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Statement by Head of the Innovation Development and Investment Support Division of MFA of Ukraine Olga Bakalinska at 2025 Development Cooperation Forum

(12 March 2025)

Mr. President,

Let me thank you for convening this important event, which provides an excellent opportunity to exchange views and best practices in the sphere of development cooperation.

We are at a critical juncture, facing stagnation in progress toward the SDGs due to complex, interlinked threats and challenges. Development cooperation must play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges.

Ukraine remains committed to the Sustainable Development Goals at the national, regional, and global levels. The full-scale war against Ukraine has significantly undermined our progress in achieving these goals. SDG 16, which calls for Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, remains our most pressing challenge. Yet, Ukraine stands firm in its commitment to the SDG agenda.

Despite the ongoing crisis, we continue our efforts. Among other actions, we have:

• Updated our SDG targets and indicators, ensuring that even in wartime, we track progress toward 2030.
• Strengthened international cooperation, leveraging partnerships to sustain critical development projects.
• Established new financing models, realigning resources to balance immediate recovery with long-term sustainability.

Our ability to adapt financing strategies demonstrates that even in the most difficult circumstances, sustainable development remains possible. Ukraine’s experience proves that sustainable development must not be abandoned, even in times of war. However, we cannot achieve this alone.

We call upon the global community to take decisive action:

• Expand flexible and concessional financing instruments for countries affected by conflict and crisis.
• Enhance coordination among international donors to maximize impact and prevent resource fragmentation.
• Strengthen mechanisms for tracking SDG progress in war-affected regions, ensuring a responsive and adaptive approach.
• Promote innovative financing solutions, including blended finance and private-sector engagement, to secure long-term recovery.

At this 2025 Development Cooperation Forum, we reaffirm our shared commitment to sustainable development, not as a peacetime luxury but as a necessity in times of crisis. Only by transforming international development cooperation from global dialogue to action can we ensure that no country is left behind, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Thank you.