Development must be top UN80 priority, focus on Global South: India

India has told the UN that the development pillar must remain the top priority under the UN80 Initiative. It stressed a continued focus on supporting countries of the Global South and said development solutions must be driven by national priorities.

India has said that the development pillar must remain the top priority under the UN80 Initiative, with a continued focus on strengthening support to countries of the Global South, while stressing that development solutions should be driven by national priorities and circumstances.

Addressing the interactive dialogue with the UNDP Administrator during the second session of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board on Wednesday (local time), India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said India supports efforts to align the UN Development Programme's structures, workforce and operating model with current realities.

#IndiaAtUN Statement by PR @AmbHarishP at @UN on Interactive Dialogue with the UNDP Administrator, Annual Session of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board Full statement - https://t.co/aP6YjMiLyf @MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @PIB_India @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/fGtp9Xmkik — India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) August 26, 2026

"India maintains that the development pillar must remain the top priority under the UN80 Initiative, with a continued focus on strengthening support to countries of the Global South," Parvathaneni said. He also cautioned against unnecessary changes to existing systems, saying, "However, we must not try to fix something that isn't broke."

National Ownership and Country-Led Development

India also emphasised the importance of national ownership and country-led development pathways, arguing that solutions should not be imposed externally.

"India advocates for a more holistic, inclusive and sustainable economic growth model with emphasis on national ownership and country-led development pathways. India also maintains that solutions cannot be dictated from outside. Instead, they must be introduced by member states and driven by their national priorities, capacities and circumstances," he said.

Parvathaneni further stressed that development priorities identified by partner countries should be respected and that multilateral assistance must remain aligned with their specific needs.

"We emphasise that the development priorities set by partner nations must be fully respected, and call for multilateral assistance to stay aligned with each country's specific needs," he said.

India's South-South Cooperation

Highlighting India's cooperation with UNDP, the envoy said India has been working closely with the organisation through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund and the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Fund.

"Through these two funds, India has committed over US$150 million to advance digital infrastructure, health, and climate resilience, with special focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)," Parvathaneni said.

He said the initiatives reflect South-South cooperation, which he termed a model that enables developing countries to share knowledge, connect capabilities, mobilise their own resources and access capital on better terms.

Concerns Over UN Development Funding

India also raised concerns over funding for the UN development system, particularly the decline in core funding.

"India notes with concern the problem of funding and the sharp decline in core funding to the UN development system as a whole," Parvathaneni said.

He reaffirmed India's role as a consistent core contributor to UNDP and encouraged other partners to strengthen core funding so that the organisation can respond early, innovate and deliver at scale.

"India reaffirms its own role as a consistent core contributor to UNDP and encourages other partners to contribute through its domestic public resources and strengthen the core funding, enabling UNDP to act early, innovate, and deliver at scale," he said.

Parvathaneni also acknowledged the contributions of Assistant Secretary-General Ahunna Eziakonwa and Assistant Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja as they leave UNDP after years of service.

He said India looks forward to continuing its cooperation with UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS in advancing the 2030 Agenda and reaffirmed New Delhi's commitment to multilateral cooperation. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)