Permanent Mission of India
New York
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Interactive Dialogue 3: Accelerating SDG Achievement in African Countries, LDCs, LLDCs and MICs

Statement by Ms. Petal Gahlot, First Secretary
7 July 2026

Thank you, Mr. President.

The greatest challenge to accelerating the SDGs lies in ensuring that African countries, LDCs and LLDCs, who face structural vulnerabilities, are equipped with the means to implement nationally identified priorities. Lasting progress requires nationally owned, evidence-based strategies supported by an enabling international environment.

India's development partnerships with African countries, LDCs and LLDCs are guided by these very principles. Through demand-driven cooperation, India has supported partner countries in strengthening digital public infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, connectivity, capacity-building and skills development. Initiatives such as the India-UN Development Partnership Fund and ITEC demonstrate practical South-South cooperation. However, South-South cooperation complements and does not substitute for North-South cooperation.

Recent international commitments must now be translated into implementation through predictable means of implementation.

Going forward, we should expand productive capacities, strengthen infrastructure and digital connectivity, invest in human capital and local institutions, and foster practical partnerships that enable countries to achieve sustainable development in accordance with their own priorities.

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