Mr. President,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island
States (AOSIS) in explanation of its position. We align with the statement delivered
by Iraq, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

AOSIS would like to once again congratulate the Government and the people of
Spain on successfully hosting the Fourth International Conference on Financing for
Development. We also acknowledge the leadership and efforts of all those who
contributed to and played an instrumental role in the convening of FFD4, and
reaching the outcome document of the Conference, the Sevilla Commitment.

Mr. President,
The Sevilla Commitment is more than a political declaration. It is a concrete
affirmation to address the deeply entrenched inequities and shortfalls in our
international financial architecture, while also strengthening multilateralism and
inclusivity where it is needed most.

In the thirty years since SIDS were recognized as a special case for sustainable
development, our countries have endured repeated external shocks and crises that
have severely constrained, and in some cases reversed, our development gains.
Regretabbly, the situation for SIDS have remained largely unchanged since Addis
Ababa.

Therefore, AOSIS welcomes that the Sevilla Commitment reaffirms what we have
already known — that the special circumstances of SIDS must be fully recognized
and operationalized across the international financial architecture.

For AOSIS, the Sevilla Commitment provides a renewed mandate to accelerate the
implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, advance the
multidimensional vulnerability index (MVI) as a tool for fairer access to
concessional finance, operationalise the Debt Sustainability Support Service to build
lasting solutions, and recognize ocean finance as crucial to development.
We are also particularly pleased to see the call to Member States to refrain from
promulgating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures not
in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
While AOSIS is remain disappointed that we could not find agreement on an
international debt convention or a sovereign debt mechanism outright, the Sevilla
Commitment also leaves the door open for an interngovernmental process on debt
and the opportunity to truly make a global sovereign debt architecture that is more
inclusive and more development-oriented.

Furthermore, a more nuanced reference to the issue of Financial Action Task Force
standards, and their unintended consequences, as well as the need to address the
decline in correspondent banking relationships in SIDS is welcomed.

Mr. President,
The adoption of the Sevilla Committement by the General Assembly today is only
one of many important steps.
Commitments must now be translated into action, and action into impact. This will
require steadfast partnership, predictable resources, and the political will to ensure
that the entire Sevilla Commitment is realised.

At the same time, AOSIS stresses that progress and urgent follow-up on the several
key deliverables contained in the Sevilla Commitment is vital for SIDS. We
welcome ongoing efforts and discussions to support the implementation of the
outcome.

However, follow-up and advancing implementation must also be transparent,
inclusive and member state-driven. As a key deliverable, AOSIS is dismayed to
learn that key discussions on advancing the commitments on debt and debt
sustainability, in particular the operationalisation of the platform for borrower
countries, have already not been sufficiently inclusive.

It is of utmost importance that all deliverables of the Sevilla Commitment, including
the borrowers platform, are advanced in a manner that is inclusive and accessible
to all developing countries, especially SIDS.

Mr. President,
AOSIS understands that the negotiations stretched all delegations to their
maximum flexibility, including SIDS, who had set out to reach an ambitious and
truly transformative global financing framework.
So, when we left the warm and beautiful city of Sevilla, we left with a sense of
renewed hope and optimism. An optimism that the SIDS would no longer sit on the
sidelines of the international financial architecture, but participate fully as decisionmakers in global economic and financial governance.

AOSIS has every confidence that the United Nations and our partners will provide
the meaningful support to achieve the vision enshrined in the Sevilla Commitment.

I thank you.