Stakeholders were invited to make Statements during the Major Groups and other Stakeholders meeting on 24 June 2015. Group 7 with focus on Transparency, Accountability and Participation, TAP issues had a Group Statement delivered by TAP Network Steering Committee Co Chair, Paul Divakar. The highlight of this Group Statement was “how governments will engage with all stakeholders, particularly civil society, in the follow-up and review and accountability of the Post-2015 agenda, and at all levels and stages of review processes - including design of accountability mechanisms and verification of data”. Please find link to full Group Statement:-
Group 25 with focus on
Means of Implementation, MOI issues was unable to come up with a Group
Statement. However, the First Draft of the Group Statement written by ISPE /
EAG came to the attention of UNDESA and UNNLGS, with caveat that it is dead at
birth as the Group could not agree a Final Draft for some cogent reason. We got
mail from UNNGLS thanking us for Statement made and inviting us to make
specific text suggestions. This encouraged us to amend the Group Statement to
Statement made by ISPE / EAG. Please find link to the ISPE / EAG Statement:-
The highlights of this
ISPE / EAG Statement were:-
1. how governments will constructively engage with all relevant stakeholders
at subnational, national and international levels in the implementation of the
Action Agenda in each of the 17 / 21 SDG
2. urgent need to ensure
that a “One Worldwide Approach” with “Local Context” is selected without delay and that selection is based on the most advanc “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.
It is clear that the How
question issues highlighted in Group 7 Statement and Group 25 Statement cannot
be effectively and efficiently addressed without simultaneously addressing TAP,
ELR and MOI as One Issues and One Worldwide Approach with Local Context issues.
Oxfam at the meeting
raised inequality issues and was invited to make specific text suggestions. Please
find link to their proposal:-
Oxfam welcome suggestion
for further improving the specific texts on inequality issues. It is one thing
to come up with specific texts for improving inequality issues in the Post 2015
Development Agenda, it is quite a different thing to implement these
suggestions in ways that achieve increasing convergence between Post 2015
Development Agenda Vision Intention and Reality.
Points made by Oxfam in
this proposal underline need for the Co-Facilitators and Writers of the FfD
Zero Draft and Post 2015 Zero Draft to actually learn lessons from Lessons
Learnt in MDG Gap Reports over the years, particularly those of 2013 and 2014.
Other highlights of the
meeting were:-
1 1. The relationship between
the FfD3 outcome document and the MOI chapter of the post-2015 outcome
document.
2 2. The need to reference a
better and “fit for purpose” UN system to help countries respond to development
challenges and support the implementation of the agenda.
3 3. How to develop a common
understanding of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities
(CBDR).
4 4. It is clear that the How
question issues cannot be addressed without simultaneously addressing TAP, ELR
and MOI as One Issues and One Worldwide Approach with Local Context issues.
It is pertinent to note
that addressing Point 1 call for FfD Zero Draft MOI to be distinct from Post
2015 Zero Draft MOI and that each of the 17 / 21 Goals need to have its own MOI.
We note the unwillingness at
the meeting to reopen the Goals. But what is worth doing at all is worth doing
well. SDG is far more comprehensive than MDG. This is commendable. All
Countries – Rich and Poor have something to gain from participating in SDG.
Corruption was identified
at the meeting as a Major Issue. As the current Anti Corruption Industry and
World Governance Indicators are themselves Corrupt, If Corruption is to be
tackled with the seriousness it deserve, so that sustainable success can be
achieved in the implementation of the SDG, then Goal 16 needs to be unbundled
to New Goal 16 with focus on Governance and Four New Goals on Corruption,
Conflict and Terrorism, Religion and Morals and Data. If Stakeholders genuinely
desire Success in the Implementation of SDG then expanding from 17 to 21 Goals
as suggested is suggestion worth considering.
It is clear that
addressing issues within highlights of the meeting, including those selected
above call for all Stakeholders giving serious attention to the serious issues
of serious business raised in the ISPE / EAG Statement.
It is the Representatives
of the 193 UN Member States that can collectively take decision on the
submitted good ideas and pertinent suggestions that help make our World a
better place to live, work and raise children. But it is when other
Stakeholders raise their Voices that these Representatives can take decisions
that better promote and protect the Common Interest and Common Future of all
193 UN Member Countries.
The Representatives of
Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, particularly US, UK and France
and the Representatives of Powerful Developing Countries in Africa –
particularly Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya and around the World particularly Brazil,
China and India can help the Co-Facilitators come up with Post 2015 Zero Draft
and FfD Zero Draft that help achieve increasing convergence between Final Push
to achieve MDG by 2015 and Post 2015 Development Agenda Vision Intention and
Reality.
Yes, Giant Strides have
been made in the FfD Process in its final round of negotiations before the
Addis Conference Mid July 2015. As decision on FfD Zero Draft at the Addis
Conference will feed into the Post 2015 Zero Draft that will be decided upon at
the UN General Assembly September 2015 and as these decisions will guide the
Post 2015 Development Agenda, all suggestions and proposals that could help
enrich the outcome of ongoing negotiations need to be given serious
consideration in the overall best interest of Citizens on both Developed and
Developing Countries sides, particularly the over 2 billion poor.
If you require some clarification or
additional information, please send email to:-
Lanre
Rotimi
International
Society for Poverty Elimination, ISPE /
Economic
Alliance Group
