Nicholas Hill
U.S. Deputy Representative for the Economic and Social Council
New York, New York
October 18, 2021
AS DELIVERED
Thank you very much to the Executive Secretaries for their time and presentations today.
The United States is more committed than ever to the multilateral system and the United Nations. We look forward to expanding our engagement and partnering with all five Regional Economic Commissions to address the full scope of our mutual interests, including the theme of this event: SDG 10—reducing inequality.
The five regional commissions are increasingly important platforms as the international community looks for multilateral solutions to regional and global challenges.
Perhaps the most urgent challenge at the moment is pandemic recovery. We look forward to partnering with the Regional Economic Commissions to address the immediate and secondary effects of Covid-19.
The Biden administration has committed to contributing over 1.1 billion vaccines globally. To date, the U.S. has shipped over 180 million doses to over 100 countries – donating more vaccines than all other countries combined – for free and with zero strings attached, with millions more shipping each day.
The Biden administration likewise views climate change as an existential threat and climate action as a top priority. We welcome your ideas on how the regional commissions can serve as platforms for climate solutions.
Despite the challenges we face as a global community, we see opportunities. Each region can improve connectivity and supply chains; close digital divides; advance economic diversification; revive small and medium-sized businesses; strengthen social protection systems; prioritize healthcare and education; and work together to advance mutual interests.
At the same time, we believe pandemic recovery and development should address inequality in its various forms. As Secretary Blinken said in a recent speech at the OECD, the data is crystal clear: both the pandemic and the climate crisis are hitting underserved populations in our society the hardest.
Our challenges come with opportunities; we remain fundamentally optimistic. In partnership with the regional economic commissions, the United States looks forward to a collaborative approach to revitalize our efforts going forward.
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