UNCTAD´s LDCs Report
The low-carbon transition and its daunting implications for structural transformation
Thank you President, Dear Bahtijors,
Dear Secretary-General Grynspan, Excellencies, Colleagues,
Let me first express our deepest condolences to Türkiye and Syria.
Portugal aligns itself with the statement delivered by the EU.
We thank the Secretariat for its presentation of the 2022 LDC´s report.
Today, LDCs are enduring the hardest consequences of the social and economic crisis and of the COVID pandemic.
At the same time the LDCs vulnerability has been accentuated by the negative effects of climate change that often affect them disproportionally. As highlighted by the report, "the international community needs to begin addressing these inequalities".
Portugal has always been a strong supporter of LDCs and many of our priority partner countries are in fact LDCs. We are working on both the bilateral and multilateral fronts, through effective partnerships between and among governments; and the public and the private sectors.
Alongside with civil society and other stakeholders, we are finding appropriate ways to tackle structural vulnerabilities and support a more sustainable economic and social recovery in these countries.
Last December, the new Portuguese Development Cooperation Strategy 2030 was adopted. It gives particular attention to LDCs, their needs and priorities.
The new Strategy defines Portugal´s response to global development challenges and to international cooperation dynamics. It takes as its basis the fact that development challenges require integrated and comprehensive policies and actions. The Strategy contributes to 3 key political and international commitments: the Agenda 2030; the Addis Ababa Action Agenda; and the Paris Agreement.
While designing this new Strategy we considered the LDC´s international commitments under the Paris Agreement; as well as some of the LDC´s major challenges, in particular access to technologies and institutional capacity building.
Portugal's actions will continue to give priority to:
a) Capacity building in partner countries, in areas such as energy transition; sustainable agriculture and food security; nature conservation and biodiversity preservation; and natural resource management;
b) Promoting access to clean and renewable energy; infrastructure expansion and technology upgrades for the provision of modern, efficient and sustainable services;
c) Supporting more environmentally friendly and resilient agricultural policies; research and practices; and sustainable food production systems; and
d) Promoting environmental capacity building and training particularly at the level of policy makers and technical decision makers.
Allow me to highlight 2 examples of projects that Portugal is working on the bilateral front that relate to today´s discussion:
1) the Roadmap for Carbon Sustainability of São Tomé and Príncipe, which comprises a guiding roadmap to achieve carbon sustainability in the country by 2050, as well as long-term strategies for development with low greenhouse gas emissions in order to comply with Article 4(6) of the Paris Agreement.
2) Providing support to the Mozambican authorities in the field of water and sanitation, in particular in strengthening the resilience of drinking water supply systems for the population.
We remain committed to our work with the UN High Representative for the LDCs, as we provide support to our partner countries in their graduation processes, including the funding of translation materials about graduation. We deliver technical assistance to enhance their actions, helping to promote a smooth transition and a well-balanced development strategy, as part of a holistic process towards sustainable development.
When it comes to financing, we must focus on innovative financing solutions that go beyond ODA, by combining private capital with public funding and directing them, in cooperation with the beneficiary countries, to essential sectors in promoting sustainable development.
By doing this, partnerships between LDCs and their development partners will be reinforced, helping to overcome infrastructural and governance challenges, while stimulating investment in productive sectors, including the digital, green and blue dimensions.
Portugal will continue to support our partner countries with initiatives such as the investment platform named “Lusophone Compact” - aimed at accelerating private sector growth and infrastructure development - or through the Portuguese Development Finance Institution, which is geared to act in developing countries and is mostly involved in manufacturing, infrastructure, tourism and financial sectors and includes a global €100 million “Fund of Funds for Internationalization”.
President,
As highlighted in the LDC´s report, the diversification of exports and economies is the most sustainable path for countries and societies to prosper in the global economy, particularly in the face of uncertainties exacerbated by commodity price volatility.
In this context, Portugal recalls the example of the AfCFTA as an unique opportunity that must be harnessed, as it creates the framework needed to promote intra-African trade and foster industrialization.
Lastly, let me stress that Portugal will continue to advocate for the special treatment that LDCs need in different areas of action, such as ODA, trade, debt, investment, institutional capacity building, governance, among others.
Thank you, Dear President, also for a very successful presidency of the TDB over this last year.
