<div dir="ltr"><br><div class="gmail_quote">From: <b class="gmail_sendername">South Centre</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:south@southcentre.int" target="_blank">south@southcentre.int</a>></span><br><br><h1 style="display:block;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:40px;font-style:normal;font-weight:bold;line-height:125%;letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0px;text-align:left;color:rgb(0,0,0)!important">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">UN Development Summit in Sept 2015, </span></h1>
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<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Post-2015 Development Agenda negotiations to start Sept 2014</span></h2>
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">The
UN will hold a Development Summit in September 2015 to adopt a
Post-2015 Development Agenda. Negotiations among governments will start
in September 2014 towards an outcome for the Summit. This was decided
at a special event on the MDGs held at under the General Assembly in New
York on 25 September.</span><br>
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<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b>By Martin Khor</b> excerpts<br>
<br>
A Summit of political leaders will be held in September 2015 to adopt the United Nations’ Post-2015 Development Agenda.<br>
<br>
This was decided on 25 September at a special event to review the
Millennium Development Goals held at the UN in New York, as part of the
General Assembly events.<br>
<br>
To prepare for the Summit and its outcome, an inter-governmental
process will be launched in September 2014, at the beginning of the 69<sup>th</sup> session of the UN General Assembly.<br>
<br>
“The final phase of the intergovernmental work will culminate in a
Summit at heads of states and governments level in September 2015 for
the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda,” states an “outcome
document” adopted during the special MDG event on 25 September.<br>
<br>
The special event on the follow up on efforts to achieve the MDGs was
convened by the President of the General assembly, Ambassador John Ashe,
as part of the General Assembly events taking place in New York.<br>
<br>
The outcome document acknowledged the Rio+20 follow-up processes now underway <br>
at the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, the
inter-governmental committee of experts on Sustainable Development
Financing, as well as the process to develop options for a technology
facilitation mechanism.<br>
<br>
The sequencing implied is that these three processes (SDGs, financing
and technology) complete their work in September 2014, and that the
negotiations for the post-2015 Development Agenda would then begin its
work also in September 2014.<br>
<br>
Of course there is nothing to prevent governments and their groupings
to hold their own preparatory and informal meetings on the Development
Agenda already in the coming 12 months. However the formal negotiating
process for the Development Agenda is mandated to begin only in or after
September 2014.<br>
<br>
Several government delegates have voiced concern (and impatience) that
whilst the UN secretariat and UN agencies, as well as many NGOs and
research institutions have already embarked on a lot of work on the Post
2015 Development Agenda, the governments have yet to begin work or
negotiations on this at the multilateral UN level.<br>
<br>
A decision on even this did not come easily. According to diplomatic
sources, the developing countries under the umbrella of the Group of 77
and China had to fight hard to have a negotiated and agreed outcome for
the MDGs Special Event of 25 September. Many developed countries
reportedly only wanted a “Chairman’s summary” which would carry much
less weight in the UN and may not have mandated an inter-governmental
process for the Development Agenda, nor a Summit.<br>
<br>
Because an “outcome document” was agreed to for the 25 September event,
the developing countries could then put forward their view that the
post-2015 Development Agenda should have an inter-governmental
negotiating process, which means there would be an outcome document to
be agreed to by all UN member states.<br>
<br>
Additionally and importantly a Summit will now be convened in September
2015 for political leaders to discuss and adopt the outcome document of
the post-2015 Development Agenda.<br>
<br>
This of course gives a high profile and a high political weight to the
Development Agenda and the negotiating process leading to its adoption.<br>
<br>
In terms of the substantive terms of reference or framework for the
Post 2015 Development Agenda and its negotiations, the following
elements were agreed to in the 25 September outcome document:<br>
</span></div>
<ul><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">It will be in parallel with intensification of efforts to accelerate achievement of the MDGs.</span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">It will build on the foundations laid by the MDGs, complete the unfinished business and respond to new challenges.</span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Reaffirmation of commitment to the
Millennium Declaration, the outcome document of Rio+20, the Monterrey
Consensus, the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development and the
outcomes of all the major UN conferences and summits in the economic,
social, and environmental fields. “We will continue to be guided by the
values and principles enshrined in these texts,” says the outcome
document. </span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Reaffirmation of all the principles
of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including, inter
alia, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, as
set out in principle 7 thereof.</span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">It should reinforce the international community’s commitment to poverty eradication and sustainable development. </span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">The central imperative of poverty eradication, commitment to freeing humanity from poverty and hunger as a matter of urgency. </span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">It recognises the intrinsic
inter-linkage between poverty eradication and promotion of sustainable
development, and stresses the need for a coherent approach which
integrates in a balanced manner the three dimensions of sustainable
development.</span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">This involves working towards a
single framework and set of Goals, universal in nature and applicable to
all countries, while taking account of differing national circumstances
and respecting national policies and priorities. </span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">It should also promote peace and security, democratic governance, the rule of law, gender equality and human rights for all.</span></li></ul>
<div style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"> <br>
In terms of <b>the process towards the Post 2015 Development Agenda,</b> the outcome document of 25 September contains these elements:<br>
</span></div>
<ul><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Acknowledging the Rio+20 processes,
especially the SDGs working group, the sustainable development
financing experts committee and the options for technology facilitation
mechanism. </span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">An inclusive and people-centred
post-2015 development agenda, through a transparent intergovernmental
process which will include inputs from all stakeholders including civil
society, scientific and knowledge institutions, parliaments, local
authorities, and the private sector. </span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Over the coming year, the President
of the General Assembly will convene events under the theme “The
Post-2015 Development Agenda – Setting the Stage”</span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">The support of the UN system and
the Secretary General to synthesise the full range of inputs then
available and to present a synthesis report before the end of 2014.</span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">The President of the General
Assembly to convene intergovernmental consultations to achieve agreement
on organisational modalities for the Summit.</span></li><li style="text-align:justify">
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">The process will culminate in a
Summit at Heads of State and Government level in September 2015 for the
adoption of the post-2015 development agenda. </span></li></ul>
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