Mr. Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Secretary-General for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development

Opening Statement
48th session of the Commission on Population and Development

13 April 2015, New York

Let me now share a few reflections as Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

This Commission meets at a critical time as the world is preparing for three major conferences that will shape a new era of sustainable development. The Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa in July should lay the groundwork for a successful Summit on post-2015 in New York in September and for a climate agreement in Paris in December.

The post-2015 development agenda is beginning to take shape with the formulation of the sustainable development goals and targets. I am pleased that key objectives from the 1994 ICPD Programme of Action, which were mainstreamed in the MDGs, are reflected in the new agenda. I am equally pleased that some commitments made back in 1994 but not included in the MDGs have now been put forward as part of the SDGs. Examples include protecting the rights of migrant workers and promoting the contribution of migration to development.

The zero draft of the outcome document for the Addis Conference covers many issues that are of direct relevance for this Commission. Examples include providing access to minimum essential health care and education services, planning for sustainable urban development, and enhancing the productive use of diaspora resources. As Conference Secretary-General, I hope governments will participate at the highest political level, which will give a strong signal that the international community is committed to leaving no one behind.

Dear colleagues,

As the Secretary-General stated in his synthesis report, functional commissions will play an important role in charting global progress on sustainable development, identifying challenges and mobilizing global action. Given your track record in monitoring the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, I am convinced that the Commission on Population and Development will be up to this task.

I thank you for your attention, and I wish you a very productive Commission.

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