Monday, 12 October 2026
Presenter: H.E.JayanthaJayasuriya
Location: New York
Statement delivered by second secretary Ms. Harshani pathmakulasooriya, on sustainable development of the second committee, during the eighty-first session of the UNGA
Chair, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China and makes the following points in our national capacity.
The 2030 Agenda remains our shared commitment. However, there are challenges faced by the developing countries that continue to hinder the progress on multiple fronts. From financial and debt challenges to food insecurity, and climate change and disasters continue to cripple our overall economic growth and slow down our national capacities.
Sri Lanka remains highly exposed to climate change and natural hazards. Our recent experience has shown the importance of sustained investment in disaster preparedness, particularly at the local level. Reducing disaster risk requires planning long before an emergency. A major disaster can force government demands for relief and reconstruction can divert scarce resources away from other development priorities.
Chair,
Last year's Cyclone Ditwah and the widespread floods and landslides that followed devastated communities across Sri Lanka. Almost every district was affected, with 688 lives lost and nearly 1.7 million people left facing hardship.
The disaster highlighted the importance of further improving national preparedness and addressing future risks as part of recovery efforts.
Sri Lanka's reconstruction efforts are guided by the principle of Build Back Better, incorporating stronger construction standards and improved protection against floods and landslides.
Chair,
Developing countries, including vulnerable middle-income countries, need greater access to predictable financing and stronger international support for technology transfer and capacity-building.
We also emphasize the need to integrate disaster risk reduction into development planning and financing, strengthening preparedness and resilience while reducing the human and economic costs of disasters.
Greater investment in preparedness and resilient infrastructure can reduce the loss of life and damage caused by disasters. We encourage stronger international cooperation in implementing the priorities of the Sendai Framework, particularly in strengthening early warning systems and national capacities for disaster risk reduction.
Achieving the SDGs requires renewed multilateral commitment, stronger partnerships and the fulfilment of existing commitments. Sri Lanka calls for a supportive international environment that enables developing countries to pursue their development priorities.
Thank you.