Statement by representative of the Russian Federation Boris Meshchanov in the Second Committee of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly under agenda items 23 “Groups of countries in special situation” and 27 “Towards global partnerships”
Mme Vice-Chair,
In the last 18 months since the beginning of the pandemic countries in special situations have become more vulnerable. Weak progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals even before the pandemic is now under threat. While there is a strong need for continued international support, an urgent expansion of domestic potential is no less required in the least developed countries and the landlocked developing countries, given that a number of them fall in both categories.
The Russian Federation is committed to unconditionally implementing the objectives of the Istanbul and the Vienna Programmes of Action, such as productive capacities and infrastructure development, export diversification and growth, access to innovation, technologies and financial services. It is only through progress in this area that we can help LDC and LLDC to create strong and fair socio-economic systems that can withstand future shocks. We are now in the process of negotiating a new 10-year program of action for LDCs and we concentrate on the abovementioned issues.
Strengthening partnerships both among international organizations and institutions and between the UN and other stakeholders should help us implement the Sustainable Development Goals. It is clear that business community should play a crucial role in our efforts. Even before the pandemic, private investment flows to developing countries, especially to the low-income countries, were declining. This makes us think about whether we do offer the right models of cooperation to international business society. It is clear that approaches to participation of private sector in the SDG achievement only as a donor of international development with rigid requirements imposed on its activities do not work.
We believe that interests of business itself should also be taken into account, and partnerships for development should be based on the principles of mutual benefit and respect. In this context, we consider it important to intensify interaction and develop partnerships within the framework of the UN Global Compact.
The Russian Federation is actively involved in building partnerships with business community for achieving shared prosperity and well-being. Although large Russian companies have adhered to the principles of corporate social responsibility for decades, including while entering the markets of developing countries, the Russian government is seeking to institutionalize the SDGs in order to attract to their fulfillment as many private enterprises as possible, especially MSMEs. So, at present, we work toward adoption of standards of responsible business conduct, first of all OECD standards, and non-financial reporting.
We also consider the development of green investment and financing as a very promising focus area. In 2020, we established Expert Council under the Minister of Economic Development for Sustainable Development, which includes more than 30 leading Russian and foreign companies.
We are ready to work together to use more actively the potential of cooperation with private sector, civil society, international and regional development institutions to ensure equal and equitable growth in countries all over the world, especially in the most vulnerable, with the aim to leave no one behind.
Thank you for your attention.
