President, Colleagues,

I have the honour to deliver this statement 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 and Georgia, as well as Armenia align themselves with this statement.

We thank you for convening this year’s Coordination Segment. The EU and its Member States value this direct engagement to ensure that the work of ECOSOC together with the General Assembly and other UN bodies is efficiently and effectively contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in line with the Pact for the Future.

Let me focus on three relevant developments that the EU and its Member States find crucial in the final stage of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and therefore relevant for the work of ECOSOC and its functional commissions and expert bodies:

First, we are pleased that last year’s QCPR, which presents the last full review of UN development activities before 2030. We highlight the importance of an effective and efficient UN system, including at country level. In this regard we support increased alignment, integration and collaboration among UN entities, particularly on the ground, in line with the One UN approach and under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator.

Second, to deliver results, we need robust financing for the development system. We welcome the recent decision of the 5th Committee of UN regular budget for 2025 of 3.7 billion USD, including 53 Mio USD for the Resident Coordinator System. As first contributor to the UN budget, the EU stands firm in its commitment to multilateralism. We are pleased to see the new Funding Compact reflected, incentivizing both core, and high-quality non-core funding by giving clear visibility to the outcomes achieved through these types of funding and by diversifying the donor base.

As the largest global ODA provider, the EU and its Member States are greatly contributing to efforts to put the SDGs back on track – with EUR 95.5 billion in 2023 representing 41% of all ODA. We advocate for the mobilisation of finance from all sources for development: the private sector and philanthropies have a role to play and must rise to the occasion. The EU also remains committed to an ambitious reform of the international financial architecture, through efforts such as the Paris Pact for People and the Planet. We will defend this ambitious agenda in Sevilla for the FFD4.

The EU’s commitment for sustainable development makes one with its effort to tackle the triple planetary crisis (pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss), using all available tools to defend global public goods such as the ocean, forests, or freshwater resources.

Third, the EU is keen to work with others in ensuring that the Pact for the Future can be the roadmap for reinvigorated efforts toward achievement of the SDGs and the revitalisation of the multilateral system. Next year’s Review of the ECOSOC and the High-Level Political Forum, mandated for the 80th General Assembly session, can certainly help us in turning ECOSOC into a genuine “accountability and solutions chamber” to serve that goal. Even though the past reviews brought some achievements, we should spare no efforts to strengthen the ECOSOC so that it can better deliver on its UN Charter role. It is essential that the ECOSOC builds upon key events for the 2030 Agenda, led by the HLPF, without creating unnecessary duplications.

The EU and its Member States are confident that ECOSOC, working in coordination and alignment with the GA and other UN bodies, can rise to the challenges of reinforcing international solidarity and overcoming global challenges. In view of the current geopolitical context, the EU and its Member States reiterate their firm commitment to the multilateral system with the UN at its core, and to efforts towards making it more effective and inclusive.

Thank you.