UNCTAD Conference statement, October 2025
Ambassador and Permanent Representative Kumar Iyer statement on behalf of JUSCANZ, a likeminded group of UN members, at the 16th UN Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva.
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Secretary General of UNCTAD, your excellencies, distinguished colleagues, esteemed delegates,
I have the honour of delivering this on behalf of JUSCANZ.
Secretary-General, let me begin by expressing my group’s deep appreciation for your personal leadership, your vision, and for the unwavering commitment to the principles of the United Nations.
Despite the formidable challenges we face—whether its conflict, persisting levels of poverty, the roll back of rights, or the ongoing impacts of climate change—multilateralism remains not only alive, but absolutely essential. No international organisation in human history has done more to lift people out of poverty, eliminate fatal disease, respond to natural disasters, uphold human rights, and prevent and stop conflict than the UN. In these turbulent times, it is our shared responsibility to uphold and strengthen the multilateral system, ensuring it remains a driver of positive change for all.
We are all acutely aware of the turbulence currently affecting global trade. Yet, it is precisely in such moments of uncertainty that we must reaffirm our belief in the power of trade as a force for good. Trade, when managed inclusively and fairly, is a powerful engine for development, poverty reduction, shared prosperity & our ambitions to deliver the SDGs. This is visible in the data: A $1 increase in trade is associated with a $1.44 increase in GDP and trade-enabled growth has lifted over 1 billion people out of extreme poverty since 1995.
As such JUSCANZ underscores the importance of a revitalised multilateral trading system, with a reformed WTO that works for all, and supported by a dynamic, modern UNCTAD. For over half a century, UNCTAD has been at the forefront of supporting developing countries to harness the benefits of trade and investment.
As we reflect on this legacy, we must also look forward, recognising that UNCTAD must evolve to address the increasingly complicated & interconnected challenges that we task it with resolving. This means embracing innovation, finding new and better ways of working, modernising structures, and ensuring that the voices of all member states—especially those from the developing world—are heard and acted upon.
As we approach the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, we must acknowledge that reform is needed not only across UNCTAD, but also across the wider multilateral system. Today’s challenges– are not the same as those that the UN faced at its birth. That is why we support the UN Secretary-General’s UN80 reform initiative and want to see a bold vision of a UN re-focused on its core priorities and tangible results.
Let us seize this moment to recommit ourselves to the values of cooperation to ensure that multilateralism delivers tangible benefits for all, and that trade remains a cornerstone of sustainable development.
Thank you.