monterrey consensus

Spotlight on the Development Cooperation Forum

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03-20-Wu-Sajdik-BerlinThis session of the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) was organized to allow stakeholders to elaborate how development cooperation will have to change in order to help implement a transformative post 2015 development agenda. The following two key questions were addressed: How will different actors be able to support a unified and universal set of goals, and how can national ownership and coordination be guaranteed in this context?

Mr. Wennubst presented key messages from the 2013 High level Symposium held in Switzerland. He said that a key feature of the post-2015 development agenda will be the inclusion of the universality principle towards sustainable development to ensure poverty eradication. He also highlighted the importance of accountability. Mr. Bapna elaborated on the role of development cooperation in implementing a forward-looking post-2015 development framework. He said that development cooperation plays the role of a catalyst, which accelerates local efforts. He said that development finance is a key component of development cooperation. Mr. Bapna explained that ODA, which makes up about 70% of external financing and 10% of GDP, plays a very significant role in low-income countries.

Mr. Semodji explained the division of labor between different development actors. He said that the role of developing countries, according to the Monterrey Consensus, is that they have to define clear strategies for the basis of their development. The role envisioned for international, multilateral, bilateral and non-governmental actors was that they will be able to provide technical and financial assistance. He said that the international actors have played their role in this regard. However, Mr. Semodji said that there were problems in the implementation of this role. Mr. Premajayantha said that an effective intervention of DCF is crucial. He also emphasized that the coordination of all stakeholders and projects is vital. The key factors for poverty eradication and sustainable development are a peaceful atmosphere in countries, political stability, and effective management of human and physical resources, he explained. Ms. Akhtar called for a much deeper and broader inter-governmental cooperation that institutes an effective global governance system.

 

Meeting Title: Advancing a unified and universal development agenda, 2014 Development Cooperation Forum
Speakers: H.E. Vladimir Drobnjak (Croatia), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council; Ms. Amina Mohammed, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning (Moderator); Mr. Pio Wennubst, Assistant Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation; H.E. Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy, Sri Lanka; H.E. Mawussi Djossou Semodji, Minister of Planning, Togo; Mr. Manish Bapna, Executive Vice-President and Managing Director, World Resources Institute; H.E. Hélèn Laverdierè, Member of Parliament, Canada; Ms. Shamshad Akhtar, Executive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
Date: 10 June 2014
Location: Conference Room 1 (CB), United Nations HQ, New York
Written By WIT Representative: Shan Cheema
Edited By WIT Representative: Marli Kasdan

 

UN Annual Ministerial Review on MDGs

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The United Nations held its annual ministerial review, and Mr.Wu presented the 2014 ARM report of the Secretary General. Mr. Wu elucidated that the MDGs have been important in prioritizing development and creating momentum for their implementation. He then acknowledged that although there has been significant progress in meeting many of the goals and targets, achievements have not been equal among goals, countries and regions.

Further, Ms. Fukuda-Parr gave a report on the sixteenth session of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP), (E/2014/33, and Supplement No. 13). The CDP gave policy analysis and substantial recommendations on global governance and global rule. She explained that there are five principles crucial to guiding the reforms on global rules, namely, (i) Common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities, (ii) Subsidiarity, (iii) Inclusiveness, transparency and accountability, (iv) Coherence and (v) Responsible sovereignty. Ms. Fukuda-Parr concluded her statements by recommending that the council’s role to coordinate and guide initiatives of global socio-economic development should include an effective mechanism to monitor all development partners, including developed and developing countries, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and multilateral organizations.images-8

Further, the representatives of Norway and Costa Rica concurred with Ms. Fukuda-Parr’s conclusion. Next, the representative of Costa Rica added that her delegation is interested in establishing a truly global development partnership that builds upon the Monterrey Consensus, the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development and the Rio+20 outcome. The three dimensions of Sustainable Development: Economic, Social and Environment, were at the top of the agenda for many delegates, such as the delegates of South Africa, European Union, Serbia, G77 and China, San Marino and Zambia. With conviction, these ministers and diplomats agreed that a balanced integration and implementation of the injunctions given at Rio+20 asserts the function of the council in achieving a balanced integration of the three dimensions.

 

Meeting: The afternoon session of the high-level segment of the 2014 session of the Economic and Social Council and the three-day ministerial meeting of the high-level political forum on Sustainable Development. The Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) “Addressing on-going and emerging challenges for meeting the Millennium Development Goals in 2015 and for sustaining development gains in the future”
Speakers: Introduction of the report of the Secretary-General: Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs; Introduction of the report of the Committee for Development Policy: Ms. Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, Vice-Chair, And Committee for Development Policy. General debate (rolling list), His Excellency Sacha Sergio Llorentty Solíz, Permanent Representative of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the United Nations (on behalf of the Group of 77 and China); Her Excellency Olga Marta Sánchez Oviedo, Minister of Planning and Economic Policy  of Costa Rica (on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States); His Excellency Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for Environment (on behalf of the European Union); His Excellency Ivica Dacic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia; His Excellency Pasquale Valentini, Minister of Foreign Affairs of San Marino; Representative of Zambia, Representative of South Africa, and Representative of European Union.
Date: 8 July 2014
Location: United Nations Headquarters, NY, ECOSOC Chamber
Written by WIT Representative: Modou Cham