NEW YORK – DEVELOPING countries have persistently faced numerous challenges which have impeded the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Vice President Jessica Alupo has said.
Addressing Delegates on the sidelines of the 81st UNGA in New York, Alupo emphasized that critical among the numerous obstacles confronting nations, is the limited fiscal space and increasing debt burdens.
“Many of our countries spend a sizeable share of our revenues on paying off debt than investing in critical infrastructure and public services. In this respect, we call for the urgent reform of the International Financial Institutions (IFI) to grant developing countries a strong voice in decision making,” Alupo said while representing President Yoweri Museveni at the ongoing Summit.
She further that taxation remains an important instrument for mobilizing domestic resources to support economic growth and development emphasizing that Uganda supports the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation and its early two protocols.
“This convention will enable curb illicit financial flows and profit-shifting by large companies and provide fair global tax rules to strengthen domestic resource mobilization in our countries,” the VP said.
She added that Uganda welcomed the establishment of the platform for borrower countries on 15th April 2026, in line with the Sevilla Commitment, to close the funding gap for SDGs.
She further emphasized that the implementation of the coreaction of the Pact on the reform of the United Nations Security Council is paramount in addressing the historical under representation of Africa on this Council.
The members of the Committee of Ten (C-10) Heads of State and Government are engaging constructively to champion the Common African position as enshrined in 2005 Ezulwini Consensus, and the Sirte Declaration.
The C-10 Coordinator (Sierra Leone) submitted the African Model on the reform of the UN Security Council to the Co-chairs of the UN Inter governmental Negotiations.
She reiterated Uganda’s commitment to fully implement the Pact for the Future and its annexes and called upon the international community to support its full implementation in this regard.
Alupo delivered warm greetings from President Museveni, and the Government and people of the Republic of Uganda to His Excellency, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Presidentof Namibia, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates attending the summit.
She explained that two years ago, the United Nations adopted the Pact for the Future and its annexes – the Digital Global Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations thereby affirming the commitment by the international community to effectively address present and future global challenges collectively.
The African Union and the United Nations have a long standing partnership in the implementation of multilateral commitments, including the Pact as with the African Union blueprint, Agenda 2063.
The vice president told delegates that Uganda welcomes the emphasis placed on Africa’s strategic priorities by the Pact, namely, Peace and Security, particularly the reform of the United Nations Security Council; Accelerating the achievement of sustainable development goals; Reform of the international financial architecture, to better support developing countries; Ensuring secure and inclusive development of science, technology and innovation; and empowering the youth.
Alupo highlighted that galvanizing the means of implementation for the Pact for the Future is key to advancing the 56 core actions across these five pillars.
“Africa has the world’s youngest population. To tap this demographic dividend and secure future generations, the implementation of the Pact is central to unlocking meaningful commitments to investments in education, technology, andskills development for quality jobs and digital expansion,” she said.
