STATEMENT BY MR. CLEMENT NAMANGALE, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAWI ON BEHALF OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

DURING THE UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS EXECUTIVE BOARD; ITEM 3: UNCDF – RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOARD OF AUDITORS

JANUARY 30, 2023

NEW YORK

Permanent Mission of Malawi

NEW YORK

Excellencies

Distinguished delegates

On behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries, we welcome UNCDF’s report on the implementation of the recommendations of UN Board of Auditors. We are happy that UNCDF receives a clean audit opinion.

We commend UNCDF for their commitment to improving financial management, transparency, and accountability, which are central elements for our UN partners to effectively support progress on the 2030 Agenda in our countries.

As we move towards the Fifth UN Conference on the LDCs in March where we aim to rally support for delivering our common vision set out in the Doha Programme of Action, we note with concern the declining levels of core resources being allocated to UNCDF – an entity dedicated to deliver support in LDCs. This needs to be reversed.

We note the high importance of building resilience in least developed countries through stepped-up capacity-building and finance for adaptation to climate change, including through comprehensive multi-stakeholder resilience-building measures for least developed countries, leveraging the Green Climate Fund and existing measures and initiatives such as the National Adaptation Plan Global Network and the United Nations Capital Development Fund’s Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (DPoA 212) Sufficient and predictable core resources are critical to bring UNCDF’s unique investment expertise to all LDCs, allowing it to create synergies with wider UN country teams to mobilize resources for our countries.

We also reiterate the critical importance of unearmarked resources to allow flexibility to UNCDF’s support to advance our national development priorities.

It is also essential to ensure continued high levels of oversight and financial management.

Excellencies, the compounded challenges of conflict, COVID-19 and climate change pose an unprecedented risk to LDCs, directly threatening our progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

On the eve of the LDC5 conference, we therefore urgently call on fellow Member States to renew their efforts to support UNCDF so that it can play its unique role as the “UN catalytic financing entity for all 46 LDCs” and support the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action and the SDGs.

Finally, let me take this opportunity to invite all Member States to attend the Fifth United Nations Conference on LDCs at the Heads of States and Government level, which will be held in Qatar from 5-9 March, 2023. I thank the Government of Qatar for accepting to host the meeting and for its excellent support to the preparatory process.

I thank you all for your kind attention.