UN General Assembly Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The General Assembly Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) held its first meeting on 14 -15 March 2013. It was called for in Future We Want, the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20) to establish ‘an inclusive and transparent intergovernmental process’, open to all stakeholders to develop global SDGs. The Group will report to the General Assembly’s 68^th session.

The number of members of the Group is limited to 30, with six members for each regional group, although many more countries want to participate in the Group, some of the seats were therefore assigned to two or three countries (see earlier article details). This unique arrangement was reflected in the groupings of countries sitting together in the General Assembly Hall at the start of the meeting, with one country speaking on behalf those in its grouping.

The Permanent Representatives of Hungary, HE Ambassador Csaba Körösi, and Kenya, HE Ambassador Macharia Kamau, who had been appointed by the UN Secretary-General as co-facilitators to prepare the first meeting, were elected as Co-chairs. During the first session, in addition to the general discussion an interactive discussion on the SDGs was also held in which the panelists were: Amina Mohammed, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning; Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre; Manish Bapna, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the World Resources Institute; and David Steven, Center on International Cooperation, New York University.

During the general discussion there was support for the development of an inclusive sustainable development framework. It should also be aspirational, action-oriented, concise and universal and there should be a single set of goals. The deliberations should be inclusive and transparent and the economic and environmental dimensions should be addressed in a balanced and coherent way. Some countries also spoke about the importance of inclusion of social dimensions, including limited references in the first session to gender and sexual and reproductive health. The main focus, however, was on environmental and sustainable development.

Working methods for the OWG and NGOs

The meeting adopted its methods of work leading to its report to the 68^th Session of the General Assembly. Its report and recommendations will be adopted “by consensus, reflecting different options, if necessary.” In accordance with ECOSOC decision 1993/215 representatives of Specialized Agencies and related organizations and representatives of non-governmental organization in consultative status with ECOSOC may participate as observers in meetings of the OWG.

ECOSOC decision 1993/215 refers to the arrangements for NGO participation in the Commission on Sustainable Development, which allow NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC to attend meetings, make written statements and make brief oral presentations. During the first meeting of the OWG Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) made an oral intervention on behalf of two of the Major Groups from the Rio process, as did two other organizations. Other NGOs in consultative status should also consider presenting their views and those of other NGOs, in future sessions in making written or oral statements to ensure that social as well as economic and environmental concerns are included in the development of the SDGs. 

For full summary of the first session of the OWG see: http://www.iisd.ca/vol32/enb3201e.html