ISPE EAG
INTERATIONAL
SOCIETY FOR POVERTY ELIMINATION ECONOMIC
ALLIANCE GROUP
Briefing # 1: Post 2015 and FfD Processes – Answer How Questions Now.
Global Call to World Leaders, Representatives of 193 UN Member States, 9
Major Groups, other CSOs’ and other Stakeholders.
By Lanre Rotimi and Charles Sheke.
10 July 2015
Since
the adoption of the Final Push to achieve MDG by 2015 and Post 2015 Development
Agenda Initiative and in the run up to the Finance for Development, FfD
Conference Addis July 2015 where decision will be taken on FfD Zero Draft and
UN Global Assembly September 2015 where decision will be taken on the Post 2015
Zero Draft, discussion has grown more intense to develop the two Zero Drafts
into a proper Strategy that is sufficiently robust – all inclusive, all
embracing and ambitious to help achieve increasing convergence between National
Vision Ambitions of each of the 193 UN Member States, each of the Continental /
Regional Vision Ambitions as well as the Global / World Vision Ambitions.
However, if all concerned Stakeholders at each level – Village to Global are to
jointly translate the ambitions of each Strategy into Practice and Reality,
appropriate ACTION Steps will need
to be taken in time in other to realize these ambitions on successful and
sustainable basis. Let us consider what changes in the two Zero Drafts would
have to be made in order to deliver on the Strategy’s ambitions:
What are the Ambitions of the Post
2015 and FfD Zero Drafts?
The FfD Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero
Draft are two sides of the same coin – Sustainable Development Goals, SDG
Initiatives. The overarching objectives of the SDG Initiatives are Poverty Elimination and Environmental
Sustainability, that is, the main strategic objective of SDG Initiative is
to End Hunger and Poverty, in ways that
protect the Environment by the 2030 target date. This would be achieved
through establishing an enhanced partnership between all relevant Stakeholders
at each level - Village to Global with a stronger Political Dimension, which
would constitute the turning point in the relationship between Partners at each
level – Village to Global. In order to achieve this ambition, the Institutional
Framework of Partnership at each level should be adapted to allow for (1) a strengthened Political Dialogue adapted
to the ambitions of the New Strategy and in ways that help find answer to HOW Questions in the two Zero Drafts.
(2) the effective implementation of all
Items in the Action Agenda of each of the SDGs’ and in ways that help
implement answer to HOW Questions
with effective monitoring and evaluation of this implementation in the Strategy
at all levels – Village to Global.
Learning Lessons
In the ongoing FfD and Post 2015
Processes, there is much talk within and outside the UN about ambitious
transformation agenda. However, it appears negotiations is falling short of
ensuring talk deliver ACTION that help move Stakeholders at each level –
Village to Global from where they are now in 2015 and where they need to be in
2030, if there is to be increasing convergence between Strategy Intention and
Reality by the Target date.
Since the FfD and Post 2015 Processes
started Giant Strides have been made but much more remains to be done if
Strategy that achieve required level of Transformation by 2030 Target date is
to be Designed and Delivered.
The FfD Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero
Draft in its latest version still answer only What and Why questions. It is yet
to include answer to How questions. As long as this flaw remains uncorrected,
the probability of achieving increasing convergence between Strategy Intention
and Reality is low. Allowed to occur, the ultimate consequences for Citizens in
both Developed and Developing Countries – all 193 UN Member Countries, is
likely to be catastrophe.
This flaw exists as reoccurring decimal in
these Zero Draft versions probably because Lessons Learning is progressing at
the same rate as Lessons Forgetting. As long as Stakeholders at each level –
Village to Global to not make deliberate and effective effort to Build Bridge
between Lessons Learning and Lessons Forgetting, this flaw will remain as
reoccurring decimal in the final FfD Zero Draft that will be agreed at the
Addis Conference in July 2015 and the final Post 2015 Zero Draft that will be
agreed at the UN General Assembly in September 2015.
It is pertinent to note that the FfD
Process is essentially about SDG Goal 17. If Lessons has been Learnt from the
MDG Gap Reports particularly the focus on full implementation with effective
monitoring and evaluation of MDG Gap Reports 2013 and 2014 Reports, many areas
of disagreement in the FfD Process will not exist and a FfD Zero Draft that
help achieve SDG Vision Ambition Intention and Reality will be easier to
negotiate and agree.
It is pertinent to note further that the UK Independent Commission
on Aid Impact, ICAI Report May 2015 ICAI on DFID’s work with Business gave DFID
poor rating. In earlier April 2014 ICAI report on How DFID learns, DFID also
got poor rating with caveat that it is the Best Performing UK Agency when it
comes to Organization Learning, that is, ICAI itself is not better than DFID
when it comes to Organization Learning. The Big Question is if any UN Family
Organization Member including World Bank Group Institutions and IMF; or any
entity of any Developed or developing Country in our World today, is each
subject to the same level of scrutiny, which of them can score better than DFID
in its work with Business and or How it Learns?
As long as ongoing FfD Process does not actually learn lessons
from Lessons Learnt in MDG Gap Reports, particularly those of 2013 and 2014,
the Final FfD Zero Draft agreed will be impotent to address FfD Issues in the
Post 2015 Development Agenda. As long as Post 2015 Process does not actually
learn lessons from Lessons Learnt in MDG Reports, as well as relevant
Conference Reports, Study Reports and Position Papers, the Final Post 2015 Zero
Draft agreed will be impotent to address Post 2015 Issues in the Post 2015
Development Agenda. This will be unfortunate with ultimate catastrophe
consequences for Village to Global Stakeholders as real probability.
Why is Synthesis Report and Data
Revolution Report not Implemented?
The UN Secretary General’s Data Revolution
Report was released 6 November 2014. Had its recommendations been effectively
accommodated in the FfD Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero Draft, addressing Data
Challenges in the two Zero Drafts will be much easier. The UN Secretary General’s
Synthesis Report was released 4 December 2014. Had its recommendations been
effectively accommodated in the FfD Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero Draft,
addressing each Item Action Agenda in each of the SDG 17 Goals will be much
easier.
It appears some Member States and other
Stakeholders do not want these two important Reports implemented. There is
urgent need to find out why this is the case and take corrective measures. It
is clear that has Stakeholder Dialogue been enriched by content of the two
reports since January 2015, the content of each of the two Zero Drafts in July
2015 would have been much richer. It would be beneficial to all concerned
Stakeholders at each level – Village to Global, if this act of omission or
commission is corrected without delay.
Revising SDGs’ Goals and Targets
The 8 July version of Post 2015 Zero Draft
states that there are 17 Goals and 169 Targets. The SDG has been locked at 17
Goals such that the Goals cannot be revised. But the targets are still open for
revision. Some credible calls have been made for the revision of the Goals,
particularly the unbundling of Goal 16 and the creation of New Goals. The logic
of the calls are recognized but the request denied on the grounds that some
Member States have threatened that the entire Goal 16 will be expunged if any
attempt is made to revise the SDG.
The Big Question is Do Stakeholders want
the SDG to succeed or not? If Stakeholders want the SDG strategy to succeed on
sustainable basis, then all that is possible needs to be done to achieve this
aim. Thus as long as the logic is credible and capable of doing greatest good
to greatest number, it will be beneficial to reopen the Goals. For example, if
World Leaders are serious about Fighting Corruption, then Goal 16 should be
unbundled to focus only on Governance while separate Goals are created for
Corruption and Conflict Resolution to better address issues of Terrorism, Intra
State Wars and Inter State Wars. Also separate Goals need to be created for
Data to better address Data Challenge in each of the SDG and Religion Affairs
to better address Religious Matters in each of the SDG. This will expand the
SDG to 21 and accompanying Targets will have to be worked out.
We had earlier made submission in this
regard. Should the suggestion resonate positively with enough Stakeholders,
there is no reason why the suggested New Goal 16 and related 4 New Goals cannot
be negotiated and agreed. It is clear that those who insist that the SDG cannot
be revised while the Post 2015 Process is still ongoing are doing so in bad
faith and most probably benefiting from the current Decayed Systems feeding
National and International Corruption.
Please find statement from a UNECE Senior
Official “The UN is a member
driven organization. The member states decide what is corruption, how to fight
it and how the UN can help. I am here to comply with these rules as my view is
one of 7 billion. This is no UN Dictatorship no UN Marines who will persecute
you. The UN Security Council is the only body who can. So UN lives and strives
to consensus by the member states. If you want to change our work; your and
other governments can help us. No other way, that's the transparent rules the
member states, including yourself, have dictated us”.
It is clear that without achieving Corruption Free Society in any of the 193 Member States, seeking to achieve SDG Vision Ambition in that Country will be a mirage; that the view of this UNECE Senior Official needs to be taken seriously and that revising the SDG as suggested can help addresses these fundamental issues.
It is clear that without achieving Corruption Free Society in any of the 193 Member States, seeking to achieve SDG Vision Ambition in that Country will be a mirage; that the view of this UNECE Senior Official needs to be taken seriously and that revising the SDG as suggested can help addresses these fundamental issues.
What is the Role for Parliaments?
“As has been stressed in the EU Strategy
for Africa and elsewhere, parliaments are the guarantors of democratic
legitimacy and are key actors in European Development Policy. It is vital that the
national, regional and continental parliaments of Africa should be consulted
fully on the preparation of the Joint Strategy, but this is a process that must
be initiated independently by our African Partners. The Commission therefore
wishes to urge Parliament to engage in dialogue with the Commission of the
Africa Union to ensure that it actively consults the Pan African Parliament as
soon as possible on the development of the Joint Strategy. It is essential that
the Pan African Parliament should make its Voice heard on its Vision for the
Joint Strategy and that it should provide the necessary positive momentum to
enable the national and regional African Parliament to participate fully in the
debates. Any Joint Action between the European Parliament and the Pan African
Parliament would be welcome in this regard”.
Mr. Louis Michel, European Commissioner
for Development and Humanitarian Aid on EU Africa Strategy 2007
The fundamental issues raised by Mr.
Michel are as relevant today as when he made the statement in 2007,
particularly in those Countries and Regions that have Parliaments but also in
those Countries that do not practice Democracy – they must find a way to
improve Citizen / Stakeholder Participation within their Countries as well as
Internationally at Regional and Global levels.
It is pertinent to note that many National
and Regional Parliaments are not alive to their responsibilities and this is
not just a problem on Developing Countries sides. For example had the European
Parliament been more effective and productive, many of the problems facing
Europe today will not exist and it would deliver sustainable benefits to Europe
and its Partners Worldwide. Also, had the US Parliament been more effective and
productive the decay in the US Foreign Aid Apparatus, Security System, Health
System, Financial System etc would not exist or would have been effectively and
efficiently overhauled long ago with sustainable benefits to US and its
Partners Worldwide.
There is a need to ensure that Parliaments
within Countries at Local to National levels and Parliaments at International
levels Sub-regional, Regional and Global perform at minimum certain levels
Worldwide. At present there is no Global Parliament. We understand that the
Leadership of the UN support at least one effort at establishing a Global
Parliament. There is a need to ensure that this support translates into an
effective and efficient Global Parliament within the first 5 years of
implementing the SDG.
What are the How Questions?
In the circumstance Developed and Developing Countries find
ourselves today, the more Transparent and Accountable the System we
collectively put in place to “Leave No One Behind” and to design and deliver
“People Centred” “Policy, program, Project Interventions”, the more successful
and sustainable the effort to overhaul the current decayed Systems will
be.
UNDESA, UNNLGS, other UN Family Organization Members including
World Bank Group and IMF and Partners on Developed and Developing Countries
sides will find its effort more productive, if it works effectively with other
stakeholders, within existing space to help address Transparency,
Accountability and Participation, TAP; Evaluation, Learning and Result, ELR and
Means of Implementation, MOI Issues as One within One Worldwide Approach with
Local Context Driving Design and Delivery of Post 2015 and FfD Processes
Interventions from Village to Global levels.
Our World today, need to re-establish existing National and
International Institutions and also establish new National and International
Institutions fit for the 21st Century who individually and
collectively promote and protect WIN - WIN Benefits that Drive Common Interest
and Common Future of Citizens in the over 200 Countries in our World today.
That is, we need a New World Vision within reinforced and reinvigorated FfD
Process and Post 2015 Process that address all issues raised in this Policy
Brief.
To contribute effectively and efficiently to the important work
towards the Design and Delivery of this New World Vision, the Big Challenge
that face UNDESA, UNNLGS, other UN Family Organization Members including World
Bank Group and IMF and Partners on Developed and Developing Countries sides
is effectively Mobilizing Village to Global Stakeholders in FfD and Post
2015 Processes to answer a set of HOW
Questions:-
1. HOW governments will constructively engage with all relevant
stakeholders in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda, as well as in
the follow-up and review and accountability of the Post-2015 agenda – Post 2015
and FfD Processes, and at all levels and stages of review processes - including
design of accountability mechanisms and verification of data”. The focus of
this HOW question is on Government
Coordination.
2. HOW do Stakeholders – sub-national, national, sub-regional,
regional and global correctly diagnose the national and global problems on the
ground and JOINTLY come up with correct prescription, surgery and
recover management solutions in ways that answer the above HOW question.
The focus of this HOW question is on
Stakeholder Involvement that is, Citizen / Stakeholder Participation.
3. HOW to Design and Deliver Solutions to real and complex problems on
the ground within:-
·
Filling the awareness raising, mobilization, planning, research, data,
implementation, monitoring, evaluation, learning, results and partnership gaps
and disconnect at sub-national, national, regional and global levels.
·
Promoting and protecting harmony, alignment, accountability,
transparency, transformation, leadership, learning, participation, result and
amplification of voices of Nigeria and other Countries – Developed and
Developing / Africa and other Continents / World grassroots and marginalized
communities’ expectations and realities on Nigeria President Buhari
National Transformation Agenda that is an Integral Part of AU Agenda 2063
and UN Post 2015 Development Agenda to sub-national, national, sub-regional,
regional and global policies, programs and projects, in a way that builds
synergy and maximizes resources and efforts and that help find answers to HOW questions in all relevant
Conference Reports, Study Reports and Position Papers. The National Transformation
Agenda of other Countries and Continents will be integrated into the Process.
·
Ensuring credibility and ownership of Nigeria President Buhari
National Transformation Agenda that is an Integral Part of AU Agenda 2063
and UN Post 2015 Development Agenda processes, reports and reviews through
multi-stakeholder monitoring and evaluation at sub-national, national, regional
and global levels. The National Transformation Agenda of other Countries and
Continents will be integrated into the Process. The focus of this HOW question is Achieving Ambition of
each Item Action Agenda in all 17 / 21 SDG.
Urgent Need to Select One Worldwide
Approach
It will be recalled that the Synthesis
Report has recommended a One Worldwide Approach for implementing its
recommendations. It is clear that a One Worldwide Approach is a necessary
condition for full implementation of all recommendations in Data Revolution
Report, Synthesis Report, FfD Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero Draft as well as
complimentary Reports within SDG Initiative, recommendations in ways that help
achieve increasing convergence between FfD Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero Draft Intention
and Reality.
If concerned Stakeholders genuinely accept
to tackle the Challenge of finding correct answer to HOW Questions and in ways that help achieve increasing convergence
between FfD Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero Draft as well as complimentary
Reports within SDG Initiative Vision Intention and Reality then UNDESA, UNNGLS
other UN Family Organization Members including World Bank Group and IMF and
Partners need to recognize that there is urgent need to ensure that a “One
Worldwide Approach” with “Local Context” that is “Fit for Purpose” is selected
without delay.
We suggest that selection is based on the
most advance known “One Worldwide Approach” with clear “Principles,
Instruments corresponding to each Principle, Practices and Database” that
ensures critical principles of “Transparency, Accountability and Participation,
TAP; Evaluation, Learning and Results, ELR and Means of Implementation, MOI as
One” cannot and will not be left behind in the work towards achieving
increasing convergence between Final Push to achieve MDG by 2015 and Post 2015
Development Agenda Vision Intention and Reality.
The FfD Conference Addis July 2015 is a
Global Forum where Delegates can take decision on this selection of a One
Worldwide Approach, given benefits such selection can make in the work towards
improving the Development Impact of the FfD and Post 2015 Processes.
3PCM Approach
The Policy, Program, Project Cycle
Management, 3PCM Approach to Benefit focused National and International
Development Cooperation. 3PCM is probably the most advance such One Worldwide
Approach in the World today and it is available to Stakeholders. Information on
3PCM is available upon request.
The SDG Initiative is All Inclusive, All
Embracing and Ambitious. It requires a One Worldwide Approach with Local
Context that is also All Inclusive, All Embracing and Ambitious. It will be
helpful if Delegates to FfD Conference Addis July 2015 at appropriate Event
during the Conference put all known such Worldwide Approaches on the table and
select the Best that could help achieve increasing convergence between FfD Zero
Draft, Post 2015 Zero Draft, Synthesis Report, Data Revolution Report and
related Reports within the SDG Initiative Vision Intention and Reality.
Conclusion
At this stage in the debate leading to the FfD Conference Addis
July 2015 and UN General Assembly September 2015, it is already crucial to
think ahead and consider proactively the follow up. Key points such as taking
decision on the One Worldwide Approach; ensuring that answer to HOW questions
are found; ensuring that found answer to HOW questions are fully implemented
with effective monitoring and evaluation of this implementation within the FfD
Process and Post 2015 Process; the place of each Village to Global Stakeholder
in existing and required newly established Village to Global Institutional
Arrangements at each level; the creation of dedicated envelope for each level –
Village to Global that can be systematically and jointly programmed by
concerned Stakeholders at each level; the modalities for implementation; the
modalities for monitoring and evaluation / follow up and review and the place
of Civil Society and other relevant Stakeholders cannot just be left to happen,
but need to be actively discussed and established and on time.
Contact:
Lanre Rotimi
Director General
International Society for Poverty
Elimination /
Economic Alliance Group
Akure – Nigeria
West Africa
Email: nehap.initiative@yahoo.co.uk
M: +234-8162469805
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