WINTER 2015

UN OFFICE OF THE HIGHREPRESENTATIVE FOR THE LEAST DEVELOPEDCOUNTRIES, LANDLOCKEDDEVELOPING COUNTRIESAND SMALL ISLANDDEVELOPING STATES

Vulnerable Countrieson the Frontline ofClimate Change

2 WINTER 2015

Contents WINTER 2015

EditorialThe World’s Most VulnerableCountries Must Be Priority in Paris

By UN-OHRLLS High Representative Gyan Chandra Acharya

THE COMMITMENT is edited and published by theUnited Nations Office of the High Representative forLeast Developed Countries, Landlocked DevelopingCountries and Small Island Developing States.

EditorLouise Stoddard

Contributing EditorNosh Nalavala

ContributorsMalwina BuldysDavid ChapmanDiana Charyyeva

Roberto Falangola

Cover PhotoSolomon Islands,

Tom Perry,The Commonwealth

3

5 Small Islands are Blue Guardians of the FutureThe Commitment interviews Mr. Ronald Jean Jumeau, Ambassador forClimate Change and Small Island Developing State Issues of the Republic ofSeychelles to the UN

8 Insurance Assists Governments After Catastrophic EventsThe Commitment talks to Mr. Isaac Anthony, CEO of the CaribbeanCatastrophe Risk Insurance (CCRIF)

10 Landlocked Countries Advocate For Climate JusticeAmbassador Charles Thembani Ntwaagae, Permanent Representative ofBotswana to the UN talks to Nosh Nalavala

14 Landlocked Countries Depend on Success in Paris Contributing Editor Nosh Nalavala interviews Mongolian Ambassador to theUN, Mr. Sukhee Sukhbold

16 Kiribati Calls for Extraordinary and Unconventional Solutions Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kiribati tothe UN, Mrs. Makurita Baaro talks with Nosh Nalavala

18 Survival of Vulnerable Countries Relies on a 1.5 Degrees Celsius World

Mr. Giza Gaspar-Martins, Chairman of the Least Developed Countries (LDC)Group, talks to The Commitment

www.facebook.com/UNOHRLLS

UN-OHRLLS

@UNOHRLLS www.orhrlls.org

Interviews

Also in this issue7 Support to Vulnerable Countries Strengthened By New Collaboration

Between UN-OHRLLS and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’sRepublic of China

9 Technology Bank Feasible and Desirable For World’s Poorest Nations

12 High-Level Roundtable on South-South Cooperation

13 Towards Future Management of Oceans Through Public-PrivatePartnerships

20 Linking Landlocked Developing Countries to Global Opportunities

21 Bangladesh Elected Chairman of Global Coordination Bureau of LDCs

22 Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya @UNGA70

23 Climate Change, SDGs and Vulnerable Country Groups

24 Small Island Developing States in Numbers: Climate Change

Solomon Islands. Asian Development BankMalawi. Scott Gregory

3WINTER 2015

Under-Secretary-General Gyan Chandra Acharya

continued on page 4

One of the greatest threats to smallisland developing states is sea-levelrise and submergence of territories.For example climate experts predictan increase in sea level by twometers by the end of the century,this would flood the islands ofKiribati, which stand only a few feetabove sea level and are alreadyexperiencing severe challenges withrising waters.

To mitigate and adapt, SIDS mustfirst survive. Coupled with theimpacts of the occurrence andseverity of storms, oceanacidification and the pollution ofoceans, the very oceans that havesustained island communities formillennia, are now threateningtheir survival. Slow onset of climatechange impacts may appear lessdramatic, however the gradualintroduction of adverse climateimpacts may well render some SIDSinhabitable before they areinundated with the rising sea. Inthe face of overwhelming scientificevidence, we should not be in asituation where future generationsof islanders will look back and askwhy we did not tackle climatechange in time with a greater senseof urgency and ambition. Especiallyat a time when the cost of action isfar less than the cost of inaction.

For the least development countriesand landlocked developingcountries, climate change comeswith depletion of aquifers, changingrain patterns, desertification, landdegradation melting of glaciers andmany other disasters, all of which

The World’s MostVulnerable Countries Must Be Priority in Parisby UN-OHRLLS High Representative Gyan Chandra Acharya

2015 has been a remarkable year,but the United Nations UNFCC

COP21 meeting in Paris is not theend of the road, it is instead thebeginning of a longer journey. The global community’s ambitiousactions and commitments toimprove the lives of every person onthe planet may well be written intothe history books already, howeverone final push is required to firmlyembed this past year in the world’scollective memory as a time when areal and meaningful commitmentare taken on all aspects of humanityand the planet together.

The Sustainable Development Goalsare going to be an important legacyof the United Nations, showcasingan integrated approach, universalityand inclusivity on climate change.The climate change conference inParis must deliver a long-term and

comprehensive agreement that capsglobal warming to less than 1.5degrees and strengthens resilienceto climate-related impacts. A fullyinclusive plan is needed, one thatdraws in the voices of all. It isimperative that we see substantialresources and knowledge invested ina low carbon economy. Doing so willsend a signal that we intend to turnour global vision into reality.

For the most vulnerable countries in the world COP21 represents anopportunity lifeline. Although thesecountries have contributed the leastto climate change, they are most atrisk to its negative effects and theleast equipped to withstand andadapt to it. Small island developingstates (SIDS), least developedcountries (LDCs) and landlockeddeveloping countries (LLDCs), inparticular, face tremendouschallenges. For them the effects ofclimate change are disproportionallyhigh but also current, real andmeasurable.

Seed distribution in Burkina Faso. Oxfam

UN Photo

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harm economic activities andlivelihoods, destroyinginfrastructure and ultimatelyjeopardising the prospects ofrealising the global ambitions oferadicating extreme poverty andhunger. In the fragile Sahel regioncontinued food security challengesand hunger are due in part todrought, late rains and poordistribution of rainfall. Farmers andpastoralists have seen reduced grainand cereal production, contributingto millions suffering from criticalfood insecurity. Landlockedcountries such as Nepal also sufferthe effects of climate change whererising temperatures cause glaciersare melting, ice destabilising in theseregions can lead to floods, mudslidesand avalanches.

Because of what is at stake, LDCs,LLDCs and SIDS, from thegrassroots level to their political andcivic leaders, have lent support andtheir moral voice to a robust,ambitious and meaningful climatechange agreement that is not onlycognisant of the challenges they arefacing, but effective and includesmitigation and adaptation measures.The translation of this in Paris thisDecember, should be nothing lessthan an ambitious outcome thatsafeguards the future of vulnerable

countries and the world at large.Nothing will happen without themeans of implementation. Financetechnology and capacity buildinghave to be an integral part of thesolution and they have to be asambitious as our collectiveexpectation and the scale of impacts.The Green Climate Fund must befinanced as expected and deliveredexpeditiously and equally.

The global community must alsotake this opportunity in Paris toexpress its solidarity with countriesin special situations. We need toforge a clear road towards capacitybuilding and infrastructuredevelopment which will assistvulnerable countries with adaptationand mitigation of climate changerelated impacts.

Paris is vital but it does not standalone. Many of the new SustainableDevelopment Goals cannot be

fulfilled if we cannot reduce globalwarming and climate changeimpacts. The synergy is clear. There is only one 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development, Paris,Addis-Ababa and Sendai allcontribute to this. We cannot deliveron one agreement without deliveringon the others. This is a holisticprocess which requires action andimplementation from all, on all, if weare to realise our collective ambition.

The climate conference in Paris willprovide a critical opportunity togalvanize the support of financialinstitutions, development partnersand bilateral and multilateralpartnerships, to enable vulnerablecountries to develop resilience toclimate change, including throughthe use of climate finance.

The 2030 Agenda and a new,universal climate agreement in Pariswill be important for creating a low-carbon, climate-resilient future thatbenefits us all. There comes a time,when we have to have a deepreflection on where we stand andwhat we are doing. We are at folk in the road and it is my hope that the Paris conference contributes to making our world safer andsustainable for all. This final effort paves the way for effectiveimplementation of the commitmentswe have worked so hard to secure for future generations.

A revised version of this article first ran inThe Guardian on 2 December 2015.

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The World’s MostVulnerable Countries Must Be Priority in Paris...continued from page 3

Bhutan. Asian Development Bank

Paris is vital but it does not stand alone.

Many of the new Sustainable Development

Goals cannot be fulfilled if we cannot reduce

global warming and climate change impacts.

The synergy is clear.”

– Gyan Chandra AcharyaUnder-Secretary-General and High Representative forthe Least Developed Countries, Landlocked DevelopingCountries and Small Island Developing States

5WINTER 2015

of the post-2015 sustainabledevelopment process?

RJJ On mitigation, SIDS stand firmon 1.5 degrees. Moving towards Paris,the pressure to adopt 2 degrees in thetext heightens; however we knowwhat this means. The .5-degreedifference may not sound like much,but it will change the entire face ofour planet. As Large Ocean States weknow this, because we have alreadyseen the damage that inaction has on our land, on our borders andthrough the biodiversity in ouroceans. Just as the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs) adopted astandalone goal on the oceans, wehope to see our Blue Economy andBlue values mainstreamed throughthe logic, rhetoric and action of theoutcome text of COP21.

On adaptation, the fundamentalimportance of technical assistance,technology transfer and capacitybuilding to the pursuit of sustainabledevelopment must not beunderestimated. SIDS continue todrive forwards the concept of Commonbut Differentiated Responsibilities,respect for the capabilities of othersand to push for tangible andachievable nationally driven indicatorstowards progress. We are all part of aglobal partnership when it comes toboth adaptation, mitigation and lossand damage and unless we worktogether towards global solutions—we

INTERVIEW

Small Islands are BlueGuardians of the FutureThe Commitmentinterviews Mr. RonaldJean Jumeau,Ambassador for ClimateChange and Small IslandDeveloping State Issuesof the Republic ofSeychelles to the UN.

The Commitment What outcomedo you expect from the ClimateSummit in Paris this December?

Ambassador Ronald JeanJumeau Small island developingstates (SIDS) or Large Ocean States aswe are often now more accuratelyreferred to, have a lot to lose from aweak agreement in Paris. The shadowof Copenhagen continues to weighheavily as December’s climateconference in Paris looms closer. The desire for a strong outcome inParis is more than just about fairnessfor us islanders, it’s about survival.

While we should indeed focus on thedangers of settling for the ‘lowestcommon denominator’ in Paris, as aninternational community and affectedcitizens we must look further. Climatechange will not stop in Paris; it willcontinue to be shifted and moved bythe actions of us all, and we must bebold and ambitious in pre-emptingthis far beyond the agreement that wereach.

The issue of Loss and Damage, longpushed by the SIDS, is another primeexample. The Alliance of Small IslandStates (AOSIS) and other mostvulnerable countries continue to callfor this issue to be an aspect of theParis agreement, but it cannot stopthere. Even with the most ambitiousagreement in December, the effects ofloss and damage will continue to haveglobal ripples for the foreseeablefuture and be a serious impediment tosustainable development and basichuman rights.

Take the example of the Pacific SIDSVanuatu; its remoteness and theregion’s high risk of disastersexacerbates existing vulnerabilities.This beautiful and culturally richnation lies at the epicenter of ourclimate change decisions. The securityof our people, the interconnectedness of our nations and the health of ourisland states are as dependent on thechoices of its own people as on theactions made by those across the rest of the world. We all have a choice to contribute or to challenge thefoundations that build or disempowerfragile environments. COP21 offers achoice to strengthen our resolve andour planet; it is up to us all to chooseto make that choice and to make itwisely.

TC What are your specificexpectations? Do you foresee abinding agreement?

RJJ The hope is, of course, for anambitious and binding agreement. For an agreement that prioritizesaddressing vulnerability, a thoroughconsideration of the financialrequirements of promises made andboth international and nationalcommitments to realizing theagreement. However, it is important tolearn the lessons from Copenhagen.What we must focus on is not ‘abinding agreement’, but the rightagreement. Agreeing to a text that isexclusive or does not consider theneeds of vulnerable groups isunacceptable.

We must realise the power of ourvoices: we are Small island developingstates and Large Ocean States at thesame time and our voices must beheard. While not an expectation, myhope is for countries to stand up forthe future we all want. We have thefacts of what will happen if we don’tact, now it’s the time for us to decidewhat part we want to play in ourfuture.

TC How are SIDS positioningthemselves on the road to the Parisagreement in concert with the launch

Mr. Ronald Jean Jumeau, Ambassador for Climate

Change and Small Island Developing State Issues of

the Republic of Seychelles to the UN.

Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Seychelles to the UN

continued on page 6

6 WINTER 2015

will inevitably all suffer, with the mostvulnerable being hit first.

SIDS are already taking steps towardsadaptation and mitigation. Most of ushave ambitious renewable energy andenergy efficiency plans and targets,and have submitted our IntendedNationally Determined Contributions(INDCs).

Seychelles is currently finalising aUS$30 million debt-for-adaptationswap with the Paris Club and SouthAfrica to conserve 30 percent of our1.37-million-square-kilometreexclusive economic zone (EEZ) asmarine protected areas and ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change.The initiative is debt relief, innovativefinancing for sustainable development,implementation of the 2030 Agendafor Sustainable Development and the SDGs (especially SDG 14),strengthening of ocean resilience,conservation and protection of theocean, and tackling climate change allin one package!

SIDS are least responsible for, butmost vulnerable to climate change, yetwe lead from the front in takingaction to show that all people andstates have a part to play in shapingthe future we want. However, we mustalso remember that we will fail in this

if we do not also focus on how thevarious post-2015 processes can worktogether beyond Paris. All theseprocesses are connected; there cannotbe sustainable development without adrastic reworking of how we tackleclimate change. Many disasters, forexample, have roots and repercussionsaffiliated with climate volatility

This is a year of global change, and itis a year we can strive for more. Thereis more to this year than ‘simply’launching the Post-2015 DevelopmentAgenda and the SDGs and finding asolution to what Stern deems the‘brutal arithmetic’ of climate change.As an interconnected world built onthe dedication and drive of individualsfor a future we can be proud of, it isup to us.

TC Do you feel that instead of relyingon fossil fuel imports, renewabletechnologies will make SIDS moresustainable? And will this factor behighlighted at the Climate Summit?

RJJ Absolutely. In fact, it is an untoldstory that the SIDS have emerged asworld leaders in renewable energy andenergy efficiency through their SIDSDOCK (sidsdock.org) initiative. Thekey to this transition is resilience andinnovation. Out of small islands comebig ideas, I always say, and it is fromthis creativity to create sustainable,low-carbon energy and economies thata shift away from fossil fuel imports isalready taking place. Indeed, SIDS areoften an innovator in this field.

For Seychelles, with 3,000 times as

much sea territory as land area, oceanenergy would have been our first andmost obvious choice if it was not theleast developed source of renewableenergy for the time being. Last yearwe launched our first wind farm,however putting it out at sea wouldhave resulted in us having fewerturbines for the same amount ofinvestment. So we set it up on anuninhabited artificial island that wehad reclaimed from the sea for otherdevelopment purposes as we ran out of flat coastal land to build on. Theturbines are around the edges of theisland and our next step is to fill theinterior with solar PV panels, thuscreating one of the first, if not the first,island entirely dedicated to producingenergy from renewable sources. Howsymbolic it will be of the SIDS’accelerating transition to renewableenergy and low-carbon economies.

Transitioning to a network of locallyrun sustainable energy is not only wise for the sake of our planet, but iseconomically sensible in our currentglobal climate of economic fluctuation.Whether this will be highlighted at theClimate Summit remains to be seen. I am hopeful that renewable energywill be emphasized as the onlypathway forwards to a clean future,my concern lies more in what actionswe commit to as a global community toget there. How we balance the desirefor economic growth with a BlueEconomy, how we understand theneeds of our neighbours and still standfirm in the needs we have as IslandStates.

It is about ensuring that we worktowards climate justice, about fairnessand about considering a future thatextends far beyond our own existence.In COP21 and beyond, this must behow we move forwards as blueguardians and advocates of the future we want.Children playing on a small boat, Papua New Guinea. Steven Nowakowski, New Zealand MFAT

Seychelles. David Stanley / Flickr

Small Islands are BlueGuardians of the Future...continued from page 5

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Under Secretary-General for theLeast Developed Countries,Landlocked Developing Countriesand Small Island Developing States,and H.E. Mr. Gao Hucheng,Minister for Commerce of thePeoples Republic of China.

and experiences of development, so as to help these groups ofvulnerable countries to betterimplement the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development.

The MOU, was signed in New Yorkby Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya,

Amemorandum of understanding(MOU) that will support the

world’s most vulnerable countries,was signed in September by TheUnited Nations Office for the LeastDeveloped Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries and SmallIsland Developing States(UNOHRLLS) and the Ministry ofCommerce of the People’s Republicof China (MOFCOM). The MOU,which will see greater cooperationbetween the two parties, will alsoassist with the implementation ofthe newly adopted 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development, theIstanbul Programme of Action forthe Least Developed Countries, theVienna Programme of Action forLandlocked Developing Countriesand the SAMOA Pathway for theSmall Island Developing States.

The signing of the MOU comes aday after OHRLLS organised aHigh-Level Roundtable on South-South Cooperation co-chaired by Mr. Ban Ki-moon, United NationsSecretary-General and H.E XiJinping, President of the People’sRepublic of China.

Based on OHRLLS’ broad mandateand China’s economic and technicalassistance to vul nerable groups ofcountries, the two parties agreed inthe MOU that under the frameworkof South-South Cooperation, theywill strengthen cooperation withLeast Developed Countries,Landlocked Developing Countriesand Small Island Developing Statesin areas of agriculture, health,poverty reduction, trade promotion,and environmental protection.MOFCOM will share China’s ideas

Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya and Mr. Gao Hucheng shake hands

after signing the MOU.

Support to Vulnerable CountriesStrengthened By New Collaborationbetween UN-OHRLLS and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China

Louise Stoddard, UN-OHRLLS

The MOU, which will see greater cooperation between the

two parties, will also assist with the implementation of the

newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,

the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed

Countries, the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked

Developing Countries and the SAMOA Pathway for the Small

Island Developing States.

8 WINTER 2015

The Commitment talks toMr. Isaac Anthony, CEOof the CaribbeanCatastrophe RiskInsurance (CCRIF).

The Commitment Mr. Anthony,CCRIF SPC (formerly the CaribbeanCatastrophe Risk Insurance Facility)has been categorized as the first multi-country risk pool in the world. Canyou explain how it has the potential toassist vulnerable countries?

Isaac Anthony CCRIF providescoverage against tropical cyclones,earthquakes and excess rainfall tomember countries in the Caribbean(and now Central America), which arevulnerable to these hazards and theassociated problems of flooding andlandslides. CCRIF helps to mitigatethe short-term cash flow problemssmall developing economies sufferafter major natural disasters.

A critical challenge is often the needfor short-term liquidity to maintainessential government services untiladditional resources become available.CCRIF represents a cost-effective wayto pre-finance short-term liquidity tobegin recovery efforts for anindividual government after acatastrophic event, thereby filling thegap between immediate response aidand long-term redevelopment.

A case in point is the earthquake thatoccurred in Haiti in 2010. CCRIFmade a payout of almost US$ 8million (almost 20 times the country’searthquake premium of $385,500) tothe Government of Haiti after theearthquake. It could be said thatCCRIF’s $8 million was minimalcompared to the damage caused.However, CCRIF’s payout— made 14days after the event— constitutedaround 50 percent of the total aid theGovernment received in the first tenweeks in the form of direct liquidity,and the funds were important to

enable the Government to pay criticalsalaries in the early days after theearthquake. The importance of therapidity of the CCRIF payout is clear,particularly given that, according toreports, more than six months afterthe earthquake, less than 10 percentof the $5 billion in donor pledges hadbeen received.

Other governments have used CCRIFfunds for a number of purposes,including: repairing criticalinfrastructure, e.g. roads, bridges;making improvements to criticalinfrastructure e.g. drainage;Instituting mitigation measures e.g.installing meteorological datacollection equipment; and providinggeneral budget support. CCFIF fundsare used not only to make urgentrepairs, but also to increase countries’resilience to natural hazards andclimate change, thus mitigatingdamage from future events.

Since 2007, CCRIF has made 13payouts totaling approximatelyUS$38 million to 8 of our 17 membergovernments.

TC Since CCRIF functions as a non-profit, does it operate as a public-private partnership and how do youprovide post-disaster assistance/insurance to least developedcountries?

IA CCRIF functions as a not-for-profit organization. CCRIF is operatedon behalf of its member states. CCRIFmember countries include: onecountry categorised as an LDC(Haiti), small island developing states,developing coastal states in CentralAmerica (Belize and Nicaragua); and

Haitian Village Devastated by Tropical Storm Hanna.

INTERVIEW

Isaac Anthony. CCRIF

Insurance AssistsGovernments AfterCatastrophic Events

Marco Dormino, UN Photo/Flickr

Afghanistan.

9WINTER 2015

By pooling the catastrophe risks ofits members into a single diversifiedportfolio, capital needs for payingclaims are significantly lowered. Thisin turn leads to a pricing reduction ofabout half of what it would cost ifcountries were to purchase identicalcoverage individually compared withbuying the coverage from CCRIF.

small island nations not consideredSIDS (e.g. Cayman Islands, TheBahamas, Bermuda, and the Turksand Caicos Islands). However, thebenefits of CCRIF would generallyapply to all LDCs.

CCRIF combines the benefits of pooledreserves from participating countrieswith the financial capacity of the

international financial markets. Itretains some of the risk transferredby the participating countries andtransfers the remainder of the risk toreinsurance markets.

Each member country pays an annualpremium directly related to theamount of risk it transfers to CCRIF.

Asian Development Bank

Technology Bank Feasible and DesirableFor World’s Poorest Nations

A Technology Bank that supportsscience, technology and

innovation in the world’s poorestcountries is both ‘feasible anddesirable’ according to therecommendations of a study by ahigh-level panel of experts, presentedto the United Nation’s Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon in New Yorkthis September.

The study proposes that a TechnologyBank for least developed countries beestablished in the 2015-2016 periodand headquartered in Turkey. Thestudy suggests that the TechnologyBank be composed of two units, aScience, Technology and InnovationSupport Mechanism and anIntellectual Property Bank.Recommendations highlight that theTechnology Bank has the potential tostrengthen national capabilities,support negotiated agreements and

provide expertise to the world’s leastdeveloped countries, ensuring thatthey are no longer left behind inachieving internationally agreeddevelopment goals.

“Nothing quite like it has beenattempted before” according to thereport “but the thinking behind it hasbeen sound and planning to-datesuggests that it could be launched onan exceptionally firm foundation”.The Technology Bank feasibilitystudy was requested by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, whotasked a high-level panel, supportedby the UN Office of The HighRepresentative for Least DevelopedCountries, Landlocked DevelopingCountries and Small IslandDeveloping States, to makerecommendations on theestablishment of the bank.

Professor Romain Murenzi, currentlyExecutive Director of the WorldAcademy of Sciences in Trieste, Italy,and formerly Minister of Educationand Science of the Republic ofRwanda, is chair of the Panel, whichalso includes Mohamed Hassan(Sudan), Bruce Lehman (UnitedStates), Tebello Nyokong (SouthAfrica), Dorte Olesen (Denmark),Posh Raj Pandey (Nepal), MichèleDuvivier Pierre-Louis (Haiti), FirdausiQadri (Bangladesh), and Fang Xin(China). Gyan Chandra Acharya, UNUnder Secretary-General and HighRepresentative for the LeastDeveloped Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries and SmallIsland Developing States and HakanKaratas, Director for InternationalCoordination at the Scientific andTechnological Research Council ofTurkey (Türkiye Bilimsel veTeknolojik Araştırma Kurumu,TÜBİTAK) representing the hostcountry Turkey were appointed ex-officio members.

Modelled on the United NationsUniversity, the report recommendsthat the Technology Bank shouldconsist of a multi-stakeholderGoverning Council with twelvemembers appointed by the UnitedNations Secretary-General on a broadgeographical basis. The GoverningCouncil will have representation fromgovernments of least developedcountries and other Member States ofthe UN, the global science, technologyand innovation community, theprivate sector, philanthropicfoundations and civil society.

10 WINTER 2015

Ambassador CharlesThembani Ntwaagae,Permanent Representativeof Botswana to the UNtalks to Nosh Nalavala.

Nosh Nalavala Your country islandlocked, with 80 percent coveredby the Kalahari Desert. Consequently,less than five per cent of the country issuitable for rain-fed agriculture.Moreover, decreasing availability offresh water has worsened thesituation. How do you plan to improvethe situation?

Charles Thembani NtwaagaeGiven the semi-arid nature of ourclimate, water is a scarce resource inmany parts of Botswana. It istherefore treated as a very valuableresource in the country. It is true thatthere has also been a drastic decreasein fresh water lately. Climate Changeexacerbates the situation, leading toperiodic drought, reduction in thewater table, increased pressure on thescarce water resources and reduced

primary land productivity. We haverecently witnessed the drying of majordams particularly in the southern partof Botswana that used to supply ourpopulation with safe drinking water.In order to ameliorate the situation,we have taken measures to promoteimproved water management andconservation techniques, includingsurface run off water and rainwaterharvesting, as well as ground waterprotection.

NN Could you explain how theNational Conservation Strategy (NCS)was implemented and the results ofthis initiative?

CTN Yes, the adoption of theNational Conservation Strategy (NCS) in 1990 was a landmarkdevelopment in the management ofthe environment in Botswana. Thestrategy was adopted against thebackdrop of serious environmentalproblems that had become evident, keyamong them was the prevalence ofrange land degradation, whichresulted from overstocking, as well asunsustainable patterns of exploitationof natural resources.

The strategy provided impetus forimproved management of theenvironment and for sustainableutilisation of the country’s naturalresource base. The strategy waseffectively and successfullyimplemented through an NCS ActionPlan which was mainstreamed intothe sectoral programmes of lineMinistries.

NN A recent report indicated thatconsiderable progress has been madein combating desertification inBotswana, but the results of most anti-desertification efforts have not yetachieved the expected results. Whatresults do you expect to achieve?

CTN Of course, in semi-arid climaticconditions such as we have inBotswana, efforts to combatdesertification are bound to facechallenges and under suchcircumstances, it naturally takeslonger to discern their impact. Havingsaid that, I must hasten to point outthat, there has not yet been anyorganised effort to collect data andrealistically assess the impact of themyriad interventions which have beenmade to date to combat desertification.We expect success by increasedpercentage of reclaimed productiveland, improved land managementpractices by local communities, and,more importantly, improved foodproduction, leading to theenhancement of the food securitysituation in the country.

There are also intensified publiceducation efforts in order to raiseawareness about the finite nature ofland as a natural resource. You may beaware that our neighbour, Namibia,effectively advertises its Namib Desert

South Sudan.

INTERVIEW

Ambassador Charles Ntwaagae.

Permanent Mission of Botswana to the UN

Landlocked CountriesAdvocate For ClimateJustice

Albert Gonzalez Farran - UN Photo / Flickr

11WINTER 2015

Critical for LLDCs would be provisionof financial, technical assistance and capacity building, as well asknowledge and technology transfer in order to facilitate effectiveimplementation of mitigation andadaption programmes, includingcreation of a dedicated Trust Fund in this regard.

NN How are the LLDCsdisproportionately affected by climatechange?

CTN As I pointed out, because oftheir low level of development,developing countries contribute leastto climate change but they suffer|most from its impact, and this is notfair. Climate change precipitatesphenomena such as drought, floods,rise in sea levels etc., which result inloss of human life and destruction ofcritical infrastructure which is thelifeblood of LLDCs. To this end climatechange is by far one of the greatestchallenges the LLDCs face in theirsustainable development efforts.

as part of its tourist attractions. Wetoo in Botswana view the KalahariDesert as a boon, rather than a curse.

NN What are the major issues thatLLDCs should bring to the table inParis?

CTN COP 21 in Paris in December2015 presents a strategic opportunityfor Landlocked Developing Countries(LLDCs) and developing countries ingeneral to strongly advocate forclimate change justice.

Our concern is that developingcountries contribute the least toclimate change and yet theydisproportionately bear the brunt ofits impact. This injustice needs to becorrected through effective applicationof the “polluter pays” principle.

At Paris, LLDCs should collectivelyunderscore the need to reachagreement on a universal, legallybinding carbon emissions regime, as well as the urgent need for theworld community to address thephenomenon of climate change before it is too late.

Botswana. lwh50 / Flickr

Climate Change exacerbates the situation, leading

to periodic drought, reduction in the water table,

increased pressure on the scarce water resources

and reduced primary land productivity.”

– Ambassador Charles Thembani NtwaagaePermanent Representative of Botswana

12 WINTER 2015

Sustainable Development by the UNDevelopment Summit, which putsforward ambitious developmentgoals for all countries and providesnew opportunities for internationaldevelopment cooperation, waswelcomed. Members of theinternational community werecalled upon to uphold North-Southcooperation as an importantchannel for internationaldevelopment cooperation, anddeveloped countries wereencouraged to honor their ODAcommitments especially theallocation of 0.7 per cent ofODA/GNI and 0.15 to 0.20 per centof ODA/GNI to Least DevelopedCountries. Development partnerswere commended for allocating atleast 50 per cent of their ODA toLDCs.

UN-OHRLLS offered strong substantive and logistics supportto a High-Level Roundtable on South-South Cooperation on26 September 2015, jointly hosted by the President of thePeople’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

“While important progress has beenmade in the global effort to achievethe Millennium Development Goals,implementation remainsunbalanced, especially amongvulnerable country groups. Theinternational community shouldfurther intensify developmentcooperation, pool resources,establish stronger partnerships andcreate a sound and favorableinternational environment forsustainable development indeveloping countries.

The adoption of the historic andtransformative 2030 Agenda for

Following the event a co-chairs’press statement was released.

Excerpts are detailed below:

“Over the past decades, developingcountries have actively exploreddevelopment paths suited torespective national realities andmade remarkable achievements. Theincreasingly important role playedby developing countries ininternational affairs, has changedglobal political and economicparadigms, promoted thetransformation of global economicgovernance and advanced theprocess of economic globalization.”

High-Level Roundtable on South-South Cooperation.

High-Level Roundtable on South-SouthCooperation

Malwina Buldys, UN-OHRLLS

13WINTER 2015

other developing countries, inparticular the LDCs, LLDCs andSIDS. Stronger ties amongcountries from the South will alsocontinue to have positive impact ontrade and financial flows,technological capabilities andeconomic growth in these countries,therefore acting as one of the majorvehicles in support of the realizationof the Agenda 2030 for SustainableDevelopment.”

It is reaffirmed that South-SouthCooperation should continue to beguided by the principles, amongothers, of respect for nationalsovereignty, equality and mutualtrust, win-win cooperation,solidarity and collaboration, helpingdeveloping countries to find adevelopment path featuring equity,openness, comprehensiveness andinnovation.”

“While recognizing that South-South cooperation has its owncomplex challenges and is intendedto complement—not substitute—North-South cooperation, itnevertheless has the potential tocontribute to realizing developmentaspirations set in the Agenda 2030for Sustainable Development. South-South cooperation could offer themost relevant and replicablesolutions to the challenges faced by

Unloading of North Pacific ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Project

cargoes (solar panels) in the outer islands of Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia.Pacific Community/SPC

Towards Future Management of OceansThrough Public-Private Partnerships

by Roberto Falangola

Healthy oceans and partnershipsare vital for sustainable

development in Small IslandDeveloping States (SIDS), accordingto panel members at a high-levelmeeting in New York thisSeptember.

The Permanent Mission of theKingdom of the Netherlands, incollaboration with the UnitedNations Office of the HighRepresentative for the LeastDeveloped Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries and Small

Island Developing States (OHRLLS)organized the high-level event onOceans and implementing theSAMOA Pathway and SDG 14 inSIDS.

Attended by a high-level panelincluding the King of theNetherlands, The Prime-Minister ofAruba, The Prime-Minister ofSamoa, Under-Secretary-GeneralGyan Chandra Acharya and SirRichard Branson, the event focusedon the importance of healthyOceans for global food security,livelihoods and economic growthfor SIDS. Special attention was paidto the role of public-private

partnerships in spurringsustainable growth and increasingeconomic benefits within SIDSregions.

“Most SIDS should be regarded asLarge Ocean States—relativelysmall in land mass, but large interms of their exclusive economiczones... This makes them thecustodians of a great part of theworld’s oceans,” said King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

As a representative of the privatesector and the founder of Carbon

continued on page 14

14 WINTER 2015

War Rooms, a non-profitorganisation which supportsentrepreneurs in their efforts tofind solutions to climate-change, SirRichard Branson acknowledged theimportant role played by SIDS “Weneed to start protecting ecosystemsand habitats to enable marine wildlife to rebuild and to thrive; to buildresilience to change…It cannot beunderestimated, you can be ashining example of what can bedone and more importantly whatmust be done.”

Mr. Gyan Chandra Achaya, HighRepresentative for the LeastDeveloped Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries and SmallIsland Developing Stateshighlighted the coming launch of SIDS Global Business Network inearly 2016 which will provide anonline platform as an outcome of the 2014 Private SectorPartnerships Forum at the SIDSConference in Samoa. The Networkwill support private sector in SIDSand build inter-regional and globalbusiness alliances that put SIDS atthe forefront “I am certain thatpublic private partnerships on

Towards FutureManagement of OceansThrough Public-PrivatePartnerships...continued from page 13

OCEANS 14 event. Malwina Buldys, UN-OHRLLS

Contributing Editor Nosh Nalavala interviewsMongolian Ambassador to the UN, Mr. SukheeSukhbold.

Nosh Nalavala Do you feel that theimplementation of the 2030 Agendafor Sustainable Development throughthe strengthened Global Partnershipswill consider the vulnerabilities andspecial challenges facing LandlockedDeveloping Countries (LLDCs)?

Ambassador Sukhee SukhboldMongolia, as one of the landlockedcountries, strongly believes in globaldevelopment cooperation andpartnership, which will play asignificant and unique role to supportin the implementation of 2030 Agendafor Sustainable Development.

Today, 32 LLDCs face many commonchallenges, associated with lack of

INTERVIEW

Ambassador Sukhee Sukhbold, Permanent

Representative of Mongolia to the UN.

Mark Garten / UN Photo

LandlockedCountriesDepend onSuccess inParis

oceans through the Network willfurther strengthen and add value to the oceans agenda for SIDS. I encourage all stakeholders,including development partners tosupport this important initiative toensure a successful SIDS GlobalBusiness Network that contributesconcretely to the sustainabledevelopment efforts of SIDS,” he said.

Held on the margins of the UnitedNations General Assembly 70thyear anniversary and the adoptionof the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment, this event marked astepping stone towards a futuremanagement of Oceans throughpublic-private partnerships as partof SDG14.

SDG14 focuses on the world’soceans—their temperature,chemistry, currents and life—driveglobal systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. It emphasizes that our rainwater,drinking water, weather, climate,coastlines, much of our food, andeven the oxygen in the air webreathe, are all ultimately providedand regulated by the sea.Throughout history, oceans andseas have been vital conduits fortrade and transportation. The goal highlights that carefulmanagement of this essentialglobal resource is a key feature of a sustainable future.

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direct territorial access to the sea,remoteness and isolation from theworld market. Without valuablepartnership, individual countriescannot overcome some of thechallenges. For example, my countryMongolia achieved steadfast growth of economy in the last 14 years.However, we could not halve thepoverty level, but succeeded inreducing poverty by one third to 27.4percent in 2013 from 36.3 percent in1995. This experience clearly showsthat high economic growth does notnecessarily enable everyone toparticipate in and benefit fromeconomic opportunities and effectivesocial policies. Therefore, it isimportant recognize role of thevaluable global partnership inachieving sustainable, shared growth.

In addition, we understand that theVienna Action of Programme and the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment are two sides of the same coin. Therefore, we stay strongly committed to the effectiveimplementation of the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs) and theVienna Action Programme that will help LLDCs overcome theirvulnerabilities, build resilience and set themselves on a new developmentpath.

NN How has climate changeimpacted Mongolia? Will the negativeimpact of climate change, especiallyon water, energy, biodiversity,transport infrastructure, agriculturalproduction and food security, find aplatform at the Climate Summit inParis?

SS Mongolia is one of the mostvulnerable countries to the impacts ofclimate change due to its geographicaland climate conditions as well as thestructure and development level of theeconomic sectors, and the lifestyle ofthe people. The records between 1940and 2013 indicate the increase of themean air temperature at the landsurface at 2.07 degrees Celsius.Mongolia’s vast grasslands are underthreat of desertification, and roughly72 percent of the total territory isdegraded to some extent. The effects of climate change, increased naturaldisaster frequency, water scarcity,land degradation, desertification,biodiversity loss, and air pollution aremajor environmental challenges

Mongolia faces today. Therefore, it is definitely a new challenge forMongolia as it is in many othercountries around the world.

Recently, Mongolia has completed itsIntended Nationally DeterminedContributions (INDCs), within theUnited Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change. The INDC of Mongolia has itsconceptual roots in the National GreenDevelopment Policy (NGDP), approvedby the Mongolian Parliament in 2014,which addresses key sectorial actionplans at the national level, includingenergy and agriculture sectors arebeing adjusted. Key indicators formeasuring progress in theimplementation of the NGDP includethe savings of natural resourcesderived from production and services,level of recycling, green employment,green procurement, sustainable use of energy, water, reduction ofgreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and ecological footprint per unit ofproduction.

We hope that a new climate agreementto be adopted at the COP 21 in Paris this December will give dueconsideration to challenges faced bydeveloping countries, in particular byLLDCs. I would like to highlight that a few weeks ago at the UNGA 70thSession, the President of Mongoliaemphasized the importance of this

meeting by stating, “the future of theSDGs will depend on how successfulthe Paris climate conference willconclude”.

NN What are the main challengesfacing Mongolia and other LLDCs inthe areas of adaptation and mitigationof adverse climate effects?

SS Mongolia and many other LLDCsare very vulnerable to the impacts ofclimate change. Therefore, it isextremely important for thesecountries to develop strong climatechange adaptation policy and strategy.

Climate change impacts are veryvisible in Mongolia, with the changein water resources and regimes, thedrying up of lakes and springs inareas without permafrost, thedropping of ground water tables,pasture and soil degradation due toaridity and extreme heat in thesummer and thus, a loss ofbiodiversity, intensified desertification,change of wildlife habitat, and the increasing frequency of forest and steppe fires, with overallenvironmental degradation.

Mongolia’s Government recognizes the urgency of implementation ofpolicy and measures for climatechange adaptation. Climate changeadaptation strategy was reviewed andadopted by the Parliament of Mongoliain 2011.

Mongolia. Asian Development Bank

16 WINTER 2015

us no-where near matches the severityof what we are seeing on the ground.

NN What steps is Kiribati taking?

MB We have taken a decision to takeleadership in finding solutions to thismajor challenge for our people. If wedo not do this, no-one else will.

“Business as usual” can no longer beconsidered to be part of the wayforward. We are pushing the messagethat we must not limit ourselves toworking within the shackles andboundaries of our comfort zones, oureconomic arguments and political“taboos.” The challenge of climatechange is a larger call for humanity. It demands that we must rise abovenational priorities, and think with aglobal conscience. We must thinkoutside the bounds of conventionalthinking, outside of the norm becausethis is an extraordinarily seriouschallenge which calls forextraordinary and unconventionalsolutions.

We need to take bold steps, even if weare not sure they are the right ones. If necessary we can improvise on theway. But whatever we do, we cannotafford to be paralyzed into inactionsimply because of the apparentimpossibility of the challengeconfronting us. Time is running out.And the current alternatives are notacceptable.

In Kiribati we have adopted amultipronged strategy to ensure thesurvival of our people. We have bought

Kiribati Calls forExtraordinary andUnconventional Solutions

Nosh Nalavala Ambassador, oncurrent projections, Tarawa, the mainisland of the Republic of Kiribati, willbecome uninhabitable due to sea levelrise by the middle of this centuryunless there is significant adaptationto the changes it is experiencing. Wehear that it is happening faster thanpredicted. Are global and regionalsteps being taken to take care of thefate of the people displaced by theimpact of climate change?

Ambassador Makurita Baaro We are experiencing the brunt of thechanges to our climate system, notonly on Tarawa, but on all 32 of ourlow lying islands in the country. Withthe changes in our climate system,and with sea level rise, our islands arenow facing major challenges neverfaced before in our history. We haveexperienced climate extremes not onlyfrom sea level rise but by disasterevents such as Cyclone Pam which hitVanuatu and other low lying Pacific

island, Kiribati included, earlier thisyear followed soon after by TyphoonsMaysak and Dolphin.

King tides combined with strongwinds, wrecked havoc to our islands,our homes, our villages and our people.What is alarming is the increasingfrequency and severity of such eventsto us. In some parts of the country,whole villages have had to relocate dueto severe coastal erosion and flooding.Food crops have been destroyed andthe fresh water lens, our major sourcesof drinking water are increasinglybeing contaminated by the intrudingsea water. Our people are worried asthey watch these events grow inintensity. The most vulnerable are thealready vulnerable, women, children,the disabled, the sick and the aged.

It is indeed happening faster thanpredicted and we are deeply concernedfrom the frontline that global action toaddress this existential challenge for

Ambassador Makurita Baaro, Permanent

Representative of Kiribati to the UN.

JC McIlwaine / UN Photo

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of theRepublic of Kiribati to the UN, Mrs. Makurita Baaro talkswith Nosh Nalavala.

Kiribati. Toani N. / The Kiribati Mission to the United Nations

17WINTER 2015

land offshore. We have looked atfloating and artificial islands andoptions for raising our islands fromtheir current height to maintainheights above the predicted sea-levelrises.

We have taken an integrated approachto help prepare and build theresilience of our people focusing notonly this major challenge but on theopportunities available to us.

We are focusing on improved healthprogrammes on the premise that ahealthier population will have greaterresilience to climate change. We havealso reformed and strengthened oureducation programmes, again on the premise that a more educatedpopulation will have a better chance to adapt to climate change. We haveadopted a policy of “migration withdignity,” the upskilling of our peopleso that they have the option to migrateto new homes and to be useful citizens

to their new homes and not be aburden as climate refugees. We arealso looking at ways to ensure thesurvival of our culture and to supportour citizens’ transition into their newhomes.

We are working on ensuring we getbetter returns from our vast marineresources and maintain our ExclusiveEconomic Zone. We are talking withlike minded countries, the privatesector, philanthropy and anyone whoshares our vision.

NN Scientists say that theatmosphere could be warmed by 2 degrees Celsius by the end of thecentury, but even limiting warming to2 degrees, commit some island nationsand coastal cities to being submerged.Do you see this issue debated at theClimate Summit in Paris?

MB For countries like us, 2 degreeswarming is already too late.

The real test of the effectiveness andrelevance of the new SustainableDevelopment Agenda and of theUnited Family of Nations as itcelebrate its 70th Anniversary, is inensuring that no-one is left behind.Our people and those on the frontlineof climate change, face the realpossibility of being left behind. We arelooking at a Paris Agreement to be anambitious legally binding agreementthat can begin to heal our one sharedhome and planet. It must place a capglobal temperature increase to 1.5degrees above pre-industrial levels. It is also vital that the agreementinclude provisions on loss anddamage, and most importantly, aspecial mechanism to fast trackurgent assistance for millions ofpeople around the world who are atthe frontline of climate change whoneed urgent assistance NOW.

Kiribati. New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

18 WINTER 2015

Mr. Giza Gaspar-Martins,Chairman of the LeastDeveloped Countries(LDC) Group, talks to The Commitment.

The Commitment In negotiationsthe LDC Group is calling for a 1.5degrees Celsius world, as anythinghigher exposes nations to irreversiblechanges in the climate system. Howrealistic is this agenda and how will itbe viewed at the Climate Summit?

Giza Gaspar-Martins Ourposition, that global averagetemperature increase should belimited to below 1.5 degrees Celsius, isshared with other vulnerable countrygroups, including the small islanddeveloping states and countries inAfrica. This position is non-negotiablefor us. This is a matter of the survivalof our countries and people.

Not only this, the 1.5 degree Celsiusgoal is consistent with what the bestavailable science, including what’sreported in the latest assessmentreport of the IPCC. There is broadagreement among climate scientiststhat the difference between risksassociated with temperature rise of 1.5degrees Celsius and those of 2 degrees

Celsius is significant in regions withhighly temperature-sensitivesystems—including low-lying andcoastal regions, high mountains andtropics, polar regions and regionsexperiencing drought. All LDCs fallinto one or more of these categories.

In 2010, at COP-16, when Partiesagreed on a long-term global goal toreduce greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions to hold global averagetemperature increase to below 2degrees Celsius above pre-industriallevels, they also agreed to periodicallyreview the adequacy of this goal, andconsider strengthening the goalthrough a structured expert dialogue;this is known as the 2013-2015review. Last June, the report of thestructured expert dialogue came outand one of its key messages was topush the ‘defense line’ as low aspossible, to limit warming to below 1.5degrees Celsius . The report furtherelaborated that the technologies andpolicies required for the 1.5 degreesCelsius scenarios are the same for the2 degrees Celsius pathway—theysimply need to be deployed faster.

Therefore, the reality is that achievingthe below 1.5 degree Celsius goal is scientifically and economicallyfeasible—it only demands politicalwill. This is indeed a realistic agenda

which all should fight to adopt inParis.

TC On the road to the Summit, theLeast Developed Country Fund(LDCF), the only fund dedicated toLDCs is barely funded, despiteapproximately 230 projects in thepipeline. What is the way forward forthe LDCs when it comes to negotiatingstrength?

GGM As you say, the LDCF is theonly fund dedicated to the LDCs—itwas established in 2001 in the contextof implementing Article 4.9 of theConvention, which commits all Partiesto “take full account of the specificneeds and special situations of theleast developed countries in theiractions with regard to funding andtransfer of technology”. The LDCs areadamant that this Fund shouldcontinue in the post-2020 regime.

However, the Fund is set up in a waythat it relies on voluntarycontributions from developed countryParties. This has not been effective—one of the main objectives of the Fund,among other activities, is to supportthe full implementation of LDCs’National Adaptation Programmes ofAction (NAPA), which outline ourimmediate and urgent adaptationneeds. Conservative estimates of thefull cost of LDCs’ NAPAs is over USD 5 billion, and yet, the LDCF hasreceived under USD 1 billion to date.Furthermore, in the past year, theFund has suffered from a completelack of resources—in October 2015,there were 35 projects worth almostUSD 255 million, ready to be

INTERVIEW

Giza Gaspar-Martins. IISD/ENB

(www.iisd.ca/climate/unfccc/adp2-11/21oct.html)

Survival of VulnerableCountries Relies on a 1.5Degrees Celsius World

Therefore, the reality is that achieving the below

1.5 degree Celsius goal is scientifically and

economically feasible—it only demands political

will. This is indeed a realistic agenda which all

should fight to adopt in Paris.”

– Mr. Giza Gaspar-MartinsChairman of the Least Developed Countries(LDC) Group

19WINTER 2015

Bangladesh. Asian Development Bank

implemented but stuck in pipeline due to the Fund being empty.

Efforts to clear this pipeline ahead ofCOP-21 are welcome, but the LDCsmake it clear that such ‘quick fixes’are not sustainable. What we expect is the fulfilment of commitments to support the LDCs in theimplementation of their immediateand medium-term adaptationpriorities, and other needs reflected in the LDC work programme (thisincludes, for example, capacitybuilding). This requires scaled up,adequate and predictable funding to be contributed to the LDCF in thelong-term.

In the context of the 2015 agreementand the Paris COP, the LDCs areadamant that the Fund should beanchored in the legal agreement andmade to serve the LDCs in the post

2020 regime. Such a provision willensure that the Fund retains its keyfunction as an effective channel forLDCs to receive grant-based financeunder the post-2020 climate regime.

TC An encouraging number ofIntended Nationally DeterminedContributions (INDCs)—the countryplans to tackle climate change—havebeen submitted by LDCs. Will thedeveloped countries support LDCs inthe implementation of these INDCs?

GGM The LDC Group represents the 48 poorest countries in the world,the most vulnerable to the adverseeffects of climate change, and leastresponsible, both historically andcurrently, for the climate changeproblem. And yet, as of 22 October2015, 40 out of 48 LDCs havecommunicated INDCs. In this manner,the LDCs continue to show their

leadership and have a strong moralvoice and position in thenegotiations—if LDCs are puttingforward their ambitious plans andshowing willingness to be a part of thesolution to climate change, othercountries should also do their fairshare. The LDCs have put forwardtheir INDCs in good faith, with thebelief that all have a moralresponsibility to ensure a safe planetfor our future generations. We expectdeveloped countries to not double uptheir ambition, but also to support usin implementing our INDCs.

20 WINTER 2015

Tajikistan. Asian Development Bank

USG Acharya at the LLDC event.

Malwina Buldys, UN-OHRLLS

Linking LandlockedDeveloping Countries toGlobal Opportunitiesby David Chapman

The successful implementation ofthe Vienna Programme of Action

(VPoA) hinges on strengthenedglobal partnerships andcooperation, according to membersof the Group of LandlockedDeveloping Countries (LLDCs) at aHigh-Level Forum in New York thisSeptember.

The Permanent Mission of theRepublic of Zambia, in collaborationwith the United Nations Office ofthe High Representative for theLeast Developed Countries,Landlocked Developing Countriesand Small Island Developing States(OHRLLS), organized the High-Level Forum of Heads of States andGovernments of LandlockedDeveloping Countries, with theultimate objective for landlockeddeveloping countries to reiteratetheir common vision and goals toend poverty and achieve sustainabledevelopment through theimplementation of the VPoA forLLDCs and the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development. At theend of the Forum, the LLDCMember States adopted aDeclaration calling for theaccelerated implementation of theVPoA through enhancing globalpartnerships and strengthening ofthe role of the United NationsSystem.

His Excellency Honourable Mr.Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President ofthe Republic of Zambia, chaired theHigh-Level Forum in his capacity asChairman of the Group of LLDCs.Other notable participating Heads ofStates included the Presidents ofMongolia and Tajikistan, the PrimeMinisters of Bhutan, Lesotho, andLaos, and the Vice-Presidents of

Botswana and Burundi. Ministersand other high-level officialsrepresented their countries at theforum. Each Head of State orGovernment and High Officialdelivered a statement that outlinedthe challenges, experiences, bestpractices and current and futurepolicies of their respective countries.His Excellency Mr. MogensLykketoft, President of the 70thSession of the United NationsGeneral Assembly, also attended anddelivered a statement on behalf ofthe United Nations, re-affirming the UN’s support for the Group of LLDCs and the successfulimplementation of the VPoA and the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment.

“The Vienna Programme of Actionfor Landlocked DevelopingCountries represents acomprehensive plan of action toaddress the special challenges and needs of our countries […]However, we need resources andpartnerships, including with ourneighbouring transit countries,development partners, internationalinstitutions, the private sector,

academia, think-tanks, and non-governmental organisations,”expressed Mr. Edgar ChagwaLungu, President of the Republic of Zambia during his openingremarks.

Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya, Under-Secretary General and HighRepresentative for the LeastDeveloped Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries and SmallIsland Developing States, reiteratedthe importance of each of the sixpriority areas of the VPoA,acknowledged the work being doneby development partners andinternational institutions such asthe World Bank and the IRU. Mr.Acharya also noted the “strongcoherence” Agenda 2030 held withthe VPoA, which would ensuresynergy between the LLDCs specificagenda and the global agenda.

21WINTER 2015

Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon at the LDC Ministerial Meeting. Roberto Falangola, UN-OHRLLS

Bangladesh Elected Chairman of GlobalCoordination Bureau of LDCsby Diana Charyyeva

Bangladesh was elected the newchair of The Global Coordination

Bureau of the Least DevelopedCountries (LDCs) at the annualmeeting of LDC ministers at the UNthis October. The new chairman, theState Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Md. Shahriar Alam, formally took over the role from the Ministerof Millennium Development Goalsand Sustainable Development Goals ofBenin and was ceremonially handedover the responsibility of leading thegroup of 49 LDCs.

Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon,participated in the high profilemeeting and called on the LDCs toinvest efforts in implementing therecently adopted 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development. He alsoassured the LDCs of full UN supportto LDCs initiatives to rise above theircurrent status.

The Under-Secretary-General andUnited Nations High Representativefor the Least Developed countries,Landlocked Developing Countries andSmall Island Developing States, Mr.

Gyan Chandra Acharya, expressedhis deep gratitude to the delegation ofBenin for its outstanding leadershipof the group of LDCs for the lastthree years. He thanked AmbassadorJean Francis Régis Zinsou and histeam for their strong commitment tothe issues of LDCs and stressed hisconfidence for the delegation of Benin

to remain fully engaged in support ofLDCs. Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharyacongratulated Bangladesh for takingthe leadership of the group of LDCs.“I have full confidence that, given itslong experience in chairing the groupof LDCs, Bangladesh delegation willably and effectively lead the Group ofLDCs.”

In his acceptance speech, the stateminister for foreign affairs ofBangladesh expressed thanks to theLDCs for expressing confidence in theleadership of Bangladesh by electingit unanimously as the next chair ofthe group.

The meeting was attended by theDeputy Prime Minister of Belgiumand Foreign Ministers of Bhutan,Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Italy, Nepal,Solomon Islands, Sudan, Tanzania,Turkey, Tuvalu, and representativesof Japan and European Union.

Cambodia. Asian Development Bank

22 WINTER 2015

23WINTER 2015

Climate Change, SDGs and VulnerableCountry GroupsVIEWS FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES….

Mr. Jean-Francis Zinsou, Permanent Representative of Benin

The least developed countries (LDCs) are especially vulnerable to various kinds ofshocks, such as natural disasters, commodity price fluctuations and volatility infinancial flows including instability in aid and the public health emergencies suchas the outbreak of Ebola. At the same time, LDCs do not have effective shockabsorbing systems. Therefore, special “crisis mitigation and resilience buildingfunds” for LDCs need to be created to meet their special development needs and toenable them to respond to various kinds of shocks.

Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, Former Permanent Representative of Bangladesh

Mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation for actions to address the issue of climate change is one area where the urgency simply cannot be

emphasized more. I believe most of the people are aware that Bangladesh willprobably be the largest victim of sea-level rising in terms of number of peopleaffected, as it is one of the, if not the, most densely populated countries in the

world, a fact further weighted by the statistic that it is one of the leastdeveloped countries of the world.

UN Photo. Paulo Filgueiras

Ms. Marlene Moses, Permanent Representative of Nauru to the UN

Nauru is by far the smallest member of the UN family. We have a population ofabout 10,000 people. When global indicators for the Post 2015 agenda are

adopted, we need to ensure that Nauru is counted in the enumeration packageof global indicators be they quantitative or qualitative in nature.

Schneider, UN Photo

Mark Garten, UN Photo

Dr. Mwaba P. Kasese-Bota, Permanent Representative of Zambia to the UN

We are looking at the Post 2015 agenda as a hybrid of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) successes as well as the improvement of the MDGschallenges and shortcomings. We are looking at enhancing the 2015transformative transition without obliterating the successes and the gains ofthe MDGs, and further build in mechanisms that will champion thevulnerabilities of the global contemporaries and emerging challenges.

Mark Garten, UN Photo

24 WINTER 2015

Small Island Developing States inNumbers: Climate Change

Anew publication from OHRLLSprovides, at a glance, a snapshot

of key figures and statistics thatrelate to climate change in SmallIsland Developing States (SIDS). As Member States negotiate a globalagreement for future concertedefforts, SIDS are alreadyexperiencing the often drasticimpacts of climate change such asrises in temperature and sea level.

Infographics, charts and narrativein the publication detail theeconomic, social and environmentalimpacts on sustainable development.

The publication is available on-lineand in print on request.

Papua New Guinea, Steven Nowakowski,

New Zealand MFAT

SIDS in NumbersOnline Version