The President of the 69th session of the General Assembly will convene a High-level Thematic Debate on Means of Implementation for a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda in New York on 9-10 February.

Addressing the issue of mobilizing adequate means of implementation – financial resources, technology development and transfer and capacity-building – will be critical to delivering on and implementing a truly transformative and ambitious post-2015 development agenda.

The main objective of the high-level thematic debate will be to provide an opportunity for participants to address key issues related to mobilizing the means of implementation such as:

• What actions are needed to scale up mobilization of financial resources from all sources: domestic public financing, domestic private financing, international public financing (including ODA), international private financing (FDI and remittances), trade, and partnerships?
• What is required of the different development players/actors to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the use of available resources for sustainable development?
• How can coherence and a common understanding for robust means of implementation in the post-2015 agenda and the Financing for development process be fostered and agreed? How can trade contribute to renewing the global partnerships for development?
• What measures can be taken to develop a financial architecture/system that incentivizes the direction of global public and private savings towards sustainable development investments, including provision of long-term financing to fill critical investment gaps?
• Given the critical role the development, transfer and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies will play in achieving a transformative post-2015 agenda, what are the best options for a technology facilitation mechanism?
• What measures and actions need to be undertaken to further build and strengthen capacities of developing countries, in particular to ensure an effective domestic enabling environment and enhance their ability to effectively implement the post-2015 development agenda?

For more information:

High-level Thematic Debate on Means of Implementation for a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda

The 2015 Substantive Session of ECOSOC: Operational Activities for Development Segment, will take place on 23-25 February at UN Headquarters in New York.

The segment serves as a key meeting place for stakeholders interested in operational activities for development of the UN system. The segment is mandated to provide guidance to the UN development system on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 67/226 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review (QCPR) of operational activities of the UN system.

Operational activities of the UN system currently account for nearly two-thirds of all activities of the Organization. This year, discussions in the Operational Activities for Development Segment will also contribute to the recently started ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the UN development system, mandated in Council resolution 2014/14. The new ECOSOC Dialogue will take place over the next year and half with a view to informing the outcome of the next General Assembly resolution on the QCPR to be adopted in December 2016.

The Operational Activities for Development Segment provides also an annual venue for a dialogue of the Executive Heads of the funds and programmes with Member States. This year’s segment will also include sessions focusing on the opportunities and challenges facing the UN development system in: (a) advancing South-South cooperation, (b) strengthening the coherence of funding of operational activities and (c) enhancing the effectiveness of the UN system support for national capacity development in programme countries.

An important outcome of this year’s Operational Activities for Development Segment of ECOSOC will be an ECOSOC resolution providing guidance to the analytical preparations of the Secretary-General for the 2016 QCPR process.

For more information: United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

ECOSOC will hold a special event on “Multi-stakeholder partnerships: Making them work for the Post-2015 Development Agenda” at  UN Headquarters on 27 February.

The half day meeting will feature two panel discussions: the first, moderated by Mr. Raj Kumar, Co-Founder and President of Devex, will aim to highlight examples of partnerships that have been successful, including especially from the viewpoint of mechanisms for their monitoring and review.

Confirmed speakers include Ms. Kathy Bushkin Calvin, CEO of UN Foundation, Mr. Martin Hiller, Director General of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) and Ms. Martha Herrera, Head of Global Social Responsibility of CEMEX.

The second discussion, to be moderated by Mr. Michael Shank, Climate Nexus’ Director of Media Strategy, will consider ways in which partnerships could best be aligned to the Post-2015 Development Agenda, including how and where it should be done and ways to measure results. Speakers on the panel will include Dr. Klaus Leisinger, Founder and President of the Global Values Foundation, Professor Frank Biermann of VU Amsterdam University and Ms. Hesphina Rukato, Founding Director of the Centre for African Studies.

It is hoped that the main proposals and recommendations coming out of the event’s discussions will help provide parameters for a possible framework for reviewing and evaluating partnerships in the Post-2015 period.

For more information: United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

“Today, we embark on the critical task of negotiating an ambitious, inclusive and transformative post-2015 development agenda,” said UN General Assembly President Sam Kutesa as he opened the stocktaking session of the intergovernmental post-2015 development agenda negotiations, which took place from 19 to 21 January at UN Headquarters in New York. 

“We have a heavy but noble responsibility to finalize the new agenda on a strict timeline, so that our Heads of State and Government can adopt it during the forthcoming Summit scheduled for 25-27 September,” he said. The President also reminded Member States that a final push would have to be made to achieve the MDGs.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recalled the overarching message of his Synthesis report: “We need a new and universal compact that is people-centered and planet-sensitive. It must encompass the fight against poverty and inequality and against gender-based discrimination; it must include those who do not enjoy full participation in society; and it must be based on safe and peaceful societies and strong institutions led by women and men from all backgrounds.”

ECOSOC President Martin Sajdik outlined the key role that the ECOSOC system and the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development will play in the follow-up and review of the new agenda, and noted the importance of communication and partnerships of all kind for its success.

During the session, Member States commented on the possible four parts of the outcome document of the September Summit: the Declaration; Sustainable Development Goals; means of implementation and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development; and follow up and review.

A number of distinguished speakers shared their views on these four elements, their statements can be found on the Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform (see the link provided below). During an interactive dialogue with Major Groups and other Stakeholders, the conclusions of the Stakeholder Preparatory Forum for the post-2015 negotiations, held on 16 January, were presented to Member States. The topics discussed ranged from the Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report to the review mechanism and means of implementation.

In their concluding remarks on the last day of the session, the co-facilitators of the negotiations, Ambassador David Donoghue of Ireland and Ambassador Macharia Kamau of Kenya, noted the constructive engagement of member states and the large turnout of civil society and major groups.

Ambassador Donoghue, who presented the co-facilitator’s concluding remarks, observed that member states recognized the Open Working Group’s SDG proposal as far reaching and ambitious achievement with broad legitimacy. Contact had been made with the UN Statistical Commission who will present for member state’s reflection a draft of indicative global indicators linked to the Goals and targets.

The co-facilitators concluded that member states favour a Declaration which is comprehensive in scope but also concise, inspirational and visionary in its terms. Many delegates would like to see the Declaration reflect the integrated and universal nature of the agenda and for it to reaffirm core values and principles.

An overriding message heard regarding means of implementation and a Global Partnership was that it will be impossible to deliver on the SDGs without an even higher level of ambition in respect to both. Many member states reiterated the importance of an open, transparent and inclusive follow up and review framework for the delivery of the post-2015 development agenda. Some thought that no target should be considered met unless met by all relevant income and other groupings, especially the most vulnerable.

The next session of the negotiations will be held from 17 – 20 February 2015 and will focus on the introductory Declaration.

For more information:
Post-2015 intergovernmental negotiations

The Stakeholder Preparatory Forum for the post-2015 development agenda negotiations, held on 16 January at UN Headquarters in New York, brought major groups and other stakeholders including the private sector together with representatives from UN member states and the UN System. Around 400 participants attended the event.

“Your views as critical stakeholders have helped raise ambitions and shaped the way we talk about post-2015 today,” said Thomas Gass, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Interagency Affairs at UN DESA, at the opening of the Forum. He added that the representatives of Major Groups and other Stakeholders “have the critical role to keep all of us – the Member States and the international organizations – focused on our objective to transform societies and economies so as to eradicate poverty and realize sustainable development.“

Among the panellists, moderators and discussants were the president of ECOSOC, the co-facilitators of the post-2015 intergovernmental negotiations, delegates from a number of UN Member States, civil society representatives from all continents, and UN officials. The Forum was held two days ahead of the first session of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda, which will be adopted at the UN Special Summit in September 2015.

In the first session of the Forum, stakeholders highlighted a number of core elements that they would like to see as integral to the post-2015 agenda. There should be a profound sense of urgency to achieve transformative change to ensure the survival of present and future generations. People should be seen as rights-holders and governments as duty-bearers. And the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities to address inequalities among nations should be part of the agenda.

Stakeholders also emphasized the need to shift to a development paradigm respectful of natural, human and cultural diversities; human rights as the cornerstone of the post-2015 development agenda; and the importance of equality and overcoming all forms of discrimination.

The Forum had focus sessions on the Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report, means of implementation and Global Partnership for sustainable development, and follow-up and review of the post-2015 development agenda. A summary of the discussions with messages and recommendations is available on the Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.

The Forum was organized by the Steering Committee representing the Major Groups and other stakeholders, facilitated by UN-NGLS and the Division for Sustainable Development of UN DESA.

For more information: Post 2015 process and MGoS