UNGA General Debate 2014 Continues Focus on MDGs, Post-2015 Agenda, SIDS

29 September 2014: As the 69th UN General Assembly's (UNGA) General Debate entered its second week, speakers continued to reflect on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and outline their priorities for the post-2015 development agenda, including gender equality and women's empowerment, peace and security, and oceans. Small island developing States (SIDS) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) highlighted particular challenges and vulnerabilities, with some also addressing the challenge of graduation from least developed country (LDC) status.

Several speakers described their countries' progress toward achieving the MDGs, including Jean-Paul Adam, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Seychelles, Phandu Skelemani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Botswana, Mohlabi Kenneth Tsekoa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lesotho, and Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bahrain. With much remaining to be done, said Albert del Rosario, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the Philippines, the country has strengthened data collection and analysis as a tool for measuring MDG progress and supporting decision-making.

Thongloun Sisoulith, Deputy Prime Minister, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), said his country had adopted a localized MDG on addressing the impact of unexploded ordinances as its "MDG 9." Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister, Cambodia, said it adopted its own development targets, the Cambodia MDGs, and has implemented an MDG Acceleration Framework to accelerate progress.

Several speakers called for accelerating efforts to address the unfinished business of the MDGs, including Mårten Grunditz, Permanent Representative, Sweden, and Samura Kamara, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sierra Leone. Grunditz also noted that conflict-affected and fragile states are among those lagging behind. Tsekoa said challenges remain most daunting in LDCs, LLDCs, some SIDS, and countries in or emerging from conflict. Hor and Domingos Simões Pereira, Prime Minister, Guinea Bissau, recommended that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) build on lessons learnt from the MDGs. Singapore said the MDGs that are not fully achieved should be included in the post-2015 agenda.

Several speakers commended the Open Working Group (OWG) on the SDGs for their efforts. The Holy See appreciated that the OWG's goals and targets do not echo fears regarding population growth in poorer countries and do not impose on poorer states the lifestyles associated with advanced economies. Grunditz and Shanmugam looked forward to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's synthesis report.

On the means of implementation (MOI), several speakers stressed financing for development (FfD) and effective partnerships for sustainable development. Some speakers urged fulfillment of commitments on official development assistance (ODA), including Joe Shanmugam Shanmugam, Prime Minister, Vanuatu, and Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini, Prime Minister, Swaziland. Natuman also recommended institutional capacity building, particularly for SIDS and LDCs. Camillo Gonsalves, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, stressed the importance of measurable, timely commitments from development partners. Shanmugam supported south-south, north-south and triangular cooperation in capacity building and implementation. Wunna Maung Lwin, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Myanmar, stressed mobilization of financial and technology support.

Grunditz said the post-2015 framework must be accompanied by a strong monitoring and accountability framework to measure progress and ensure accountability at all levels. He added that the UN must be "fit for purpose" to take on the post-2015 development challenges effectively. Aurelia Frick, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Liechtenstein, stressed the importance of establishing a system to monitor implementation and ensure accountability, suggesting the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) as the best mechanism.

Several speakers supported addressing gender equality and women's empowerment in the SDGs, including Grunditz, Frick and Natuman. Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iceland, supported a stand-alone goal on gender as well as mainstreaming gender throughout the post-2015 framework. Grunditz and n recommended ensuring women's sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including freedom from violence.

Several recommended addressing peace, security and the rule of law, including del Rosario and Tsekoa. Frick called for placing the rule of law at the heart of the post-2015 agenda. Natuman supported the inclusion of peace and effective institutions in the SDGs. Kamara reaffirmed support for a stand-alone SDG on peace and capable institutions. Shanmugam stressed the importance of: honest, competent government; sound and effective institutions; and pragmatic, rather than dogmatic, economic and social policies. Angola noted the negative impact of regional insecurity on its development.

Several countries supported a stand-alone oceans SDG, including Adam, Sveinsson and Natuman. Sveinsson stressed the importance of oceans and fisheries resources for livelihoods and food security, and underscored the need for improved management to address overfishing and other challenges. Nickolas Steele, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Grenada, welcomed actions on oceans and the blue economy, including the Global Blue Growth Initiative, the Global Partnership for Oceans, and the Caribbean Challenge Initiative, which aims to promote an enhanced marine environment.

Noting that the Pacific's biggest economic asset is its fishery, Murray McCully, Minister for Foreign Affair, New Zealand, emphasized the importance of sustainable fisheries, and said it has committed over US$70 million over the next five years to advance an approach that includes enhanced surveillance, training in research and monitoring, commercial fishing practices, and improving management practices with the aim of seeing Pacific tuna countries receive a greater share of the value of their tuna resources and to ensure its sustainable management for the future.

Del Rosario described the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the core instrument for resolving maritime disputes. Sveinsson called UNCLOS a sound basis for states to harness marine resources and a valuable tool for development efforts, but said states lack the capacity to implement effective monitoring and sustainable harvesting.

Grunditz described migration as an enabler of development, explaining that it contributes to development and reduces poverty in migrant households. Del Rosario recommended recognition of the contributions of migrant workers to global development and ensuring their basic rights.

Speakers prioritized a number of other topics for inclusion in the post-2015 agenda. Charles Flanagan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ireland, emphasized increased attention to hunger, child stunting and maternal mortality. Dlamini recognized the role of indigenous knowledge and practices in contributing to the sustainable development agenda and recommended addressing food security. Shanmugam urged increased attention to sanitation for all.

Shanmugam also described the challenges and opportunities of urbanization, underscoring the need to manage urbanization well. He highlighted Singapore's role as the co-chair of the Group of Friends on Sustainable Cities and the establishment of Singapore's Centre for Livable Cities and the Livability Framework, suggesting its incorporation into discussion at the UN Conference on Housing and Urban Development (HABITAT III).

SIDS described their unique development challenges and highlighted the 'Samoa Pathway' as a guide to their development. Adam said the Samoa Pathway addresses three of its priorities: using a vulnerability index to address SIDS' development needs; addressing SIDS' debt through innovations such as debt for climate change adaptation swaps; and building opportunities for SIDS based on strengths, such as the blue economy approach. Gonsalves described challenges and priorities, including poverty alleviation, debt relief, disaster risk reduction, concessional financing for development, and oceans management and education.

McCully said not enough attention is focused on SIDS and called for increased cooperation to share experiences and skills with SIDS. Shanmugam supported including SIDS' views and concerns in the post-2015 agenda.

LLDCs, including Erlan Abdyldayev, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, Skelemani and Sisoulith, also underscored their unique challenges and highlighted the review of the Almaty Programme of Action and the Second UN Conference on LLDCs as an opportunity to adopt a new programme of action. Abdyldayev called for establishing an International Development Fund to provide support.

Steele discussed LDC graduation and called for concessional financing, particularly for SIDS. Natuman described Vanuatu's experience with encouraging the UN to adopt vulnerability as a criterion for assessing graduation cases, noting his country's vulnerability was fairly recognized through the criteria and it had previously ceased to qualify for graduation. Noting Vanuatu will graduate from LDC status in December 2017, he called for the UN to carefully address vulnerability, and said Vanuatu is assessing the LDC benefits it might lose, with a view to negotiating certain concessions to sustain economic development. Adam said using GDP per capita measurements do not adequately identify the threats to human development nor the opportunities that exist for SIDS.

Several African countries highlighted the Common African Position (CAP) and Agenda 2063 as Africa's vision and guide for the post-2015 agenda, including Gabriel Arcanjo Ferreira Da Costa, Prime Minister, Sao Tome and Principe, Manuel Vicente, Vice-President, Angola, Kamara, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Liberia, and Dlamini.

Speakers also addressed a number of other issues, including climate change, renewable energy, climate smart agriculture (CSA), food security, biodiversity conservation, security, terrorism and Ebola.