UN General Assembly
2023

As developing countries, we must refrain from being mere prideful villagers, obsessed with immediate trifles and blind to far more compelling issues beyond our individual control, which demand a unifying solidarity with others in order to confront our struggles successfully. Poor, vulnerable, climate-distressed and resource-challenged developing countries are absolutely fed up and insulted by the unfulfilled perennial promises of the developed world on climate financing. In September 2015. at our United Nations, all nations signed on to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, targeted for achievement by 2030. Earlier this week, the bundle of issues centred on the SDGs were accorded special consideration and there has been canvassing to revitalize them, which is admirable. But the critical issue of ensuring sufficient financing for development, including climate financing and reparations, remains the proverbial elephant in the room and must be effectively harnessed if we are to serve the deserving. Here again, the commitments we have agreed on and entered into must be translated into real action.