Resident Coordinator's Remarks for Seminar on the 2021/22 Global Human Development Report: Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a World in Transformation

Deputy Permanent Secretary Ambassador Phantipha,

Executive Director ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue Khun Chirachai,  

Distinguished guests and UNDP colleagues.

It is my pleasure to join you for this important seminar, which speaks to some of the key challenges and uncertainties globally to see how Thailand can contribute to human development and SDG acceleration.

Climate change, geopolitical conflicts, disruptions to food supplies, and political polarizations, among others, are all having their global impacts.

These interlocking crises have led to dramatic reversals on human development and SDGs. Globally only 12% of the SDG targets are on track even as we are at the midway point to the 2030 agenda.

The Secretary-General in his new report on this lack of progress is calling for a fundamental shift to rescue people and planet by mobilizing commitments and financing through a holistic and coherent development pathway.

This sense of urgency is also encapsulated in the Human Development Report and is the theme of the upcoming SDG Summit, which will provide a platform for a political declaration alongside national commitments for accelerating the SDGs.  

Thailand is in an excellent position to take a leading role as it sustains progress on human development.

This is reflected in the country’s ability to buck the global trend and keep 42% of SDG indicators on track with 33% in need of acceleration.

To deliver on the 2030 agenda, Thailand will need to sustain this momentum.

The UN Country Team is in dialogue with the government, private sector, and civil society to accelerate high-impact initiatives that will contribute to lowering emissions and delivering on Thailand’s NDC commitments, reducing inequalities, and investing in human capital by leveraging digital technologies.

In support of these outcomes the Human Development Report emphasizes the importance of scaling up investment, insurance, and innovation.

Analysis by ESCAP suggests that we need an additional investment of 50 baht per person per day in Thailand to achieve the SDGs on schedule.

This will require leveraging much more financing from the private sector and government in support of high-impact initiatives during this pivotal moment when we can raise ambition and support for the SDGs.

Concurrently, inclusive insurance can be transformative. UNDP is exploring ways to incorporate risk-financing to scale up insurance coverage for the most vulnerable such as farmers and workers in the informal economy.

For instance, the national crop insurance scheme covers only two crops: rice and corn. This leaves much of the agricultural base unprotected.

Similarly, innovations to accelerate the SDGs will be critical.

The UNCT’s partnerships to scale up telemedicine initiatives, smart-farming practices, and mechanisms for generating carbon credits nationwide show us the ways in which we can leverage innovations for maximum benefits.

Today’s seminar will enable us to hear new perspectives and generate new networks as we work towards reshaping policies to support human development during these challenging and uncertain times.

I wish you all fruitful discussions.

Thank you.