By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mr Edward Kallon has reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting Zimbabwe in achieving national development priorities and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
In his remarks Monday at Harare Blue Talks convened by Embassies Kenya and Portugal ahead of the UN global ocean conference in Lisbon, Mr Kallon said at the heart is the mutual desire of the UN to work towards a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income country by 2030 anchored on four strategic pillars for this transformation.
“This partnership framework defines how the UN will support the government of Zimbabwe to meet its own development targets.
“One; is people-centered equitable human development. Two; environmental protection, climate resilience, and natural resource management.
“Three; economic transformation, equitable and inclusive growth, and fourth; transformative, accountable, equitable, and inclusive governance.
“The co-operation framework translates the promise to leave no one behind into tangible action for people on the ground especially the most vulnerable and marginalized,” Mr Kallon said.
He continued: “I echo the words of the UN Secretary-General who made a plea for each of us to do our part to protect the earth and its resources as this is critical to achieving sustainable development goals and keeping within reach the 1.5 degrees targets of the Paris agreement and ensuring the health of our oceans for today, our future and the next generation.”
The UN ocean conference will bring together stakeholders under the theme: “Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14 of the sustainable development goals.”
“While the conference will spotlight these goals, in Zimbabwe, the UN is working in collaboration with government and other partners including civil society, business and academia, and other development partners towards achieving the SDGs to Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy, and by extension, the African Union development agenda 2063,” he said.
“We yearn to do this through a five-year UN sustainable development co-operation framework (2022-26) which was signed by the government of Zimbabwe and the UN Country team.”
While the conference spotlights on SDG no 14, which is life under water, he said, we should not lose focus of the interconnectedness of the 17 sustainable development goals which were adopted by member states as a blueprint for development towards 2030.
“Without this right of access to sea, landlocked states will be deprived of their right of the successful exercise of their right on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“This, as you are all aware will hamper their access to International Trade through maritime routes as well as other rights under the convention with all the economic and social benefits derived therefrom,” Mr Kallon said.
Zimbabwe joined other countries around the world to host blue… leading up to the 2022 nation ocean conference which is being co-hosted by the governments of Portugal and Kenya and will be held in Lisbon from the 27th of June to July this year.
Mr Kallon said yesterday’s event was particularly unique that the conference was focusing on the theme of access of landlocked states to maritime benefits.
“It is fruiticious that this event is being held two days before the worldwide commemorations of World Ocean day on the 8th of June.
“The day will be observed globally under the theme: Revitalization, collective action for the ocean.
“There is no doubt about the critical importance of the ocean to survival, including in landlocked countries like Zimbabwe and others in Southern Africa.
“As you are all aware, it produces at least 50 percent of the planet’s oxygen. It is home to most of xxx biodiversity and is the main source of protein for than a billion people around the world,” he said.
“Not to mention, the ocean is key to our economy with projections 20-40% being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.”
He said access to maritime benefits by landlocked states was a right guaranteed by the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“I am pleased to note that Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi while being landlocked states, have been considered to the convention,” he said.
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