Least Developed Countries

Highlights for Monday, 19 August 2019 Bigfin reef squid from the Philippines. Photo by Marcelo Halpern The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) began in New York on Monday. For this meeting, delegates have, as a basis for their negotiations, a draft text of an agreement containing treaty language, prepared by IGC President Rena Lee (Singapore) and the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea.In opening statements, both IGC President Rena Lee and Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel Miguel de Serpa Soares pointed to the recent Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), noting that BBNJ can be a part of “turning the tide” on global biodiversity loss.As delegates exchanged general views and began an in-depth consideration of the draft text, the highlights of the first day include, inter alia: Divergence in understanding on fundamental issues, including the timeframe for the conclusion of discussions on the ILBI; Agreement on the need to have an article on “General Objectives,” separate from objectives relating to specific aspects of the 2011 package; Divergence on the application of the instrument, and the need for a separate article on sovereign immunity, given that this is reflected in UNCLOS; and Discussions on the future instrument’s relationship with existing instruments and frameworks. In their general statements, several supported the common heritage of humankind as an overarching principle governing marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Many also highlighted the importance of capacity building and the transfer of marine technology to operationalize the future instrument.In the corridors, delegates and participants exchanged ideas on the potential trade-off between the timely conclusion of the IGC considerations and the quality of the new treaty. While some cautioned against “self-imposed” deadlines, others underscored the urgency of the issues under discussion, stressing that “time matters.” Most agreed, however, that informal deliberations throughout the session will allow for fine-tuning the text and hopefully bridging existing divergent opinions.For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC-3. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. View of the opening plenary L-R: Dais during the opening session with Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel; IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, UNDOALOS Feda Abdelhady-Nasser, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Perks Ligoya, Malawi, on behalf of the Least Developed Countries Andreas Papaconstantinou, EU Martin Mainero and Fernando Marani, Argentina, reviewing draft text Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Carlos Mata, Uruguay, on behalf of the Like-Minded Latin American Countries Essam Yassin Mohammed, Eritrea Yang Liu, China Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Juan Cuéllar Torres, Colombia, on behalf of UNCLOS non-parties Delegates from Chile consulting Evan Bloom, US Yedla Umasankar, India Mohammad Kurniadi Koba, Indonesia Anne Christine Brusendorff, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Peggy Kalas, High Seas Alliance Rishy Bukoree, Mauritius L-R: Muhammad Taufan, Haryo Nugroho, and Sora Lokita, Indonesia Informal Working Group on Cross-cutting Issues Lionel Yee, Singapore Hwang Junshik, Republic of Korea Diedre Mills, Jamaica Yocasta Valenzuela, Dominican Republic Ma. Angela Ponce, the Philippines Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador Side Event presented by Greenpeace and High Seas Alliance: A Strong Global Ocean Treaty, Javier Bardem is onboard, are you? L-R: Farah Yasmin Obaidullah, Women4Oceans; Sofia Tsenikli, Greenpeace International; Javier Bardem, Actor and environmental activist; Sandra Schöttner, Greenpeace Germany; and Jennifer Jacquet, New York University Javier Bardem, Actor and environmental activist Jennifer Jacquet, New York University

Highlights for Wednesday, 17 July 2019 As 16 countries present their VNRs, questions remain as to whether we will be able to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Wednesday, 17 July 2019 At the HLPF on Wednesday, 16 countries presented voluntary national reviews (VNRs) during two sessions, in the morning and afternoon. VNR presentations were made by Central African Republic, eSwatini, Iraq, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Tonga, South Africa, Rwanda, Kuwait, New Zealand, Chad, Ghana, Israel, Timor-Leste, Tanzania, and Vanuatu.Meanwhile, the General Debate continued in parallel throughout the day, with 73 Heads of State, Heads of Government, ministers, and ambassadors making statements, which can be accessed here.For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from HLPF 2019. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Voluntary National Reviews Mona Juul, Vice-President, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Félix Moloua, Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation, Central African Republic Tambo Gina, Minister for Economic Planning and Development, eSwatini Nouri Al-Dulaimi, Minister of Planning, Iraq George Gyan-Baffour, Minister for Planning, Ghana Gale Rigobert, Minister of Education, Gender Relations, Innovation, and Sustainable Development, Saint Lucia Zeev Elkin, Minister of Environmental Protection and of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, Israel Slavica Đukić Dejanović, Minister without Portfolio in charge of Demography and Population Policy, Serbia Semisi Lafu Kioa Sika, Deputy Prime Minister, Tonga Philip Mpango, Minister of Finance and Planning, Tanzania Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, Minister of Tourism, South Africa Craig Hawke, Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the UN Claudine Uwera, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rwanda Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, Minister of Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs, Timor-Leste Issa Doubragne, Minister of Economy and Development Planning, Chad Khaled Mahdi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, Kuwait Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and External Trade, Vanuatu Video presentations are shown as part of the country VNRs. General Debate Delegates gather in the Trusteeship Council to listen to the General Debate. Bocchit Edmond, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cults, Haiti, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Lois Young, Permanent Representative of Belize to the UN, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Julio César Arriola, Paraguay, speaking on behalf of the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) Hala Helmy El-Said, Minister of Planning, Monitoring, and Administrative Reform, Egypt Maria Ubach Font, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andorra Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Iran Francis Kai Kai, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, Malaysia A delegate listens to the discussions from the gallery. Around the Venue Delegates speak informally at the start of the session. Kehkashan Basu, World Future Council Danilo Arsenijevic, Serbia President Thomas Esang Remengesau, Palau Rafael Da Soler, Brazil Delegates speak informally between sessions. A delegate reads the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) to keep up to date with the meeting's proceedings. An exhibition hosted by Singapore shares information on innovative waste systems.

Highlights for Wednesday, 10 July 2019 "If women stop, the world stops." As discussions focused on SDG 8, decent work and economic growth, representatives from the Women's Major Group dress in red to remind delegates about the important role women play in the global workforce. Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Wednesday, 10 July 2019 HLPF 2019 continued on Wednesday at UN Headquarters in New York. A thematic review on empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality in the morning included two sessions, on the perspectives of small island developing states (SIDS), and of least developed countries (LDCs) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). Speakers highlighted innovations, such as a peer review system for voluntary national reviews (VNRs); and challenges, such as high vulnerability and capacity needs, in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They emphasized mutually reinforcing synergies between achieving the SDGs and the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway; the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) for LLDCs; and the Istanbul Programme of Action for LDCs.In the afternoon, a review of implementation and interrelations among SDGs focused on SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). Progress on achieving this Goal was reported as being slow, and somewhat mixed: despite an increase in gross domestic product growth globally, the LDCs are falling short of their 7% target; 22% of the young people around the world are not in education, employment, or training; and the increase in labor productivity shows a high variation across regions.Several speakers discussed the impacts of the digital economy, describing it as a "double edged sword" that empowers people but can also have disruptive implications for the future of work. The need to reform educational curricula to ensure that skills match future needs was emphasized, as was the critical need to increase women’s participation in the labor market in general, and in the digital economy in particular.For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from HLPF 2019. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Thematic Review: Perspectives of Small Island Developing States Panel speakers discuss the main findings from the mid-term review of the SAMOA Pathway (L-R): Yvonne Hyde, CEO, Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum, Belize; Douglas Slater, Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat; Pat Breen, Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market, and Data Protection, Ireland; Mona Juul, Vice-President, ECOSOC; Lesley Brough, ECOSOC Affairs Branch; Moderator Emele Duituturaga, former Executive Director, Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO); Rakesh Bhuckory, Minister Counsellor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade, Mauritius; and Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General, Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). Pat Breen, Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market, and Data Protection, Ireland Rakesh Bhuckory, Minister Counsellor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade, Mauritius Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Samoa Stacy Richards-Kennedy, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago Yvonne Hyde, CEO, Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum, Belize Lois Young, Belize, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Willy Missack, Pacific Climate Change Collaboration, Influencing, and Learning (PACCCIL) Thematic Review: Perspectives of Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries Panel speakers discuss the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action for LDCs (L-R): Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, UN High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS; Saad Alfarargi, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development; Jerry Tardieu, Congressman, Haiti; Mona Juul, Vice-President, ECOSOC; Ziad Mahmassani, Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM); Moderator Hope Muli, Hivos, Kenya; Ricardo Fuentes-Nieva, Executive Director, Oxfam Mexico. Saad Alfarargi, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development Richard Ssewakiryanga, Co-Chair, Civil Society Organization (CSO) Partnership for Development Effectiveness Doma Tshering, Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the UN, and Co-Facilitator of the Political Declaration of the Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) for LLDCs Moderator Hope Muli, Hivos, Kenya Jerry Tardieu, Congressman, Haiti Perks Ligoya, Malawi Khomraj Koirala, Nepal Chika Mercedes Ibeh, Women's Major Group; Vladislav Kaim, Major Group for Children and Youth; and Enma Catu Raxjal, Indigenous Peoples Discussion on SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth Panel speakers during the session (L-R): Peter Robinson, President, US Council for International Business (USCIB); Darja Isaksson, Director-General, Vinnova, Sweden; Mamadou Diallo, Deputy Secretary-General, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); Valentin Rybakov, Vice-President, ECOSOC; Emer Herity, UN DESA; Moderator Moussa Oumarou, Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships, International Labour Organization (ILO); and Fu Xiaolan, Professor and Founding Director, Technology and Management Centre for Development, Oxford University. Faryal Ahmed, Statistics Division, DESA Fu Xiaolan, Oxford University Using the interactive platform Sli.do, delegates highlight what they consider to be the most important challenges and opportunities facing employment in the years leading up to 2030. Mamadou Diallo, Deputy Secretary-General, ITUC Darja Isaksson, Director General, Vinnova, Sweden Lead Discussants Olga Algayerova, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE); and Matthias Thorns, Deputy Secretary-General, International Organization of Employers (IOE) Anne-Beth Skrede, Norway Rodrigo Carazo, Costa Rica Around the Venue Delegates share a moment at the start of a session. Delegates from Morocco Delegates from Italy Delegates from the Dominican Republic Delegates from Kuwait Delegates speak informally between sessions. Visitors to the UN watch the proceedings of HLPF from the observation window. Celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the ILO, an exhibition around UN Headquarters highlights the importance of ensuring social justice and decent work. In the SDG Media Hub, Red, the Angriest Bird, commits himself to climate action, to the delight of visitors to the UN.