UN General Assembly
2021

Our economies are still reeling from the impact of the heavy blow inflicted by the unparalleled scale of the pandemic. For small economies in particular, the pre-existing challenges in the areas of economic mainstays such as trade, tourism and the extractive industry have worsened. That undermines our ability to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unfortunately, it is the most vulnerable and neediest in our societies who run the risk of being left furthest behind. However, all is not lost. I am hopeful that if we press the reset button and reaffirm our commitment to multilateral ideals, we can accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in this Decade of Action. As you rightly pointed out in your vision statement, Mr. President, financing, trade, technology, and debt sustainability are some of the prerequisites for attaining the Goals.