New York – December 4, 2014
Excellencies,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you may recall, in resolution 68/6, containing the outcome document of the Special Event to follow-up on efforts made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the Heads of State and Government and heads of delegation decided to launch a process of intergovernmental negotiations in the 69th session, which will lead to the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda in September 2015.
Furthermore, the Secretary-General was called upon to synthesize the full range of inputs and to present a synthesis report before the end of 2014 as an input to the intergovernmental negotiations.
In doing so, he has had a number of important outcomes to synthesize including the proposal of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals; the report of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing, and the recommendations from the Structured Dialogues on a technology facilitation mechanism.
By briefing Member States on his synthesis report today, the Secretary-General is fulfilling the mandate he was given. In view of the time constraints, I have been informed that advanced copies will initially be available in the working language, English in this case and in all the six languages by December 31, 2014.
Member States will have ample time to study the synthesis report and give their views including within the context of the consultations and negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda.
As we approach the commencement of the negotiations, we have a historic responsibility to deliver a transformative development agenda, backed with adequate means for its implementation.
I now invite the Secretary-General to brief Member States.
