Statement by H.E.Mr.Sergei Vershinin, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of “the Global Development Initiative”
Your Excellency, State Counsellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi,
Excellencies and friends,
It is an honor for me to attend this very important meeting.
As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated international cooperation in the socio-economic area and reversed the progress in the SDG implementation achieved in recent years.
This year the new global threat relates to the “war of sanctions” unleashed by Western states. Their unwillingness to agree to proposed mutual security guarantees and increased pressure on other countries, depriving them of sovereignty, ultimately led to undermining the very foundations of the global financial and economic system.
Yet, the Western states are desperately trying to preserve the old world order which they had benefited from, to force everyone to live not in accordance with international law, but under the so-called “rules-based order” which the West once developed and which it regularly violates altogether. Look at Europe's hypocrisy publicly pursuing "decarbonization" policy, while at the same time frantically buying up fossil fuels from across the globe, including coal from South Africa, Botswana, Colombia and the US. Another example, the recent "grain deal", planned as an instrument of emergency support for the poorest countries, resulted in delivery to them of only 3% or 60 thousand tons of grain out of two million.
The growing unresolved domestic socio-economic problems are pushing the Western capitals to look on whom to put the blame for all the troubles and how to channel the unrest of their populations. One example - the anti-Russian sanctions, which, contrary to initial expectations, hit the entire global economy and cause far-reaching negative consequences.
In this regard, we consider unacceptable the practice of unilateral restrictive measures as an instrument of coercion of States. It is condemned by the UNGA resolutions. Such actions run counter to generally accepted norms of international law, undermine sovereignty, affect fundamental human rights and freedoms, destroy efforts by countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and hit the most vulnerable segments of the population.
Under these conditions, the development of a truly just and multipolar world order is becoming increasingly important. We certainly need to work out common approaches together, to bring positions as close as possible, to reduce global tensions. The solution lies in the observance of the principles of mutual benefit, cooperation, the complementarity of economic potentials of nations for the global development.
The utmost significance should be given to unifying and creative global programs, primarily the 2030 Agenda, as well as the Global Development Initiative (GDI), which proposes convergence of various sustainable development instruments. We are convinced that such programs carry necessary potential to consolidate the efforts of the international community, serving as a solid basis for dialogue and mobilization of additional resources in order to jointly overcome socio-economic problems and effectively counter new challenges to sustainable development of all.
Thank you for your attention.
