UN Regional Commissions and the post-2015 development agenda
Monday, November 17, 2014 at 5:19PM 
To ensure that Member States and other stakeholders gain “a better understanding of how the regional dimension can continue playing a critical role in catalyzing and mobilizing the means of implementation for the achievement of the post‐2015 development agenda”, the Executive Secretaries of the UN Regional Commissions held a discussion with the UN General Assembly's Second Committee (Economic and Financial) on 5 November under the title ‘Development Agenda: Regional Perspectives'.
According to the Concept Note, there is recognition that regional frameworks can help to translate sustainable development policies into national-level action. The outcome document of the Open Working Group (OWG) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), however, does not fully reflect the potential of the regional dimension, particularly in "facilitating and mobilizing the means of implementation and towards helping to consolidate a global partnership for development."
It should be noted from the summaries below that the Regional Commissions see that there is an important role for them in the post-2015 development agenda. At the same time it should be remembered that they do not all address social issues as strongly as economic issues. The UN Economic Commission for Europe’s (ECE) major aim, for example, is “to promote pan-European economic integration.” If issues such as human rights and those related to sexual and reproductive health and rights are to be adequately addressed, it will, therefore, be necessary for them to collaborate with other regional bodies. These could include, for example, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Offices.
Priorities for the Regional Commissions
The discussion in the Second Committee was moderated by Alicia Barcena, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), who highlighted that regional commissions, as opposed to UN Agencies, are intergovernmental in nature and that they provide a space for Member States and stakeholders to voice their priorities at the regional and sub-regional level through regional consultations. According to Barcena, they are in a position to know the realities of their regions and are already integrating the three pillars of sustainable development. (As mentioned above this may not be within their mandates.) They could also play an important role in preparing inputs for the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
The role of the regional commissions in integrating the regional dimension in the process of defining the post-2015 development agenda was welcomed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). They recognize the need to coordinate the efforts of national governments and regional commissions in implementing the SDGs.
The priorities for the post-2015 development agenda identified by Barcena included equality; poverty eradication; enhancing official development assistance (ODA) and external flows; concession-based technology transfer in areas like health and education and regional frameworks of governance and accountability; and enhanced MOI based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibility (CBDR). She also noted the importance of implementing the SAMOA Pathway.
Speaking on behalf of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Rima Khalaf, identified the following among the challenges for the region: low economic productivity; the lack of diversification of the regional economies; informal employment; unemployment concentrated among youth, especially educated youth; and the low participation of Arab women in economy and governance; there was a need for a strong monitoring and accountability mechanism, enhanced partnerships and disaggregated data, as well as integrating refugees and foreign occupation in the post-2015 development agenda.
Abdalla Hamdok, for the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), noted that Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world. Growth during the past 15 years has not created jobs nor significantly addressed poverty eradication. Among the challenges for the region are the Ebola crisis; needs for resource mobilization and improving tax collection systems. He also referred to the Common African Position (See: Common Africa Position on the Post 2015 Development Agenda), adopted in January 2014 by African leaders.
Andrey Vasilyev, ECE, referred to strengthening means of implementation (MOI) and renewing the global partnership for sustainable development as “make or break” for the new agenda, also saying that balancing domestic and external resources of financing was critical. He stressed the importance of ODA, especially for low-income countries and identified four areas in which the regional level can facilitate the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda: public-private partnerships (PPPs); development and implementation of norms, standards, and instruments; trade facilitation; and monitoring and accountability.
According to Shun-Ichi Murata, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), ESCAP members are working to improve regional infrastructure connectivity, regional economic cooperation and integration, and legislative arrangements for cross-border, paperless trade. The main challenges for the post-2015 era include: building an efficient, fair and predictable financial system, more diversified and balanced financial sectors and new financial mechanisms; and developing the role of fiscal policy.
For further information including full statements from the Regional Commissions visit http://www.regionalcommissions.org/?p=1015