Mr. Chair,

At the outset, I wish to congratulate Ambassador Mohan Pieris, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka on your appointment as Chair of the 21st session of the High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation.

I align my statement with the statements delivered by the distinguished representatives of Cuba and Nepal on behalf of the G77 and China and LDCs respectively.

I would like to underscore the instrumental role of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation in facilitating and enhancing South-South and triangular cooperation among nations, UN agencies, and development partners at various levels. Their efforts significantly contribute towards the acceleration of global recovery from the pandemic and the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Lao PDR welcomes the reports of UN Secretary General and UNDP Administrator which take stock of the global and system-wide progress made, challenges encountered, along with the recommendation for the way forward for south-south cooperation, including new strategic directions and measures to be undertaken by UN entities as integral parts of their policies, strategies, programmes and projects within their existing mandates.

On this important note and in view of moving forward this framework of cooperation at country level, I would like to underline the following points:

First, Lao PDR highly values the important contribution of south-south cooperation among developing countries and development partners, which have made significant contribution to the implementation of our national socio-economic development plans, green growth strategy and the SDGs. This collaboration has provided us with valuable insights and resources, enabling us to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility and to better serve our people and preserve our environment, thus creating a more sustainable future.

Second, we welcome the outcome of the Ministerial Meeting on South-South Cooperation during LDC5 in Qatar, and the commitment to leverage support for the implementation of the Programs of action on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. We welcome the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration and financial commitments of over USD 1.3 billion in the form of donations, investments, loans, and technical support. We look forward to the successful convening of the Third UN Conference on LLDCs and the Fourth International Conference on SIDS to be held next year.

Third, we must persist in promoting South-South and triangular cooperation with a focus on post-pandemic recovery and the execution of the 2030 Agenda. To this end, we urge international organizations and financial institutions to maintain their support and enhance their contributions in response to ongoing crises. These include not only the climate crisis, but also the ongoing economic and financial adversities we currently face. In line with this, we encourage developing nations to boost their involvement in creative financing avenues such as blended finance. In the context of this approach, it is essential that development partners, inclusive of our Southern counterparts, augment their assistance towards the establishment of an investment promotion regime for LDCs as stipulated in the Doha Program of Action. By doing so, we aim to stimulate investment in critical areas such as infrastructure development and capacity building within the LDCs.

As the President of the UN General Assembly emphasized during his tenure, it is imperative that we "forge solutions rooted in solidarity, sustainability, and science". This reinforces the indispensable role of scientific knowledge in guiding the UN's decision-making processes. From our perspective, the countries of the South represent a remarkable reservoir of proven technological solutions to the developmental challenges confronting the LDCs. Building on this sentiment, we eagerly anticipate the forthcoming Summit on Science, Technology, and Innovation, set to take place in Havana, Cuba, this September. This event holds great promise in stimulating further cooperation via technology transfers among developing nations.

In conclusion, the Lao PDR reiterates its firm commitment to intensifying South-South and triangular cooperation. We see these as critical levers to propel stronger alliances among nations within the global south. Our objective is to enhance sustainable development and improve socio-economic standards. Harnessing our collective strength, we are dedicated to fostering an environment of mutual growth, as we journey together towards our shared future. Thank you.