pursues downstream industrialization to transform raw resources into higher-value products at home, create jobs, strengthen industries, and build economic resilience. Second, our greatest investment must be in our people. Investing in human potential yields compounding returns that outlast material capital or technology. In this spirit, Indonesia continues to invest in education, health, nutrition, and skills development, placing people at the heart of sustainable development. With African partners, We share expertise through academic scholarships and technical training, exemplified by agricultural training hubs in Tanzania and the Gambia, including the revitalized West African Center, reopened in July 2026. Third, the Bandung Spirit must translate into concrete action. Our mutually beneficial partnership has grown significantly. In 2018, the first ever Indonesia-Africa Forum generated nearly $600 million in business deals. And in 2024, the forum delivered 32 agreements worth over $3.5 billion U.S. across strategic sectors. The 2019 Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue secured agreements worth over 800 million US dollars. Over the past decade, around 500 African participants have benefited from more than 60 Indonesian South-South and triangular cooperation projects, from vaccine development, agricultural technology, and livestock farming. Our cooperation reflects one simple conviction, Indonesia stands with Africa as a partner based on solidarity and mutual respect. Beyond bilateral exchanges, ASEAN and Africa can unlock greater trade and investment through ASEAN integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area. With growth projection above the global rate, The two regions have the opportunity to deepen connectivity, advance regional integration, and strengthen climate resilience. Mr. President, our journey towards economic sovereignty and shared prosperity is far from over, but the future we aspire is ours to shape, and the promise we carry is ours to fulfill. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia. I now invite the distinguished representative of Rwanda to speak.

Mr. President, distinguished delegates, thank you for giving me the floor. Rwanda aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Africa Group, and we want to make the following statements in our national capacity. Rwanda thanks the Secretary-General for the three reports submitted under agenda item 64, 64A and 64B, addressing genocide remembrance, Africa's sustainable development, and durable peace. Allow me to begin with the report on the outreach program on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. We appreciate the United Nations' continued commitment to remembrance, education, and genocide prevention. 32 years later, after the genocide in which more than 1 million people were killed, we must ask, what have we actually learned? And how are those lessons shaping our actions today? International days of reflection, including those commemorating the genocide against the Tutsi, the Holocaust and the genocide in Srebrenica must go beyond ceremonies and reports. Their impact should be measured by whether they change attitudes, strengthen education and inspire preventive action. It is deeply disturbing that people continue to face persecution because of their identity, ethnicity, language, or beliefs, while genocide denial, the glorification of perpetrators, and the intimidation of survivors persist, both online and offline. The genocide against the Tutsi was preceded by discrimination, dehumanization, and organized hate propaganda. In 1994, radio was used to spread hatred and mobilize violence. Today, social media and emerging technologies enable similar narratives to spread rapidly across borders. Equally alarming is the use of hatred as a political tool. Those who vilify communities or incite hostility are sometimes rewarded with political recognition, public platforms, and legitimacy, rather than held accountable. We cannot credibly speak of genocide prevention while allowing hatred to become a pathway to political recognition. Nor can we ignore the continuing challenge of justice. More than three decades later, Rwanda is still seeking over 1,000 suspected genocide perpetrators. How can we commemorate genocide victims while those suspected of committing these crimes continue to evade justice? I thank all countries that have cooperated with Rwanda to bring to justice those responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity. States must strengthen judicial cooperation, confront genocide denial, and protect survivors. Mr. President, turning to Africa's sustainable development, the Secretary-General's report highlights a fundamental challenge. Africa's problem is not simply a lack of resources, but its limited ability to capture, retain, and reinvest their value. The report estimates approximately $2.1 trillion in losses and unrealized economic opportunities, compared with $97 billion in foreign direct investment and $42 billion in official development assistance in 2024. While these estimates cover different categories and time horizons, the message is clear. Africa must strengthen resource governance, domestic value addition, and institutions that ensure its wealth benefits its people. Mr. President, the report on durable peace reinforces the link between governance, development, and stability. It notes that natural resource rents in Africa averaged 11.8% of GDP between 2000 and 2021, compared with a global average of 2.8%. Yet, significant resource wealth continues to exist with poverty and insecurity. The challenge is therefore not merely resource abundance, but governance, accountability, and the equitable distribution of benefits. The three reports convey one essential message: commitments must be measured by results. Remembrance must lead to prevention and justice. Africa's resources must create opportunities for its people. And commitments to peace must translate into concrete action. Rwanda remains committed to advancing these objectives with the United Nations and the African Union and all partners. I thank you for your attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of Rwanda for his statement and for staying within five minutes. I now invite the distinguished representative of Angola to deliver a statement.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Angola aligns itself with the statement delivered by the African Group Allow me to make the following remarks in my national capacity. I want to thank the Secretary-General for his report and commend the Office of Special Advisor on Africa for its contribution to sustainable development and durable peace. As the New Partnership for Africa Development, NEPAD, marks the 25th anniversary, we reaffirm that African ownership, effective institutions, and strategic partnerships are essential to implementing Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda. The report underscores Africa's need to strengthen its capacity to govern, retain and reinvest the value generate but his strategic assets. Mr. President, at the summit of NEPAD founding member states, held on 3rd October 2023 in New Alamine, Egypt, President Jo Manuel Goncalo, chair of the African Union Development Agency, NEPAD, AUDA-NEPAD, heads of state and government orientation committee, emphasize African leadership, institutional strengthening, and sustainable financing. Angola supports predictable financing for AU and NEPAD, including through African contribution and partnerships aligned with continental priorities. The Third Financing Summit for Africa's Infrastructure Development, held in Luanda, Angola, from 28 to 31 October 2025, reinforce the importance of mobilizing investment for regional integration and industrialization. The Lubito Corridor exemplifies this approach, promoting connectivity, regional value chain, and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Mr. President, peace and sustainable development are mutually reinforcing. Angola therefore calls for three priority actions. First, strengthening strategic asset management, domestic resource mobilization, and international cooperation against illicit financial flows. Second, promote transparent and inclusive governance of land, minerals, and water, ensuring equitable benefit sharing, conflict prevention, and stronger state institutions. Third, scale up development financing and infrastructure investment, directing resource revenue towards education, healthcare, and employment, particularly for women and youth. Africa's transformation requires African-led solutions, capable institutions, and sustainable international cooperation to translate its strategic assets into shared prosperity and durable peace. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Angola for his statement and for staying within five minutes. I now have the pleasure of inviting the distinguished representative of Portugal. You have the floor, sir.

Mr. President, we thank you for convening this important annual debate on sustainable development in Africa. Portugal aligns with the EU statement and wishes to make a few remarks in its national capacity. Allow me to start by welcoming the Secretary General's report, which promotes strategic asset management as a means both towards durable peace and towards economic prosperity. We wish to highlight three points. First, there is no development without peace. In a few months, Portugal will join the Security Council as a non-permanent member for the biennium 2027-2028.

As we.

Begin our mandate, we bring with us experience of contributing to 14 UN peace operations in Africa, while currently contributing to three, MINUSCA, UNMISS, and MONUSCO. From the Sahel to the Horn, passing by the Great Lakes, Africa security is international security. And African problems should be solved by African solutions. Increased ownership of peace efforts is key. This is why a closer cooperation between the UN and African Union is needed. This is why the implementation of the Security Council Resolution 2719 is long overdue. as is long overdue permanent African representation at the Security Council along the lines of the Azawini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. But we cannot forget that peace is not achieved only by security responses. The international community needs broader approaches which combine security with governance, with human rights, and with economic solutions. There is no development without peace, but there is also no peace without development. Second, economic growth. The potential economic growth cannot be conceived just in the traditional sense of natural resources. The potential is much broader. Entrepreneurship is on the rise, with its important solutions in the field of renewable energy, an attractive fintech sector, and a booming entertainment industry. For this potential to be untapped, Countries like Portugal are advocating for a shift in approach. We do not want to do business in Africa, we want to do business with Africa. Official development assistance still plays a catalytic role, and Portugal directs around 70% of its ODA to Africa in areas like poverty eradication, health, or education. At the same time, we must move beyond the logic of donor-recipient, or to forging genuine and strong partnerships based on respect and equality. This is what Portuguese enterprises already do, namely in the Lobito Corridor, creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs and jobs for African use, while also focusing on local value addition and the sustainable governance of resources. Third point, sustainable finance is key in the development equation. Finding innovative financial models must be the start. Debt for climate swaps are one of such instruments. We have Portugal is setting them up with Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe. Another instrument is blended finance, which mixes both private and public capital in order to the risk investments. Portugal resorts to this since 2018 with the Lusophone Compact. But new instruments are not enough. We need a fairer, more inclusive, and more effective international financial architecture. Multilateral banks, including the African Development Bank, must be bigger and bolder. Bretton Woods institutions must be more representative. And the Seville commitment must be fully implemented. Mr. President, in conclusion, this General Assembly must keep Africa's development as one of its main priorities. And from our side, African partners can count on Portugal as a reliable partner. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Portugal. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Russian Federation.

Mr. President, at present, Africa, as before, faces the task of ensuring lasting peace on the continent. The solution of this task is impossible without eliminating the root causes of conflict, and these include poverty, underdeveloped economies and infrastructure, international and ethnic tensions, and the activities of numerous terrorist groups. At the same time, it is obvious that the origins of crisis situations were not formed in the 21st century. Practice, including practice in Africa, shows that the majority of conflicts are a legacy of colonialism. A system that disrupted the natural historical path of peoples as well as the way of life established over millennia. A system that arbitrarily drew borders, imposed an economic order oriented towards the interest of the colonial metropolises. We continue to see various forms of neocolonialism, interference in internal affairs and pressure through unilateral sanctions, which only entrench countries in poverty, provoke social tension and destabilization. The report under consideration today on the causes of conflict in Africa rightly points out that the colonial period had a negative impact on the contemporary development of African countries. At the same time, the report states that today we are living in a post-colonial era. This assertion is only partially correct. A striking example of this is the situation in Libya, where a country once very prosperous found itself in a state of permanent crisis as a result of intervention of Western states. The collapse of Libyan statehood led to the destabilization of the entire Sahara-Sahel region, to the rise of terrorism and the worsening of existing problems and contradictions. The interference of European countries in regional affairs unfortunately did not end there, and today we're witnessing it on the territory of the Confederation of Sahel States. We also see the negative role of external actors in Sudan, in the DRC, Congo, and in other hotspots. In addition to that, we believe that one of the report's main ideas deserve substantive discussion and additional analysis. I refer to, in particular, the fact that the report argues that because of governance shortcomings, African countries rich in natural resources show lower growth in output per worker and experience a number of difficulties in human capital development, compared with countries that do not possess such wealth. We are convinced that this kind of analysis should take into account the extent to which external interference in resource-rich countries of the continent have undermined their potential for building an effective industrial base and balanced human capital development. There is only one conclusion that can be drawn on this basis. The unfortunate legacy of the colonial era should not be passed over in silence. On this context, we note the efforts of the African Union, which decided to extend for the next 10 years the 2025 theme, justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations. An important outcome of the joint work of Russian and African representatives within the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations was the adoption at its initiative during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on the 5th of December 2025 of a resolution proclaiming 14th of December the International Day against Colonialism in all of its forms and manifestations. At the same time, we are convinced that sustainable socioeconomic growth is impossible without preserving sovereignty over natural resources. It is of fundamental importance that African countries have a genuine opportunity to develop their own production capacities, create jobs, and receive a larger share of the value added from the exploitation of national resources. We note with satisfaction that the UN report submitted for consideration today on strategic asset management framework for sustainable development of Africa in document 8/81/297 speaks precisely to this issue. We support the document's particular emphasis on the problems of the modern manifestations of neocolonialism and the sovereignty deficit. As for Russia's practical cooperation with African partners, we continue to provide support to the countries of the continent, both on a bilateral basis and as well as through the United Nations. An important event in the near future will be the third Russia-Africa Summit, which will take place on 28th, 29th October in Moscow. Central to its agenda will be issues of trade, economic and investment cooperation, as well as the practical implementation of previously reached agreements. We stand ready to further promote cooperation with our African friends in the interests of sustainable development and the establishment of a more just system of international relations. I thank you for your attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of Russian Federation. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zambia.

Mr. President, Zambia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Namibia on behalf of the Africa Group. We thank the Secretary-General for his reports and welcome progress in implementing Agenda 2063 and its second 10-year implementation plan, including advances in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area digital transformation, and renewable energy. We commend the African Union's leadership in institutional reform and advancing the Silencing the Guns Initiative. Peace and development are mutually reinforcing. Despite these achievements, progress towards the SDGs remains insufficient. Financing gaps, debt vulnerabilities, High borrowing costs and climate impacts constrain investment and reverse development gains. Addressing these challenges is essential to strengthen productive capacities, protect livelihoods, and improve access to essential services. Mr. President, Africa's resources and productive capacities must underpin the financing of its development plans. Greater value addition, domestic resource mobilization, and regional integration are essential, complemented by international partnerships aligned with Africa ownership and national priorities. Zambia's experience illustrates this approach. Following a protracted debt restructuring process, we have drawn a critical lesson. Macroeconomic stabilization must be sustained through expanded production, investment, and jobs. On the second of September 2026, President Hakaende Hichilema launched the Grow Zambia agenda, marking a shift towards production led growth under the framework of power, production, and prosperity. Anchored in our national development plan, it advances Zambia's implementation of agenda 2063 and the 2030 agenda. Mr. President, these national efforts require an enabling international environment. Financial architecture reform must lower the cost of capital, expand affordable long-term financing, and deliver timely, effective debt restructuring, enabling investment in infrastructure, productive sectors, and essential services. We call for Implementation of the Pact for the Future and the Seville Commitment in support of Agenda 2063, including advancing the SDG stimulus. Adaptation and loss and damage financing must be predictable and accessible. Prioritizing grants and concessional resources that do not compound debt burdens. Continued support for the Africa Continental Free Trade Area and stronger African Union institutional capacity must translate continental commitments into national results. Great resilience, reliable energy, and decent jobs. Zambia reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism and to realizing Agenda 2063, the Africa we want. I thank you, Mr. President.

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

President, Burkina Faso supports the statement made by Namibia on behalf of the African Group. The topic on the causes of conflict and the promotion of sustainable development in Africa, this theme means that we must go beyond the superficial diagnosis. and deal with the root causes of the conflict and consider more sustainable solutions to the development of the continent. Our continent has immense potential, and yet terrorism, geopolitical rivalry, and its marginalization continues to undermine its development. These crises are too often fueled and worsened by interests which are external interests to the detriment of legitimate aspirations and the peace of our people's aspirations for security, stability, and prosperity. In other words, among the causes of these conflicts, We see the greed for the immense natural wealth for Africa. Competition around these resources seem to favor the destabilization of African states whose choices, which are sovereign and legitimate, but somehow placed in the background in the profit of foreign countries. We have to put an end to these practices so that peoples can fully exercise their sovereignty and be able to exploit their resources for their own development. We would like to thank the Secretary-General for having singled out this particular problem in his report, mentioning, rightly so, the sovereignty deficit. How can we claim to work for peace without really tackling the financing of terrorism and their supply of weapons, which fuel conflict on our continent. The proliferation of small arms and light weapons, the provision of sophisticated equipment, namely drones for terrorists, namely against states, such as is the case in Sahel, this reality for very strong and determined responses. Peace requires that we put an end to all forms of support which would make it possible for these terrorists to continue their criminal activities. President. In the light of this crisis imposed by terrorism, Burkina Faso has made safeguarding its territory and the protection of its population, we have made these existential imperatives. These imperatives cannot be dictated by external agendas. That is why we would claim the right and the responsibility to define our own strategic choices. This reality calls for a reassessment of the responses which have been given to African crises. The security approach designed on the outside, which favors foreign interests without the appropriation by the countries concerned, nor being adapted to local realities, they are doomed to fail. Therefore, it's evident that African crises cannot be resolved permanently without the Africans themselves. And it's in that spirit that we see the confederation of the states of the Sahel deciding to pull together their defense capabilities, their security, and their development. The Republics of Mali and Niger, as well as Burkina Faso, we have, uh, taken the historic chase choice to, uh, fully take control of their own fate. Uh, President, uh, security and development are, uh, intertwined. Uh, conflicts destroy infrastructure. They disrupt, uh, economic activity. Uh, they displace, uh, populations and they, deprived children of education and care. That is why Burkina Faso has decided to further mobilize its own resources and to value its internal capabilities, convinced that political sovereignty must be accompanied by a true capability to finance and to steer its own development. It doesn't exclude international cooperation, but it calls for balanced win-win partnerships which respect our priorities. President, peace in Africa requires a more fair, a more representative multilateralism and should not involve a double standard. Africa should be seen as a full-fledged partner in global governance, which means a reform of international mechanisms when it comes to taking decisions. The African continent does not ask that others decide our future. We are simply asking that our sovereignty be respected, that these initiatives be supported, and that we can freely exploit our own resources in order to build our future. Thank you very much.

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

Thank you, Mr. President. We welcome Secretary General's reports on progress on the implementation of sustainable development in Africa and international support, and we appreciate the opportunity to discuss them today. In alignment with the EU statement, I would like to highlight a few points on Romania's strong engagement to support Africa's in a spirit of pragmatic, genuine, and balanced cooperation. principles encompassed in our Romania-Africa strategy, partnership for the future through peace, development, and education. We share many of your concerns, especially in the current international context dominated by unprecedented regional and local conflicts and numerous crises, climate change, persistence of inequality, rapid advancement of new digital technologies. But we also share your interests. on maintaining peace and security, settlement of international disputes by constructive negotiations, eradication of poverty through education and health programs, strengthening resilience of health systems, fighting against terrorism, organized crime, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and money laundering, maritime security and freedom of navigation, climate change, connectivity, and energy security. All these developments require our full attention and common efforts, including within the regional and international organizations, through genuine and honest dialogue between all the stakeholders. Africa is a clear priority in our international development cooperation policy, reflected in a platform for the future of Africa through peace, education, and development, which receives a dedicated share of our ODA. our cooperation aligns with the broader EU-Africa partnership and supports the Sustainable Development Goals. As a core principle, we value the human capital of Africa and its significant role in shaping our joint future with regards to demography, climate change, security, economic integration, and promoting efficient multilateralism. We focus on practical, human-centric initiatives and education stands at the heart of our efforts. Grassroots projects have equipped schools with computers, printers, interactive displays, and other tech in countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa, and Mauritania. These create modern learning environments and build digital skills for students. In South Africa, we also provide learning materials to township and rural schools across multiple provinces. Capacity building is another corner stone. We share expertise in professional training, health system strengthening, disaster risk reduction, and food safety. A flagship example is the international training program on post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction, most recently held in Addis Ababa in partnership with Ethiopia's Institute of Foreign Affairs. This brings together experts from across Africa and Romania to exchange best practices in building resilience and combating disinformation, contributing to lasting peace and stability. Moreover, investing in the next generation of Africa's leaders and professionals is key for Africa's development. Hence, responding to a significant demand, we have increased our scholarship offer. For the last selection cycle, Africa received 50.2% of the 500 fully funded scholarships. We are also pleased to inform that every year we are organizing international training course on post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction. The event usually brings together about 25 civilian and security professionals from across Africa to share experiences, exchange best practices, and develop actionable strategies for addressing Africa's unique post-conflict reconstruction challenges. Furthermore, this September, we have hosted in Bucharest the first edition of the program on building resilience to disinformation in a changing communication environment, dedicated to communication experts from Africa. Our experience facing significant hybrid actions, including sustained disinformation campaigns perpetrated by foreign actors, brings added value to our knowledge sharing endeavor. Moreover, On the root causes of conflicts and current challenges, we support and encourage African solutions for African states. We believe that in both peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities, increased ownership by the host nation is critical, and the regional support is welcomed with full respect for international law and human rights. Hence, while Romania participates in various UN and EU missions on the African continent, we also continue to provide support to African countries in the field of security forces, UN pre-deployment training through Romania's Gendarmerie International Superior Course. As we speak, the 24th edition is undergoing. The course, held in French and UN accredited, welcomes this year officers from Cameroon, Tunisia, Jordan, Morocco, and in previous editions, we had received participants from Algeria, Djibouti, Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal.

Mr. President, Romania stands ready to participate as an equal partner, not as a distant donor. We place value on Africa, its demographic dynamics, and its role it's playing in reacting to global challenges, climate change, digital challenges, and economic integration. Together, thanks to education, our institutions, and a genuine dialogue, we can build a future of shared prosperity. Romania remains strongly committed to standing side by side with our African partners. I thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. President. My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by Namibia on behalf of the African Group. We thank the Secretary-General for the two comprehensive reports titled, "From the New Partnership for Africa's Development to Agenda 2063: Progress in the Implementation of Sustainable Development in Africa and International Support," and "Causes of Conflicts and the Promotion of Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa." Mr. President, It is noteworthy that the report on NEPAD assets, and I quote, "Africa's development challenge is not due to a lack of resources, but a sovereignty deficit, the gap between ownership of strategic assets and the capacity to govern the value they generate. As a result, uncontrolled outflows often exceed ODA and FDI, making Africa a net exporter of capital," close quote. The report indeed quantifies the costs of the sovereignty deficit to be around 1.2 trillion US dollars. To address this sovereignty deficit, the report underscores the policy measures that my delegation, including that of many African delegations, always champion here at the UN, such as the reform of the international financial architecture, curbing illicit financial flows, the establishment of an international taxation framework, the beneficiation of critical minerals as a source, the fulfillment of ODA commitments, and the development of Africa's digital and emerging technology ecosystem. The report also recommends enhanced UN support for operationalization of the African Union's domestic resource mobilization strategy for the period 2025 to 2030. These recommendations, Mr. President, underscore the pertinence of Africa's claims about requisite measures to be implemented pursuant to the 2030 Agenda. Mr. President, the report also identifies sovereignty deficit as a structural root cause of both conflict and insufficient development, whose costs are prevalent in three interconnected areas: development, peace and security, and the social contract. The report recognizes that when states fail to generate revenue from their assets, they fail to make necessary human capital investments and become ripe for external manipulation, generating a situation that threatens the strength of the social contract between the state and the population. Natural resource sectors such as mining are often ripe for sovereign deficit, hence they tend to be sources of conflict. According to the report, approximately 40% of intra-state conflicts globally involve natural resources. Considering that the world is in the midst of a technological revolution whose lifeblood is critical minerals and rare earths of which Africa is naturally endowed, global competition for these minerals puts Africa in an enviable position. It is indeed in this context that the development of industrial and manufacturing capacity to beneficiate natural resources and rare earths at source is relevant. Doing so will contribute to Africa's development and mark the continent's transition from a mere supplier of natural resources to an exporter of finished products. Mr. President, South Africa believes that African countries should be supported in their efforts to industrialize, innovate, and develop infrastructure in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the AU's Agenda 2063. This will add impetus to efforts to boost intra-Africa trade within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to boost intra-Africa trade and ensure Africa's meaningful integration into global value chains. South Africa reaffirms the importance of strengthening the strategic partnership between the UN the AU in advancing efforts that support African countries in achieving the goals and aspirations of both the 2030 agenda and African Union's agenda 2063, the Africa we want. Through its institutional anchors and coordinating mechanisms, such as the Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, the Economic Commission for Africa, and the regional coordinating mechanisms, The UN should intensify efforts in support of Africa's development. I thank you.

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

We align ourselves with the statement of Namibia on behalf of the African Group, and we make the following in our national capacity. Mr. President, we welcome the Secretary-General's report on the strategic framework for Africa, which sheds the light on a main reality, namely, the challenge facing Africa is not the lack of its resources, but rather its ability to manage such resources and maintain their revenues and invest these revenues into its development. This is a challenge that is also related to the continuing structural failures in the international, uh, financial system. This system… puts pressure on African countries to achieve the necessary economic transition. The New Partnership for Africa's Development, NEPAD, since its establishment, reflected African ownership and leadership of development. This is a principle that needs to remain the cornerstone of international partnerships that support the implementation of the 2063 AU agenda. In this regard, we take pride in hosting recently the summit of NEPAD establishing countries. for the 25th anniversary of this partnership and initiative. This was an opportunity to renew political commitment to promote NEPAD and the African Union to mobilize the necessary resources and investments to implement Africa's priorities, especially in terms of infrastructure, industrialization, and regional integration. We stress the need for building on the outcomes of this summit and transforming its political momentum into programs and projects that could promote the ability of African institutions to lead development transition. And this could ensure that the resources and wealth of Africa could achieve welfare for its people. Mr. President, we stress specifically the close link between development and peace and security. It is important to address the root causes of conflicts in Africa. Conflicts do not start from nowhere. They rather feed on poverty, unemployment, marginalization, and weak institutions and services. They also feed on competition over resources. These are challenges that are exacerbated by debt, climate change, and external economic shocks. The Secretary-General's report showed that when countries are unable to benefit from their resources and reinvesting their returns could lead to the fragmentation of trust, and it provides a fertile terrain for instability and the spread of armed and terrorist groups. Therefore, we stress that addressing the security repercussions of conflicts without addressing their social and economic root causes could not achieve sustainable development and sustainable peace. Development needs to be a cornerstone in the prevention of conflicts, peacebuilding, and rebuilding by investing in young people, education, food security, and water security, as well as investing in infrastructure and promoting the ability of countries to be able meet the needs of their people while fully respecting their sovereignty and national ownership. In this regard, it is important to promote integration between the AU's efforts as well as the UN and NEPAD's efforts to ensure that the programs are focused on reconstruction and development post-conflict. We also stress the essential role of the Peacebuilding Commission as we implement the outcomes of the comprehensive review of the Peacebuilding Framework 2025. This was recently reflected in the draft resolution provided by the PBC to the General Assembly on its annual resolution on the root causes of conflict in the 80th session, which is part of this item. Mr. President, in conclusion, We stress that we are committed to building on the outcomes of the conference and to implement the 2063 agenda, because we believe that sustainable peace in Africa cannot be achieved by only managing conflicts. It can be achieved by addressing their root causes, by empowering African people to achieve their legitimate aspirations to development, welfare, and stability. Thank you, Mr. President.

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

Mr. President, Belgium aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of the European Union. Mr. President, your Excellency, we would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report. on the communications program having to do with the Rwanda genocide in 1984. We welcome the constant work by the secretariat aimed at safeguarding the memory of victims through its commemoration, dedication, and awareness raising activities. Conveying this memory is a collective responsibility and a moral obligation on us all. Commemorating the genocide is not just a tribute that we pay to victims and survivors, but also an opportunity to renew our commitment to make sure that this tragedy is never repeated again. This commitment means that we have to continue with our efforts to prevent genocide, in particular through, first, implementing the principles of responsibility to protect, secondly, through fighting impunity, and thirdly, fighting resolutely against hate rhetoric. We in Belgium remain fully committed to the fight against negationism, and echoes the Secretary-General when he urges member states to accede to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. We thank the Secretariat again for their essential work to make sure that the memory of the genocide in Rwanda continues feeding into the work of the United Nations today and tomorrow. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Belgium. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.

Mr. Chair, Algeria welcomes the Secretary-General's report on a strategic asset management framework for Africa's sustainable development.

Its central message is clear.

Africa's development challenges cannot be reduced to resource scarcity.

They reflect persistent difficulties in retaining and reinvesting the value generated by its assets, compounded by structural inequalities in the international economic system. For Algeria, retaining Africa's wealth domestically requires respect for permanent sovereignty over natural resources, national

ownership, and the right of peoples to determine their development priorities. Stronger, accountable institutions are indispensable.

Yet, domestic reforms must be matched by international action against illicit financial flows and unfair

practices that deprive African economies of resources for development.

At a time of amounting debt pressures and declining development assistance, Algeria calls for the full implementation of the

Cevia commitment. We need timely debt solutions, affordable financing, and more equitable international financial architecture with stronger African representation in decision-making.

Ongoing negotiations towards a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation offer an opportunity

to safeguard developing countries' taxing rights and reinforce domestic resource mobilization.

We also support greater local

processing of Africa's natural resources, regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area, and investment in infrastructure, education, health, and skills.

Technological transformation, including artificial intelligence, must reinforce African capabilities, supported by technology cooperation. Development partners must honor their commitments and align support with nationally determined priorities. South-South cooperation should complement these efforts. In this regard, the African Union Development Agency, NEPAD, working with African

partners, can help translate Agenda 2063 continental priorities into nationally owned development programs and promote African ownership of their implementation. These development priorities are inseparable from the pursuit of peace. Algeria underscores the close nexus between peace and development.

Lasting peace requires sustainable development, and development flourishes in conditions of peace and stability.

This vision is reflected in Agenda 2063, Silencing the Guns Initiative, and the African Peace and Security Architecture. These frameworks advance conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding.

However, their effectiveness depends on predictable,

sustainable financing for African-led peace support operation, as well as stronger cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union.

In closing, Algeria remains committed to an Africa that governs its asset, finances

its transformation, and advances Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda in conditions of peace, dignity, and shared prosperity.

I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Algeria. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Botswana.

Mr. President, Botswana aligns itself with the statement delivered by Namibia on behalf of the African Group. We thank the Secretary-General for his reports under this agenda item, which remind us that Africa's aspirations for peace, prosperity and sustainable development remain achievable and require renewed political commitment and meaningful international solidarity. As President-advocate Bokor emphasized during the general debate of this 81st session, restoring trust in multilateralism requires a UN that delivers tangible results for all, particularly those who have been historically left behind.

Mr. President, Africa's Agenda 2063 is not merely a development blueprint.

It is a declaration of our collective determination to shape our own destiny. that the continent's ambitions continue

to face formidable obstacles, including unsustainable debt burdens, inadequate development financing, climate vulnerabilities, and persistent inequalities in the international economic system. Busana, therefore, calls for urgent reform of the international financial architecture to ensure

fairer access to affordable, predictable, and long-term development financing.

Africa cannot be expected to run the race of sustainable development while carrying the weight of structural disadvantages.

We equally underscore the importance of economic diversification, value addition, industrialization, and the African Continental Free Trade Area in unlocking Africa's productivity potential. Our continent must move beyond exporting raw materials to creating industries, decent jobs, and prosperity for its people, particularly its youthful population.

For Botswana, building resilience and driving prosperity are mutually reinforcing national priorities.

Our experience reminds us that sustainable development requires

strong institutions, sound governance, investment in human capital, and the ability to adapt to changing global realities. Mr. President, climate change remains an existential development challenge for many African countries, for Botswana and other drought-prone countries. Its consequences are already being felt in water insecurity, food production, and livelihoods.

We call for accessible climate finance, stronger adaptation support, and the fulfillment of international commitments. Equally, the digital revolution, particularly artificial intelligence, present unprecedented opportunities to accelerate Africa's transformation.

However, technological progress must not deepen existing inequalities.

Africa must be an active participant in shaping global technological governance, not merely a consumer of technologies designed elsewhere.

Mr. President, Turning to sub-item B, Botswana firmly believes that there can be no sustainable development without peace and no durable peace without development.

Addressing the root causes of conflict.

Requires investment in inclusive governance, accountable institutions, employment opportunities, and the meaningful participation of women and young people.

We reaffirm our support for Africa-led solutions the African Union's peace and security architecture.

And stronger cooperation between the UN and African regional and subregional organizations, including SADC. Before concluding, I wish to congratulate the Under-Secretary-General, Anna Aki-Kwonka, and express Botswana's support to the Office of.

The UN Special Adviser on Africa, OSHA.

We call upon Mr. President and the Secretary-General to support.

Her mandate and her work in promoting Africa's interests within the United Nations.

Finally, Botswana reiterates that Africa does not seek charity, but genuine partnership; not dependency, but opportunity; and not promises alone, but concrete action. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Botswana. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.

Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, We commend the Secretary-General for his reports.

And reaffirm our full support for the African Union's Agenda 2063 and Africa's pursuit of peace, prosperity, integration, and sustainable development. Bangladesh's engagement with Africa is grounded in solidarity and partnership. For decades, Bangladesh has been among the largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations. Bangladeshi peacekeepers have served alongside African communities, often in the most difficult environments. They have contributed not only to maintaining peace and security, but also to protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, supporting local institutions, repairing and building essential infrastructure, and helping communities regain access to education, health services, and livelihoods. We have learned that durable peace cannot be sustained by security measures alone. Peace must be built through functioning institutions, inclusive development, decent work, social cohesion, and hope for young people. It must be owned by national actors and rooted in the priorities of the communities concerned. Bangladesh also speaks from its longstanding leadership of the group of LDCs. For many decades, we have worked to advance the collective interests of the least developed countries in global forums. 32 of the world's 44 LDCs are in Africa. Their development, therefore, is inseparable from the future of the LDC group and from the credibility of our multilateral commitments. Bangladesh is also pleased to note that its civil society organizations are cooperating with African governments in social economic development areas. We fully support Africa's call for adequate, predictable, and concessional development finance, urgent and effective debt relief and restructuring, strengthen domestic resource mobilization, action against illicit financial flows, and meaningful technology transfer and capacity building. The international community must honor its ODA commitments and ensure that external financing supports national ownership, productive capacity, and long-term resilience. Africa's young population, natural wealth, entrepreneurial energy, and growing regional integration are immense assets. The African Continental Free Trade Area can help unlock this potential by expanding markets, promoting value addition, and creating opportunities for African people. Bangladesh stands ready to share its own development experience, including poverty reduction, women's empowerment, community-based health, disaster preparedness, microfinance, digital public services, government sector employment, and local-level service delivery. We do so not as a model to be copied, but as a fellow developing country committed to mutual learning, South-South cooperation, and solutions adapted to national contexts. Let us translate our declarations into delivery. Let us ensure that Africa's wealth serves Africa's people, that its young people can realize their aspirations, and that Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda advance together. I thank you.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of this consideration of agenda item 64 and its sub-items a and b. The Assembly will begin its consideration of agenda item 12, entitled "Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields". to take action on the proposal announced in the Journal of the United Nations. We shall now proceed to consider the draft resolution. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The present oral statement is made in the context of Rule 153 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly. The present statement has also been distributed to Member States. Under the terms of paragraph 24 of the declaration entitled United Nations Declaration on Sea Level Rise, annexed to the draft resolution which would be adopted by the General Assembly, I quote, "We," that is the heads of state and government and high-level representatives to the opening of the 81st.

Session of the General Assembly.

Decide to convene a further high-level meeting on sea level rise before the end of the 84th session of the General Assembly, the scope and modality of which shall be decided no later than at the 83rd session of the General Assembly." End of quote. With regard to the high-level meeting on sea level rise as contained in paragraph 24 of the declaration, in the absence of modalities of the high-level meeting, it is not possible at the present time to estimate the potential cost implications of the requirements. When the format, scope and modalities of the high-level meeting are determined, the Secretary-General would assess the budgetary implications and advise the General Assembly in accordance with rule 153 of its rules of procedure.

Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of the Secretariat. Before giving the floor for explanation of vote before the vote, I propose that the time limits for statements in explanation of vote under this item be five minutes. Is there any objection to this proposal? I hear none. It is so decided. Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 72 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, when a representative exceeds her or his allotted time, the President shall call the speaker to order without delay, which will be done by means of automatic microphone cut-off. To assist delegations in managing their time, a countdown clock will be displayed on the screens. Members are also reminded that the explanation of votes should be made by delegations from their seats. I give the floor to the representative of Turkey.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Turkey is fully aware of the profound challenges posed by the sea level rise, particularly for small island developing states, and stands in solidarity with the countries and communities most vulnerable to its impacts. As the host of COP31, Turkey remains committed to advancing international cooperation and collective action in addressing the consequences of climate change, including sea level rise. It is in this spirit that Turkey has joined the consensus on the declaration. At the same time, we wish to put on record our position regarding certain legal aspects of the text. Turkey is not a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. References to UNCLOS in the declaration are therefore without prejudice to Turkey's well-established position with respect to the convention. Turkey remains committed to the rules and principles of the law of the sea that reflect customary international law. Accordingly, Turkey's participation in the consensus should neither be construed as recognition that the legal propositions contained in paragraph 20 reflect existing customary international law, nor be relied upon as evidence of Turkey's opinion or jury in this respect. Nothing in the declaration shall prejudice Turkey's rights, claims, or legal positions concerning maritime jurisdiction or maritime delimitation. In this context, I invite all member states to take position and legitimate concerns of my country more seriously in negotiations of any text in the future. Moreover, Turkey declares that there does not exist any group of people in its territory which could be considered as indigenous peoples and believes that declaration refers to the exercise of self-determination in line with the UN Charter obligations regarding non-interference in the sovereignty, integrity, and political unity of the states. I thank you again.

We have heard the last speaker in the explanation of vote before the vote. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/81/L.3, entitled "United Nations Declaration on Sea Level Rise". May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/81/L.3? It is so decided. Before giving the floor for explanation of vote after the vote, may I remind delegations that explanation of vote are limited to five minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Maldives on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 39 members of the Alliance of Small Island States, the states that are especially affected by sea level rise, states that are literally defined by the ocean around us. The effect that the sea level rise is having and will have on us cannot be understated. The impact will be life-altering. It threatens the well-being of our peoples, the communities, cultures, ecosystems, food security, livelihood, and traditional ways of life. What compounds these serious and irreversible impacts is the unfairness of the situation. The climate crisis is not of our making. SIDS have contributed almost nothing to this global scourge. The adoption by consensus of the Political Declaration on Sea Level Rise is a vital step for our islands and for the United Nations. Since 1989, Small Island Developing States have been sounding the alarm on sea level rise. That year, the international community adopted the Malae Declaration on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise. Since then, we have led the development of international law on this issue. The Pacific Island Forum adopted relevant declarations in 2021 and 2023, and AOSIS did the same in the following years. Today's adoption represents a moment of international solidarity as all member states join SIDS on a path we have charted. With today's adoption of the declaration on sea level rise, the General Assembly has done something it has never done before. For the first time, all member states have agreed on a single common text on sea level rise. That is a genuine achievement. We thank the President of the General Assembly and the co-facilitators for their skill and the patience in bringing us here to the formal adoption of the declaration by the General Assembly. This declaration matters because it touches many aspects of sea level rise. It puts science, data, knowledge, including traditional knowledge, at the foundation of our response. It recognizes the urgent need for scaled up, accessible, and predictable finance for adaptation and resilience. It speaks to livelihoods, to populations, to cultures, and heritage, the elements that make our islands home. and it commits this body to keep sea level rise on its agenda with further high-level meeting before the end of the 84th session. The declaration also makes an important statement about various elements of law that matters to us, particularly the stability of maritime zones, the continuity of statehood, and the protection of persons affected by sea level rise. On maritime zones, The declaration affirms that maritime zones, once established in accordance with UNCLOS, are stable. This is in line with interpretation of AOSIS has advanced for years. As AOSIS and many others have also advanced, UNCLOS does not obligate states to update their charts or lists of geographical coordinates that show the baselines and outer limit lines of their maritime zones once they have been duly established in conformity with the Convention. The rights and entitlements that follow from their zones continue to apply without reduction, notwithstanding any physical changes connected to sea level rise. On statehood, the declaration underscores the continued statehood in the face of sea level rise, as well as our continued sovereignty, sovereign rights, and membership of the United Nations. Once a state is established, The loss of one of its constituent elements because of sea level rise does not mean the loss of statehood. Our nations are permanent members of this community of nations. This declaration affirms a number of widely held interpretation of international law. These interpretations were confirmed by the International Court of Justice and International Law Commission and by our consistent and overwhelming practice of states. Sea level rise may threaten our coasts and our homes and way of life. It does not threaten our legal rights, entitlement, or existence as states. Mr. President, for AOSIS, this declaration is a step in decades-long process, but it is far from the end of our journey. Today, with consensus adoption of the declaration, this assembly has spoken with one voice, and it is a momentous occasion. EOC will continue.

I thank the distinguished representative of Maldives. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Plow, who will speak on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Mr. President, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum countries with a presence in New York. Today's adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Sea Level Rise is an important achievement for the international community. For decades, Pacific leaders have recognized climate change as the single greatest threat to the security, livelihoods, and well-being of our people. Across our region, rising seas are already affecting coastal communities, freshwater resources, food security, and critical infrastructure, placing increasing pressure on our economies and development. At our 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau, leaders reaffirmed this urgency through the Belau Declaration, calling for ambitious global action to keep the 1.5 degree temperature goal within reach. Every fraction of a degree matters, particularly for countries and communities already experiencing the consequences of climate change. Mr. President, the Pacific has consistently advanced practical and legal solutions to address sea level rise. Our landmark 2021 and 2023 forum declarations affirm our collective position on preserving maritime zones, ensuring the continuity of statehood and sovereignty, and protecting persons affected by climate change related sea level rise. The 2025 International Court of Justice advisory opinion further reinforced the importance of legal stability and certainty, including in relation to maritime zones established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We therefore welcome language in today's political declaration that acknowledges both foreign declarations. This is an important recognition of the Pacific's contributions to the international response. Mr. President, our priority now is to ensure that these commitments are implemented. This requires greater investment in adaptation, community-led resilience, early warning systems, reliable scientific data, and infrastructure capable of withstanding the impacts of rising seas. It also requires accessible, predictable, and adequate climate finance. In this regard, we reaffirm the Pacific Resilience Facility as our region's preeminent climate finance investment priority and call on international partners to support its capitalization. These efforts must be accompanied by urgent global mitigation action consistent with keeping 1.5 degrees within reach. Mr. President, for more than three decades, the Pacific has worked with the international community to advance solutions and strengthen the protection of our people's sovereignty and rights. Today's adoption represents notable progress, and we thank member states for their cooperation in reaching this outcome. We look forward to the continued international engagement and practical follow-up to ensure the declaration delivers meaningful results, particularly for the countries and communities most affected. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that the commitments made today translate into lasting protection for all peoples affected by sea level rise, safeguarding their rights, dignity, cultures, and future for generations to come. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Palau. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kiribati, who will speak on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States.

Thank you. Mr. President, Excellencies, we have the honor to speak on behalf of the 12 members of the Pacific Small Island Developing States. We align ourselves with the statements delivered by Maldives on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States and Palau on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum. We join in the adoption of the political declaration on sea level rise, and we thank the President of the General Assembly and the co-facilitators, Australia and Cabo Verde, for their work in getting us here. This declaration is an achievement for the international community and signifies the critical importance of addressing sea level rise and its impacts. It touches on a number of important aspects of sea level rise, including data and knowledge, among them traditional knowledge, as well as finance, livelihoods, culture, and heritage. With regards to the stability of maritime zones and the continuity of statehood, we reaffirm the 2021 and 2023 Pacific Islands Forum declarations and the 2021 and 2024 AOCs declarations adopted by our leaders, whose vision we carry forward. Our legal interpretations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and of relevant international law in these matters have been broadly affirmed by the International Law Commission and by the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change. and supported by an exceptionally large number of states across all regions of the world. We emphasize the importance of human rights in the protection of persons affected by sea level rise, including the principle of non-refoulement and the need to strengthen adaptation, resilience, and international cooperation to address its impacts. Mr. President, the declaration keeps the international community a shared point of reference for the work ahead. That work includes finance that reaches our communities in core time and is simple to access, and continued action on the causes of sea level rise under the Paris Agreement. For the peoples of our highlands, The ocean has always been home, and that is why its steady rise reaches so far into daily life. Our communities have cared for these islands across many generations, and our hope is to hand them on to our children in the same way. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kiribati. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland. who will speak on the behalf of the European Union?

Thank you, President.

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states. At the outset, we would like to thank the facilitators, the permanent representatives of Cape Verde and Australia and their teams for their excellent stewardship.

In facilitating negotiations on a first ever UN declaration on sea level rise.

As the declaration underlines, sea level rise is not a distant prediction, but a stark reality that is accelerating. Around the world, sea level rise is already affecting ecosystems, livelihoods, infrastructure and cultural heritage, with serious implications for human security, societal stability, human rights and sustainable development. We stand in solidarity with all those already living with the consequences.

We also commend the leadership of AOSIS and the Pacific Islands Forum, whose declarations and sustained advocacy.

Have helped pave the way for this historic outcome.

President, to address sea level rise, four actions are crucial.

First, we must address climate change as the main driver of sea level rise. This requires ambitious mitigation action and multilateral cooperation under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. Second, we must prepare for impacts that can no longer be.

Avoided and strengthen the resilience of our coasts and communities.

This means improving early warning systems, advancing.

Adaptation planning and investing in resilient infrastructure, healthy marine and coastal ecosystems, as well as nature based solutions.

Third, our response must be based on the best available science.

The EU is stepping up its contribution to ocean science and observation through our Ocean Eye initiative. The EU and Canada also launched a new global alliance last month to strengthen ocean observation worldwide through the Global Ocean Observing System. This alliance has already mobilized around $250 million in commitments and brings together more than 30 members.

We encourage all member states to join this growing effort.

Fourth, legal certainty, stability and predictability must remain at the heart of our collective response. The EU and its Member States remain firmly committed to international law and to the UN Convention.

On the Law of the Sea.

Which sets out the legal framework within which all activities in oceans and seas must be carried out.

We also recall the important contributions of the International Law Commission's final report on sea level rise.

And the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the obligations of states in respect of climate change. President, we are pleased that the text of the declaration before us generally reflects these four actions.

We regret, however, that the declaration is very light on climate action. Crucially, it omits the causal relationship between human-induced climate change and sea level rise, the urgent need for ambitious climate change mitigation action, and the need to transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly, and equitable manner.

We are also disappointed that the declaration does not mention international peace and security and human security.

And that it was not possible.

To agree on stronger language on UNLOS and more comprehensive language on mobility with dignity where it involves international movement. Finally, we stress that technology transfer must take place on voluntary and mutually agreed terms and that.

Finance must come from all sources.

President, the EU and its Member States are pleased to support this text. Today's consensual adoption of the first ever UN declaration on sea level rise is an important step forward. It demonstrates that the world is united in addressing sea level rise through multilateral cooperation. We look forward to continuing to work together with all member states on addressing sea level rise in all relevant fora.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Ireland. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Papua New Guinea.

Mr. President, Excellencies, and fellow delegates, at the outset, Papua New Guinea aligns our remarks with those made by the respective chairs of the Pacific Islands.

Forum, the Pacific SIDS, and the Alliance of Small Island States. In our national capacity, we want to make the following points.

First, Papua New Guinea wishes to place on record our commendation to the distinguished delegations of Australia and Cabo.

Verde and their respective delegations for the leadership and inclusive and consultative approach, including going the extra mile as co-facilitators of the intergovernmental process to achieve consensus on the milestone UN declaration on sea level rise, which this meeting just adopted by consensus, and which facilitated the welcome, robust, and insightful high-level meeting at last month's high-level.

Week.

At a time when this General Assembly is seeking ways and.

Means to be nimble and cost-effective in its work, we also want to recognize the succinctness, brevity, and conciseness.

Of the resolution before us today.

Secondly, Mr. President, Papua New Guinea as a maritime, archipelagic, and coastal state is deeply invested in this highly important.

Issue on sea level rise, just as our fellow Pacific Islands Forum members and AOSIS and others, as our people's lives and livelihoods and the country's future is at stake and must be protected and safeguarded.

Today, Papua New Guinea therefore joins consensus in adopting this political declaration.

On sea level rise.

Thirdly, we, however, note that to achieve consensus, a number of important elements in this political declaration are not as robust as they should be, including but not limited to the human causes of climate change, the authoritative status of the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change, the stability of maritime zones.

The continuity of statehood, and human rights in the protection of persons affected by sea level rise.

My delegation generally supports the concept of consensus in multilateralism. However, the purpose of consensus should be to confer broad legitimacy. It should not become a veto by attrition, where the overwhelming majority is asked to negotiate below our norms until a very small number of states, whose short-term economic interests remain tied to continued high greenhouse gas emissions can get comfortable.

This veto by attrition transfers the price of consensus to the most vulnerable.

States, the states that are especially affected by climate change and sea level rise. Mr. President, the Pacific small island developing states who have done the least to cause the climate emergency now bear among the greatest costs, including the cost of consensus.

Fourthly, and specifically, with regard to the stability of maritime zones and the continuity of statehood, Papua New Guinea.

Reaffirms the Pacific Islands Forum 2021 and 2023 declarations and corresponding AOSIS declarations. Our legal interpretations of UNCLOS and relevant international law in these matters have been broadly affirmed by the International Law Commission and the ICJ in its advisory opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change and supported by an exceptionally large number of States across the world. Mr. President, we also refer to the international community, or rather, we also refer the international community to our national statements in the Sixth Committee, especially as reflected in the relevant ILC reports on this highly important matter.

In closing, Mr. President, Papua New Guinea looks forward to working with others.

On meaningful follow-up and implementation actions that will support us in addressing the compounding challenges of sea level rise.

I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Papua New Guinea. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bahamas.

Mr. President, the Bahamas aligns itself with the statement delivered by Maldives on behalf of AOSIS. The Bahamas welcome the adoption of this declaration by consensus. For the first time, this Assembly has agreed a common text dedicated to sea level rise. For an anthropologic state of low-lying islands, sea level rise is not a distinct process. It is, as paragraph 2 recognized, a real and lived experience. Our Prime Minister stated our position clearly during the general debate when he proudly endorsed the declaration and affirmed that our statehood, our boundaries, and our seat in this Assembly must not be washed away by the sea. At the same time, our support should not be understood as satisfaction with the present international response. The declaration does not yet go as far as the scale of the threat requires. nor as far as SIDS have longed to call for. We regard it as a floor, not a ceiling, an important foundation for stronger action and clearer law, but not the final expression of the international community's response to sea level rise. We look to the further high-level meeting mandated by this declaration and to the practices of states in the years ahead to further consolidate these principles into international law and to ensure that they are given practical effect. Mr. President, nowhere is that more consequential than in relation to international law. Paragraph 18 recognizes that international law provides the foundation for the action on sea level rise and underscores the need for legal stability, certainty and predictability. Paragraph 19 notes that the advisory opinion of the ICJ and the work of the ILC. These developments are directly related to the question before us. The ICJ addressed the consequences of climate change related sea level rise for maritime zones under UNCLOS and concluded that the convention does not require states parties to undertake charts or lists of geographical coordinates reflecting duly established baselines and outer limits merely because of physical change resulting from sea level rise. That conclusion goes directly to the legal certainty reflected in paragraph 20. Paragraph 20 affirms that once established in accordance under UNCLOS, states can maintain their maritime zones in the face of physical changes resulting from sea level rise without prejudice to their ability to adjust them. For the Bahamas, the importance of this provision cannot be overstated. Our maritime space far exceeds our land territory. Its legal stability is inseparable form of our sovereignty and sovereign rights, our fisheries, our ocean economy, and our national future. Our position is clear. A state should not progressively lose lawful established maritime rights merely because climate change progressively alters its coastline. We recognize that states holding different legal positions concerning UNCLOS. Paragraph 20 does not purport to erase those differences, nor should they prevent us from addressing a consequence of sea level rise that goes directly to legal stability. Mr. President, paragraph 21 is equally significant. It affirms our continued statehood and underscores the continuity of our statehood. For small island developing states, these are not hypothetical questions. A changing coastline must not mean a disappearing state. The physical consequences of climate change must not be permitted to become the legal extinction of states, the erosion of our sovereignty or the diminution of rights recognized under international law. Our Prime Minister reminded this Assembly that for small states, international law is our shield. He also made it clear that injustice at the heart of the climate crisis, those who bear the least responsibility are being asked to adapt first, pay most, and recover from disasters they did not cause. The Bahamas will continue to work with the AOSIS and the wider membership, including to the further high level meeting mandated by paragraph 24, to build upon this declaration and ensure that international law response to the realities confronted by our states. Sea level rise may alter our physical geography. It must not alter our legal identity. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Bahamas. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of France.

Thank you, President. Excellencies, France fully associates itself with the statement made by the European Union. and on the positive points expressed as well as regrets. I'd like to add a few comments in my national capacity. France welcomes the adoption of this historic resolution. It is a first on the sea level rise. For some people, it would be a distant phenomenon, a challenge for the end of the century, but it's already a reality. in 30 years, the rate of the average sea level rise has more than doubled. For France, this reality is visible, directly visible in our mainland as well as the overseas territories. And for all of the members, it raises a number of challenges. We have to act on the root causes of sea level rise and global warming. The UN Environment Programme has published a report on the fact that we have exceeded the 1.5 degrees Celsius that was fixed by the Paris agreement, with the ensuing consequences for all of the ecosystem. It is important, therefore, to strengthen our collective efforts in order to maintain and come back to the trajectory fixed by the Paris Agreement. Uh, it's a question of international responsibility. Uh, science is very clear, uh, for that we have to, uh, reduce our, our greenhouse gas emissions and, uh, in… accelerate the elimination of fossil fuels. And we are fully committed to COP28. For our coastal cities and territories, the challenge is to make adaptation a political priority, given erosion, submersion, and the risks for the infrastructure and our population. Those who live in coastal and island areas, which are the most exposed, need the early warning system, a resilient infrastructure, as well as a greater use of solutions based on nature. Thirdly, we must strengthen the role of science and data in our decisions and interactions. It is crucial in order to anticipate risks and to identify adaptation and mitigation measures which would be the most effective. And lastly, a sensitive but fundamental point, we must take into account the legal consequences of the sea level rise. This phenomenon raises questions of complex international law, which are vital for the states that are most affected by sea level rise, first and foremost island states, and namely those of the Alliance of Small Island States, and also a position which has been expressed by the Pacific Island Forum as well. We have to continue to think collectively and specifically and continue to work together rapidly. France is not happy to simply call for action. We have taken action in the third UN Conference on the Oceans in Nice. We launched the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition. Its objective is very specific, bringing governments, cities, coastal areas, financial actors and other partners together in order to accelerate adaptation, to mobilize investments and to share solutions. Thank you very much.

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

Thank you, Mr. President.

Indonesia welcomes the adoption of resolution A/81/L.3 on the UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise. We believe this declaration marks an important step towards strengthening international cooperation and collective action to address the unprecedented challenges of rising seas. Allow me to highlight three key points. First, international law must remain central to our collective response. Indonesia reaffirms the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement as the primary frameworks for addressing climate change, guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Equally important, we underscore the centrality of UNCLOS in responding to the legal implications of sea level rise. Second, commitments must translate into concrete action. Indonesia calls for stronger financial, technical, and policy cooperation, with developed countries taking the lead in mobilizing climate finance to ensure scaled-up, predictable, and accessible financing for adaptation, resilience, and locally driven action, as also highlighted in the declaration. Third, continuity of statehood must be guided by legal certainty and human dignity. Indonesia supports continuity of statehood in the context of sea level rise with three important considerations. First, its application must remain specific to sea level rise, without automatically establishing precedence for territorial loss from other causes or predetermining all legal consequences. Second, legal certainty and the integrity of UNCLOS must be preserved. Supported by authoritative geospatial records documented before irreversible territorial changes, using internationally recognized reference systems. Third, protecting statehood must also mean protecting its people. Mr. President, the true measure of this declaration lies not merely in its adoption, but in our collective commitment to translate it into action. Indonesia stands ready to work with all member states to strengthen cooperation, uphold international law, and protect future generations from the impacts of sea level rise.

I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia. Before giving the floor to the next speaker, in light of a large number of speakers in explanation of vote after the vote under this current item, Members are informed that the other items announced in the journal will be considered in this afternoon agenda, namely agenda item 68B, 119I, and 129. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tuvalu.

Mr. President. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Tuvalu aligns itself with the statements delivered by the Maldives on behalf of the AOSIS, Palau on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, and Kiribati on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States, and wishes to add these remarks in its national capacity. Two years ago, this Assembly convened its first high-level meeting on the existential threat posed by sea level rise. Today, we take another historical step by adopting the first United Nations political declaration dedicated to this profound challenge. The science is clear. Sea level rise is accelerating in an unprecedented rate, and demands urgent global action. Global mean sea level reached a record high in 2024, and the rate of rise has more than doubled since the 1990s. For Tuvalu's low-lying islands, this is an existential threat. Seawater enters our homes, contaminates fresh water, damages crops and infrastructure, erodes coastlines and washes away the graves of our ancestors. World leaders attending pre-COP31 in Tuvalu earlier this month saw first-hand the alarming consequences of accelerating sea level rise and climate change. Yet, this is not an island problem alone. What concerns Tuvalu today increasingly concerns coastal communities worldwide. This is why this declaration matters. It extends principles advanced by the Pacific Islands Forum and AOSIS to the wider United Nations membership, strengthening state practice and opinion deities relevant to international laws response to sea level rise. From our perspective, three priorities are fundamental. First, recognition that sea level rise poses existential threats that threatens the foundations of our communities, cultures, and our ways of life. Second, accessible adaptation finance on better terms. Coastal protection, land reclamation, and elevation are essential to maintaining the habitability of islands like Tuvalu. Third, continuity of statehood and stability of maritime zones. Our statehood embodies our people, sovereignty, culture, and identity. Our rights under international law cannot be allowed to sink with our islands. Our maritime entitlement must endure, notwithstanding sea level rise. Political and legal process must now be matched by implementation. Where mobility or other adaptive measures become strictly necessary, the rights, dignity, and choices of affected people must be safeguarded. Excellencies, this declaration is both an achievement and a foundation for action. We must translate its principles into sustained cooperation accessible finance, and concrete measures, guided by science and the lived realities of affected communities. Tuvalu stands ready to continue supporting and engaging constructively in international dialogue on this issue. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Tuvalu. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nauru.

Mr. President, Excellencies, Colleagues, Vanuatu is more ocean than land. The sea has been our highway and our food source and our cultural heritage. Today, it also stands as a threat. Coastal erosion and inundation, saltwater intrusion, loss of land and freshwater, damage to infrastructure, and degradation of the ecosystems we depend on. Our own projections show sea level rise around Vanuatu could reach up to 122 centimeters by the end of this century, pushing more of our territory into uninhabitable. And so we have consistently raised the alarm. Three years ago, we led a call for an advisory opinion from the ICJ. Last year, the court answered unanimously, confirming that states have binding legal obligations to act with due diligence to prevent significant harm to the climate system, to cooperate in good faith, and to protect human rights, including those affected by sea level rise. And this year, this General Assembly adopted Resolution 82/263, welcoming that opinion and affirming the continuity of statehood in the face of sea level rise. Sea level rise is a matter of security and international law, and it must not diminish our statehood, our sovereignty, our maritime zone, or our rights and entitlements under international law. Funarte's position is clear, and it is shared across the region and beyond. We associate with the statement made by Maldives on behalf of AOSIS, Palau on behalf of PIF, and Kiribati on behalf of the Pacific States. Small islands are showing the way forward under international law in the face of unprecedented challenges. In the face of this threat, it is important that work and political attention continues, as reflected in the outcomes of our Pacific Climate Justice and Sea Level Rise Week. We must address gaps that remain, fragmented legal frameworks, the absence of clear regional pathways for displacement and planned relocation, and the persistent shortfall in finance, capacity, and political will needed to turn commitments into protection on the ground. Excellencies, we must chart a way forward. First, translate the declarations, science, data, and early warning commitments into resource, time-bound, national, and regional actions which enhance the lives of our communities, such as the Vanuatu community-based climate resilience projects, which builds resilience in agriculture and fisheries by restoring ecosystems, establishing local disaster committees, and training smallholders. Second, deliver scale up simplified and predictable finance, technology and capacity building support for adaptation and resilience in seats and LDCs, including dedicated support for the loss and damage sea level rise has already caused and provide the technical support needed to finalize and close baselines. Third, advance rights advance rights-based, community-led frameworks for climate mobility that preserve dignity, culture, and choice, and protect the cultural heritage sea level rise threatens to erase. Vanuatu welcomes the adoption of this declaration and thanks all the delegations for the work that brought us here. Today, we must mark a beginning, not an end. For not is not pursuing this course for our own benefit alone, but on behalf of every low-lying nation, every coastal community, and every generation to come. The law and sciences are clear. What remains is the will to act on it. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Vanuatu. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Singapore.

Mr President, Singapore aligns with the statement made by Maldives on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States. We thank Australia and Cabo Verde for their tireless efforts in leading us into a carefully negotiated consensus. Sea level rise is already a lived reality affecting Small Island Developing States. Its consequences will be profound, and in some cases, irreversible. We commend the leadership of SIDS, which has been instrumental in keeping sea level rise high on the international agenda, including through the AOSIS Leaders' Declarations of 2021 and 2024. International cooperation, underpinned by international law, is of critical importance in addressing climate change-related sea level rise. For SIDS in particular, sea level rise should not undermine the stability of a state's maritime zones or the continuity of its statehood. First, on maritime zones, Singapore's long-standing position is that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. This includes addressing the implications of sea level rise for maritime rights and entitlements. The declaration affirms the central role of UNCLOS in this respect. It also affirms that states can, after establishing their maritime zones in accordance with UNCLOS, maintain such zones in the face of physical changes resulting from climate change-related sea level rise. Second, on statehood. The declaration affirms the presumption in favour of continued statehood and underscores the continuity of statehood in the face of sea level rise. For the first time, the international community has come together around these principles in a dedicated UN declaration on sea level rise. This is an important step towards greater legal certainty, stability and predictability for all states, particularly SIDS. But it is a milestone, not an endpoint. As we move towards implementation, our efforts must remain anchored in and consistent with UNCLOS and the broader framework of international law. We should build on the consensus that leaders reached in September, while preserving the integrity of existing legal frameworks. In doing so, we can ensure that the international legal order continues to provide stability and certainty, even as our coastlines change. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Singapore. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia.

Thank you, President.

Rising seas are no longer a warning for the future.

They are a lived reality for millions of people and a challenge that no nation can meet alone. I commend the exemplary leadership demonstrated by small island developing states in drawing global attention to sea level rise. We must face these challenges together to preserve the dignity, rights, and future choices of those affected. Through this declaration, the international community has built a new framework for meeting sea level rise head on, a framework

grounded in science,

One that reinforces the crucial role of international

law, including UNCLOS, and a framework that affirms the fundamental principle that people facing the consequences of climate change must not face them alone. It's vital the United Nations remains the place where all countries have a voice.

By affirming statehood continues in the face of sea level rise, The declaration ensures all of us here today will still have our seat at the United

Nations in decades to come, and that we will

always carry the rights and entitlements and responsibilities we have as sovereign nations. As co-facilitator, allow me to extend deep gratitude to colleagues for their dedication and

perseverance in advancing the global response to sea level rise.

Together, we have demonstrated this Assembly

remains ready to speak with one voice and achieve meaningful consensus on critical global issues.

The road test is what we do next.

The impacts are accelerating and the costs of inaction are growing.

Every fraction of a degree matters.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Australia. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Islamic Republic of Iran.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Mr. Vice President, the Islamic Republic of Iran recognizes sea level rise as a global challenge with serious environmental, socioeconomic, and development implications, particularly for island developing states and low-lying coastal countries. We underscored the need for an inclusive, science-based, and state-led international response that respects national sovereignty, national priorities, and the legitimate rights and interests for all states. We emphasized that international action must be guided by equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Developed countries must take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing developing countries with adequate, predictable, and accessible financing, technology transfer, and capacity building for adaptation, disaster preparedness, and addressing loss and damage. Such support should be additional and predominantly grant-based.

We further stress that unilateral coercive measures undermine access to the

resources, technology, and essential services required to protect people in vulnerable situations and must not impede climate action or the realization of the right to development. Finally, the Islamic Republic of Iran wishes to reiterate

that it is not a party to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, UNCLOS.

and dissociates itself from any reference to the convention contained in the declaration on sea level rise adopted through the present resolution. Neither the adoption of this resolution nor the endorsement of the declaration annex thereto shall be construed as to prejudice in any manner the legal status, rights, and prerogatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a non-party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Islamic Republic of Iran. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador.

Thank you, President. At the outset, my delegation would like to warmly thank the permanent representatives of Cabo Verde and Australia, Ambassador Tania Romualdo and Ambassador James Larson, and their teams for their valuable leadership in negotiating the political declaration on sea level rise. Sea level rise is not part of a distant scenario. Global warming and the subsequent thawing of glaciers are already raising the level of the seas on the coasts of numerous states with different levels of development. In El Salvador, for example, the people located in the coastal Pacific region depend greatly on tourism, artisanal fishing, and agriculture. And our marine coastal ecosystems are essential for biodiversity, resilience, and the development of our country. And that is why this phenomenon cannot be tackled in isolation, nor limited exclusively to certain regions. we need a multidimensional approach. And it's with this approach that we take part in the negotiation, and we value the fact that the text is an initial multilateral effort directed towards international cooperation in the light of cumulative, serious, and irreversible risks. Salvador supports the structure of the declaration, but we'd like to specify our position on the following two paragraphs. With respect to paragraph 7, technology transfer should not be limited to mutually agreed terms, but rather should take place in fair conditions and in the most favorable terms, including concessional and preferential conditions, ensuring equitable participation and the inclusive participation of developing states. On paragraph 20, we share its purpose. Neither the stability of the areas under the maritime control of states nor statehood should be affected by this phenomenon. Nonetheless, we don't agree in guaranteeing the stability only in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Law of the Sea, UN Convention of Law of the Sea. This premise applies to its states parties. And for those that are not states parties, such as El Salvador, the stability should be understood on the basis of a state practice within its national legislative framework and customary international law. Thus, El Salvador declares that the stability of the maritime area under its control corresponds to what is stipulated in Article 84 of its constitution, according to which state practice and international customary law has been followed. Hence, respect for its stability must be observed in conditions equal to those reflected in the declaration. President, El Salvador reiterates its willingness to continue to contribute constructively to the process and to renew its commitment to international cooperation in the light of risks associated with the sea level rise. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of El Salvador. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United States.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to Australia and Cape Verde for successfully leading our negotiations on this declaration. The United States has been clear about our willingness to work with others to overcome the world's toughest problems, including sea level rise. While we have some points of disagreement and understanding regarding elements of this declaration, which we will explain today, The United States supports sensible, practical responses to sea level rise and recognizes the importance of this issue to allies and partners. In particular, we stress the need for stability in maritime zones and affirm that states can maintain their maritime zones established in accordance with international law in the face of physical changes resulting from sea level rise. We also underscore the central importance of the international legal framework as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention, within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out, and believe that any approach to sea level rise should reinforce, not undermine, stability, security, certainty, and predictability of sovereign rights and lawful maritime claims. I'll now turn to providing US positions on specific paragraphs within the declaration. Regarding paragraph four of the declaration, the United States reiterates that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement create obligations only for parties to those agreements. To the extent that states wish to engage in initiatives related to those agreements, they should do so under those frameworks and not extend climate activities to the UN or other organizations. The United States has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement and initiated its formal withdrawal from the UNFCCC on February 7, 2026. These and related climate processes put the United States at an disadvantage, harmed U.S. citizens through increased costs, and directed American resources towards unwarranted and inefficient international climate initiatives while doing little to curb the world's largest emitter. We'll be welcome opportunities to collaborate and support common sense, fact-based research, innovation, and market adoption solutions to address real global challenges. The United States will no longer tolerate ideologically driven green climate activism that needlessly raises costs on American consumers and hollows out our heartland and our industries. Regarding paragraph six, we reiterate that the United States does not support the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which directs resources towards unwarranted and inefficient international climate initiatives that do little to curb the world's largest emitter. The United States does not endorse the IPCC or Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services as authoritative or appropriate bases for best available science. Regarding paragraph seven, as we have repeatedly made clear, the United States understands that references to dissemination of technology and transfer of or access to technology are to voluntary technology transfer on mutually agreed terms. The clause mutually agreed terms means that all parties to the transfer have agreed to all terms and conditions voluntarily without being forced or coerced into such agreement. The United States firmly considers that strong protection of intellectual property and enforcement of intellectual property rights provide critical incentives needed to drive the innovation that will address the challenges of today and tomorrow. The United States dissociates from paragraph 19. As the United States made clear in this body on a number of occasions, the United States has significant concerns with the ICJ's non-binding advisory opinion and did not support seeking the advisory opinion. Many member states share these concerns. The reference to the advisory opinion should not be read to suggest that the UN General Assembly as a whole agrees with the advisory opinion, given that UN member states diverge in their views about it. Among US concerns are the ICJ's characterization of customary international law with respect to the duty to prevent significant transboundary harm and its validation of so-called general principles, such as common but differentiated responsibilities. Regarding paragraph 21, we read this text as restating the existing general presumption of the continuity of statehood and underscoring the importance of continuity of statehood in the sea level rise context and the rights and responsibilities that flow from it, but not as stating any new legal principle in the sea level rise context. In conclusion, the United States welcomes opportunities to work individually and collaboratively at the national, regional, and international levels to implement sensible, practical responses to sea level rise. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United States. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Portugal.

Thank you, Mr. President. Portugal aligns with the statement delivered by Ireland on behalf of the European Union and its member states, and we'll add some remarks in its national capacity. We're very pleased to join the adoption of this declaration, which we consider an important contribution to strengthening the international community collective response to the pressing and multi-faceted consequences of sea level rise. We particularly welcome its balanced, concise, and action-oriented nature. We warmly welcome the adoption of this by consensus. The fact that the first United Nations General Assembly declaration specifically dedicated to the sea level rise has been adopted by consensus carries particular significance. It demonstrates that despite different national circumstances and perspectives, we can come together around a shared recognition of the urgency of these challenges and the need for collective action. This consensus should be seen not as an end in itself, but at a strong political foundation for the implementation of the declaration and for further international cooperation. Mr. President, Portugal recalls the importance of the work of the International Law Commission on sea level rise and the landmark advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on climate change. Together, these developments provide valuable guidance and contribute to greater legal certainty in addressing the unprecedented legal challenges posed by sea level rise. Sea level rise should not deprive affected states of their existing rights under international law, nor undermine the rights of affected population. Portugal supports the preservation of existing baselines, maritime limits, and entitlements, as well as the continuity of statehood of states particularly affected by sea level rise. We welcome the guidance provided by the ICJ, which reinforced the conclusion reached by the ILC. The protection of persons must remain at the heart of our response. Affected persons remain rights holders, and States must respect, protect and fulfill their human rights obligations, including towards those who remain in situ and those who are internally or externally displaced. Our response must be guided by respect for human dignity and seek effective solutions to prevent statelessness, forced displacement and loss of livelihoods. Practical solutions may include climate mobility arrangements, humanitarian pathways, and measures to prevent loss of nationality and statelessness. Finally, Mr. President, international cooperation is indispensable. No state should be expected to face the consequences of sea level rise alone. Effective implementation of international legal obligations must go hand in hand with strengthening international cooperation and adequate, sustainable, and timely support to particularly affected developing countries, including through finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. Let me conclude, Mr. President, by expressing Portugal's appreciation to Australia and Cape Verde as co-facilitators for their sustained efforts, dedication, and commitment throughout this process, and in particular for their determination to seek the broadest possible agreement and to preserve the objective of consensus. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Portugal. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia.

Thank you, President. We would like to thank the delegations of Australia and Cape Verde for their efforts to facilitate the negotiations. We thank them for their openness and ongoing engagement with different delegations, and for working to bring views together as much as possible to address the concerns raised during the negotiations, which allowed us to reach a text that can be adopted by consensus. In this regard, we welcome this consensual outcome as a result of negotiations and consultations with member states. The Kingdom has joined the consensus because we are keen to support multilateralism and enhance international cooperation to confront common challenges. At the same time, joining the consensus does not necessarily mean we agree with all the language in the declaration. In this regard, we emphasize our firm position on a number of issues in the text. And we stress the importance of interpreting and implementing its content in line with agreed upon international frameworks and mandates, and while respecting national sovereignty as well as specificities and different priorities of countries. We believe that addressing sea level rise requires a comprehensive and balanced approach that into account its developmental, economic, and social dimensions, and that does not reduce this phenomenon to one dimension or imposes a unified response model. When it comes to aspects related to climate change, we reaffirm once again the importance to address those within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement in line with their principles and provisions, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. We also reaffirm the importance of maintaining clarity of mandates between different international tracks. We must avoid duplication or overlap between processes or preempting negotiations and decisions that should be made within specialized forums. Discussions on sea level rise should contribute to supporting and enhancing current efforts and not in creating new commitments or concepts outside the agreed upon frameworks. President, when it comes to legal matters, we reaffirm the need to address those accurately in line with international law without preempting discussions between countries on issues where no consensus has yet been reached. In this regard, we have shown flexibility regarding the reference to the advisory opinion of the ICJ to reach consensus. However, accepting this language does not mean supporting all that was mentioned in terms of conclusions or legal interpretations and does not change our current legal position or create new legal obligations outside the agreed-upon frameworks. President, The ability of developing countries to effectively respond to the impact of sea level rise is closely linked to the availability of the necessary means of implementation. We cannot talk about enhancing adaptation or resilience without addressing gaps in financing, capacities, and the transfer of technology. We also stress the importance to make sure that addressing the impact of sea level rise does not prejudice the right of countries to determine their own developmental tracks and their national policies pursuant to their circumstances and needs. International cooperation must always be based on fairness and the respect of national sovereignty. We have joint consensus on this declaration, which reflects our desire to contribute to collective action and maintain consensus within the United Nations while preserving our national position regarding issues that should be discussed further or that are within the competence of other international frameworks. We hope that this declaration contributes to enhancing international cooperation and the support countries and communities impacted by sea level rise in a balanced way in line with national priorities and specificities. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belize.

Thank you, Mr. President. Belize welcomes the adoption of the sea level rise declaration by consensus and thanks the President of the General Assembly and the co-facilitators of Australia and Cape Verde in bringing us to this point. Aligning with the Alliance of Small Island States, today's adoption marks an important step for consolidating a global response to climate change related sea level rise. Importantly for Belize, The declaration recognizes sea level rise as a matter of international concern and addresses issues of fundamental importance to small island developing states, including the continuity of statehood and the stability of maritime zones as coastlines shift. In this regard, Belize wishes to reaffirm its position that our maritime zones as established and notified to the Secretary General of the United Nations in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the rights and entitlements that flow from them shall continue to apply without reduction notwithstanding any physical changes connected to climate change related sea level rise. Belize also reaffirms the principle that a state once established will continue to exist and endure and maintain its status and effectiveness, and that international law does not contemplate the demise of statehood in the context of climate change-related sea level rise. And finally, Belize reaffirms that continuity of statehood in the face of climate change-related sea level rise is consistent with important principles and rights of international law. including the right of peoples to self-determination, the right to a nationality, the protection of territorial integrity and political independence, principles of equity and fairness, the maintenance of international peace and security, which in turn requires stability in international relations, the right of a state to provide for its preservation, the duty of cooperation, the sovereign equality of states, and permanent sovereignty over natural resources. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Belize. I will now give the floor to the distinguished representative of India.

Thank you, Mr. President. India welcomes and supports the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Sea Level Rise. We appreciate the efforts of the co-facilitators and recognize the particular vulnerabilities faced by small island developing states, least developed countries, and low-lying coastal nations. As a country with an extensive coastline and large coastal populations, India recognizes the urgent need to strengthen adaptation, resilience, early warning systems, and international cooperation. We also welcome the declaration's affirmation that the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement remain the primary intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change. India reiterates its long-standing position that the global response to climate change, including sea level rise, must be firmly guided by equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Developed countries must continue to take the lead and provide adequate, predictable, and accessible finance, technology transfer, and capacity building support to developing countries. Follow-up to the declaration, therefore, must respect national sovereignty, national circumstances, and the developmental priorities of developing countries. In this regard, we note the declaration's recognition that all states, in the exercise of their national sovereignty, may address sea level rise impacts at the national, regional, and international levels. With this understanding, India supports the declaration and looks forward to its practical follow-up, guided by equity and CBDRRC, including through strengthened international cooperation and support to developing countries, particularly SIDS and LDCs. I thank you.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote after the vote. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to His Excellency James Larsson, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, and Her Excellency Tania Romaldo, the Permanent Representative of Cabo Verde to the United Nations, who have ably and patiently conducted the discussions and complex negotiations on the draft resolution. I'm sure members of the Assembly join me in extending to them our sincere appreciation. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 12. The meeting is adjourned.