Resident Coordinator's speech: MERCY Malaysia International Humanitarian Conference 2024

Distinguished Guests, Esteemed Colleagues, and Friends,

It is an honor to address you today at this pivotal conference on the humanitarian-development nexus. The theme selected for the MERCY Malaysia International Humanitarian Conference 2024, "Building Resilience, Transforming Lives," underscores the critical intersection of humanitarian assistance and sustainable development in shaping a better future for all.

Please allow me to start by extending my sincere appreciation to Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Faizal Perdaus, President of Mercy Malaysia. Your organization stands as a beacon of humanitarian action and has consistently demonstrated leadership and dedication in Southeast Asia and beyond. As a valued partner to the United Nations, Mercy Malaysia has played an instrumental role in delivering critical assistance to those in need, often reaching the furthest behind first. 

I take this opportunity to commend your unwavering commitment to humanity. As a co-chair of the Malaysia-UN SDG Trust Fund, I also congratulate Mercy Malaysia on the selection of your project on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in East Malaysia as part of the first cohort of programmes funded by the SDG Fund. We have no doubt that your team’s continued dedication will make a difference in the lives of thousands of people in Sabah.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

We are gathered here because we recognize the urgency of action. We recognize that the world is confronting crises on an unprecedented scale. From the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change and humanitarian emergencies, global challenges are testing our resilience.

Conflicts and threats of conflict are plaguing many parts of the world, destroying lives, disrupting communities and displacing millions of people, with women and children bearing the brunt of crises. 

The impact of climate change is more perceptible than ever, and its manifestations are increasingly devastating. 

Today, we are witnessing hard-won development gains being reversed, and resources diverted away from development to address collateral concerns and respond to often protracted humanitarian needs.

These challenges compel us to rethink our approaches and harness the collective power of humanitarian and development efforts to build resilience and transform lives.

As a UN Resident Coordinator, covering Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, with a clear mission to support national efforts to achieve progress towards an equitable, inclusive, prosperous and sustainable future for all, I will focus in my address on development’s crucial role in reducing vulnerability and acting as a buffer against various crises. I will then highlight the development-humanitarian nexus in a forward-looking approach, zooming in on the upcoming Summit of the Future and its expected outcomes.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs serve as our guiding framework in a complex endeavor with many competing priorities. At their core, the SDGs are an agenda for people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships. They represent a holistic vision of development that leaves no one behind and addresses the root causes of poverty and vulnerability.

At mid-point of our journey to 2030, the data, facts and analysis tell us a sobering story of lagging progress, inadequate and often fragmented policies, and insufficient financing. Progress has been too slow on climate and the environment, on food security, education, water and sanitation, digital transformation, employment and decent work, equal opportunities for men and women, governance and several other goals.

Referring to the 2023 special edition of the SDG Progress Report, only 15% of the targets for which data is available are on track; almost half are off-track; and about one third of the targets show stagnation or regression. Unforeseen events have had a serious impact on progress, not least the COVID-19 pandemic, but also geopolitical crises and raging inequalities between and within countries. 

It is no coincidence that countries affected by conflict are those who lag farthest behind on the SDGs. 

On these trends, by 2030, around 600 million people will be extremely poor; 1.6 billion people will lack access to safe water. Today, the number of food insecure people stands at around 770 million, and by 2030, this number is set to be higher. We estimate that 1 in 4 women and girls could be moderately or severely food insecure. Moreover, if no serious, decisive, collective action is taken to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees, life on earth and the future of our next generations are under existential threat.   

These are only a few examples, but they all point to a new reality, one where the line between development and humanitarian efforts is becoming increasingly blurred. Traditionally, development and humanitarian aid were seen as separate fields, with humanitarian efforts focusing on immediate relief in crisis situations and development aimed at long-term economic and social progress. 

However, contemporary interconnected challenges have necessitated a more integrated approach combining relief and long-term resilience building. Humanitarian aid now often includes elements of sustainable development, such as building infrastructure and supporting livelihoods, while development initiatives increasingly incorporate disaster risk reduction and crisis response mechanisms.

This convergence underscores collaboration across sectors as vital. The coming three days and this conference provide a unique venue to explore solutions that take into account the future of the nexus between development and humanitarian efforts, where the solution is neither entirely in humanitarian assistance alone nor in development alone.

I want to highlight three areas where further efforts are needed: 

First, our development work must be proactive, addressing the structural factors that lead to poverty and exacerbate inequalities. This includes ensuring access to quality education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. By building inclusive systems that take into account the needs of men and women and support and protect the most vulnerable, including people with disabilities, migrants and refugees, we lay the foundation for lasting peace and stability.

Second, climate change is a threat multiplier which exacerbates vulnerabilities and drives humanitarian crises. Our development efforts must therefore integrate climate resilience and adaptation strategies more systematically. We must support communities in building sustainable livelihoods that can withstand environmental shocks. 

This involves investing in education, green technologies, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy. Our humanitarian responses must align with climate action as we work to save lives and safeguard the future of our planet.

Third, peace and development are intrinsically linked, each reinforcing one another in a powerful cycle of positive change. Sustainable development cannot thrive in environments plagued by conflict, just as peace cannot flourish in conditions of severe inequality and deprivation. 

Addressing root causes of conflict such as social exclusion, economic disparity, and lack of opportunity, reduces the likelihood of conflict and fosters peaceful, harmonious societies. Effective, accountable and inclusive institutions are also vital in respecting human rights, building trust and fostering stability.

These entry points to resilience building can all be expressed in SDG target terminology, and this reaffirms both the relevance and urgency of acceleration efforts on the SDGs. They also remind us that none of these goals can be achieved in isolation. We need a reinvigorated multilateral system and partnerships between humanitarian and development actors, governments, the private sector, civil society, universities, the media and others. 

This brings me to the last part of my presentation on what’s next.

In less than four months, world leaders will meet at the UN Headquarters in response to a call, by the UN Secretary General, for a new global contract. The Summit of the Future will be convened on 22-23 September and presents a vital opportunity to reassess and strengthen the global infrastructure, enabling it to effectively address the monumental challenges of our time and ensure a sustainable, peaceful, and resilient future for all.

This will be our chance at revisiting a global infrastructure struggling to rise to the monumental challenges we face today. The Summit is about restoring trust in multilateralism, and the outcome Pact for the Future, currently being negotiated, will include practical step changes in global governance and resource allocation, in the use of technologies, in how we engage meaningfully with youth and protect the interests of future generations. 

The Pact for the Future will translate a collective determination to correct many injustices and equip the world to confront the realities and realize a future which is peaceful, inclusive, and where humanity lives in balance with the planet.

Esteemed audience, ladies and gentlemen, 

The challenges we face are daunting, but the impact of your efforts is profound and far-reaching. Every initiative, no matter how small, contributes to the larger goal. 

The resilience and commitment of the humanitarian community are the foundation of our Charter and collective mission. Thank you for standing and delivering for humanity during these most challenging times.

Thank you.