The high-level meeting marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development. It provides an opportunity for the international community to demonstrate and reaffirm its unequivocal commitment to the effective realization of the right to development. The high-level meeting contributes to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and increasing awareness among all stakeholders, in particular Member States, relevant bodies, agencies and mechanisms of the United Nations system, the international financial and trade institutions, as well as civil society of the special role of the right to development for advancing effective multilateralism, international solidarity and cooperation.

Opening remarks and statements delivered by the speakers in the meeting can be accessed below:

Opening Remarks:

• Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization
• H.E. Mr. Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
• Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
• Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group
• Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Panellists Statements:

• Mr. Bonny Ibhawoh, Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development
• Mr. Saad Alfarargi, Special Rapporteur on the right to development
• Mr. Zamir Akram, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development
• Ms. Li Yuefen, Senior Adviser on South-South Cooperation and Development Finance, South Centre

Background documents:

• Concept Note (PDF)