Mr. Chair,
Madam Secretary-General,
Excellencies, Colleagues,
Sri Lanka is pleased to join this Ministerial Meeting and fully aligns with the Declaration just adopted. We thank you, Mr. Chair, for your leadership and commend the unity of our Group at this critical juncture.
The multiple crises we face—from climate impacts and debt burdens to digital and economic divides—expose deep asymmetries in the global economy. For developing countries, especially small and vulnerable ones like Sri Lanka, these challenges demand urgent reform and collective resolve.
We reaffirm the central role of UNCTAD in shaping inclusive trade and development strategies, and in safeguarding the policy space we need to pursue our national priorities. Strengthening UNCTAD’s analytical and technical capacities remains essential.
Sri Lanka strongly supports the Group’s call for:
- A reformed international financial architecture that is fair, inclusive, and development-responsive,
- A rules-based, equitable multilateral trading system where special and differential treatment is upheld,
- Increased investment in digital infrastructure, skills, and governance,
- And predictable, accessible climate finance, grounded in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
We also highlight the need for enhanced South-South cooperation and technology transfer to ensure that all countries can benefit from emerging opportunities and build resilience.
Let us move forward together—with solidarity and shared purpose—toward a more just, sustainable, and inclusive global economic order.
Thank you.