ZAMBIA HOSTS RETREAT FOR GLOBAL SOUTH COUNTRIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Zambia has hosted a three-day Global South Retreat ahead of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Sustainable Development (FfD4) to be held in Saville, Spain later this year.
The Retreat, held in Lusaka from 26 to 28 January, attracted G77 Experts and diplomats representing Latin American, African, Asian, Caribbean, and Oceanian countries collectively dubbed the Global South.
The event, co-hosted and co-sponsored by Zambia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York-based Project Starling, and the Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR), aimed to provide critical inputs towards the finalisation of the Zero Draft of the Financing for Development (FfD) Outcome Document, a position paper expressing the Global South’s stance on key global development financing issues.
Secretary to the Treasury Felix Nkulukusa, in a speech read on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance in charge of Economic Management and Finance, Mulele Mulele, noted the challenges of financing to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He described the conference as an honourable platform for fostering sustainable development finance, expressing gratitude, on behalf of the Zambian Government, to the Zambian Permanent Mission for its role as one of the Co-Facilitators responsible for drafting the Outcome Document.
Mr. Nkulukusa highlighted the importance of investing in critical sectors for developing countries and noted the benefits of this distinguished Retreat in addressing systemic global financing and technical challenges.
He emphasised that the event was key for focusing the world on the Global South’s perspective on international finance and sustainable development.
In the same vein, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dr. Chola Milambo, emphasised the importance of the forthcoming Spain meeting as it will establish the roadmap for global financing for the next five to ten years.
He highlighted that the Global South Member States are working towards ambitious and comprehensive solutions to global development challenges.
Dr. Milambo emphasized the significance of creating an inclusive platform that allows Member States to develop and implement sustainable development finance strategies.
He further stressed the need for particular attention to be paid to countries facing unique challenges, such as landlocked nations and small island developing states.
Dr. Milambo reiterated Zambia’s commitment to the FfD framework’s goals, aiming to contribute to global development and economic resilience.
He urged all to look forward to the forthcoming Conference in Saville, which he believed would be a key milestone for securing the necessary foothold towards fair and inclusive financing of the SDGs.