EU Statement – UNDP Annual Meeting on Rule of Law and Human Rights

EU Statement - UNDP Annual Meeting on Rule of Law and Human Rights

2 June 2026, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union by Renaud Savignat, ECOSOC Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the UNDP Annual Meeting on Rule of Law and Human Rights

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Excellencies, colleagues,

We meet at a time of unprecedented strain-geopolitical tensions, democratic backsliding, and declining financial support - with severe consequences for the sustainable development of people all around the world, especially those in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

The EU recognizes the strong nexus between peace, security and development and is committed to promoting human rights, gender equality, and the rule of law as drivers of stability and development.

The European Commission has recently reaffirmed this again in its most recent Communication entitled "Defending values, driving reform, delivering impact: the EU's humanitarian action in a shifting global order", adopted last week, which presents the EU integrated approach to fragility - with a special focus on extremely fragile contexts.

We would have 3 points in that perspective:

First, human rights as a foundation The EU's legal framework mandates human rights as central to our external action. We prioritise inclusive governance, accountability, and justice, backing this as the leading donor, as EU and its Member States, to UNDP's rule of law and human rights projects globally.

Second, our commitment is also reflected in our Global Gateway strategy, which is guided by six key principles: 1) democratic values and high standards, 2) good governance and transparency, 3) equal partnerships, 4) green and clean, 5) security focused, 6) catalysing the private sector. Besides delivering physical infrastructure and economic opportunities through partnerships, Global Gateway thus puts strong emphasis on standards, governance and regulatory reform and thereby promotes adherence to human rights throughout entire supply chains.

The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive reflects this, requiring heightened due diligence in conflict zones to mitigate severe risks. The work carried out by UNDP on Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence is explicitly referred to in the Directive, and provides a strong basis for work by the European Commission in developing guidance for companies.

Finally, as a member of the OSLO+ group, which UNDP is also part of, we further support the advancement and implementation of the human-rights based approach (HRBA) in development.

In conclusion, the EU fully supports UNDP's efforts to strengthen rule of law and human rights governance-essential for a just and equitable world. Now, we must translate commitments into tangible impact for those who need it most.