Thank you, Chair,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* align themselves with this statement.

We thank Egypt for presenting this important resolution on behalf of the G77+China. The Copenhagen Declaration and its Programme of Action, adopted at the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, is an important document for the promotion of social justice and sustainable development. It has been extended and complemented within the framework of the 2030 Agenda, which offers a broader framework for action that recognizes the interconnection of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development. We must recognize that much remains to be done to achieve these objectives.

In 2023, the European Union and its Member States accounted for 42% of global official development assistance (ODA) with a contribution of 95.9 billion EUR. We thus continue to be the largest ODA provider and an active supporter of the global agenda for sustainable development.

Chair,

The European Union engaged constructively in the discussions on the draft resolution. We thank the core group for the inclusion of some of our proposals in the final text. However, we would like to express our concerns both on the process and on the substance.

Firstly, the negotiation process was rushed. Less than five days elapsed between the circulation of the text to Member States and its submission to the Secretariat. The final revision was not put under silence procedure, and was transmitted to Member States less than 30 minutes before the tabling deadline. These working methods are regrettable, and prevent a fruitful discussion between Member States.

Secondly, we regret that our concerns were not taken into account in OP55bis, which goes beyond the language agreed in the Global Digital Compact. More generally, we think the 3C should stick to the agreed language when it comes to the World Social Summit and the Global Digital Compact, as both have already been extensively discussed by our 2C colleagues.

Chair,

The EU is determined to play its full part in ensuring that the World Social Summit, to be held in Qatar in 2025, will fill the gaps of the Copenhagen Declaration and give momentum to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

For this reason, and despite some concerns, the Member States of the European Union support this resolution.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.