The President of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, HE John W Ashe, has transferred the draft resolution on the organizational modalities for the Summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda (which coincides with the UN’s 70th anniversary), to be held from 21 – 23 September 2015 to the President of the 69th Session, HE Sam Kutesa of Uganda. The work on the resolution was facilitated by HE Robert Guba Aisi, Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea and HE Ib Petersen, Permanent Representative of Denmark (see Organizational modalities for the September 2015 UN Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda). The one area on which agreement has not been reached and which remains in square brackets relates to its financing.
This draft resolution is important for civil society organizations as it sets out the modalities for their participation in the process.
Summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda
Heads of State and Government are invited to participate in the Summit, which will be presided over jointly by the President of Uganda and the Head of State or Government of the country of the President of the 70th session of the General Assembly. It will comprise plenary meetings, concurrent with six interactive dialogues that will be co-chaired by two Heads of State or Government. The themes for the interactive dialogues will be decided through an intergovernmental negotiation process and summaries of the interactive dialogues will be presented orally in the closing plenary session. (Annexes I and II) A representative of civil society will be included as a keynote speaker after the opening statements. (Annex I)
Civil society participation
In addition to the specialized agencies of the UN system, other stakeholders “including parliamentarians, academia, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, Major Groups and the private sector” are invited to participate in the Summit. They may participate in the Summit itself and in its interactive dialogues and the preparatory process “according to the modalities specified in the annexes to this resolution.” They are encouraged, moreover, to “consider initiatives and activities in the preparation and the lead up to the Summit.” The Summit should also engage with all relevant stakeholders “to arrive at an inclusive and people-centred post-2015 development agenda.”
As was the case in 2010, the President of the General Assembly should organize and preside over two days of informal interactive hearings before June 2015 with representatives of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, Major Groups and the private sector. He should, moreover, prepare a summary of the hearings to be made available prior to the Summit. The Secretary-General is requested to use existing trust funds to “enhance” the participation of developing country non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and Major Groups.
The process for the participation of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector in the plenary meetings and interactive dialogue of the Summit is set out in Annex IV. It should take into account the principle of transparency and the principle of equitable geographic representation, with a proposed list being submitted to Member States for their consideration on a “non-objection” basis. The list of proposed, as well as final names will be brought to the attention of the General Assembly, noting the general basis for objections.
High-level Political Forum
The draft resolution further affirms the decision to consider at the 69th Session of the General Assembly to need to convene a meeting of the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) under the auspices of the General Assembly in 2015 in relation to the launch of the post-2015 development agenda, with a view to reaching agreement by the end of 2014 in this regard.
Modalities for intergovernmental negotiations leading up to the Summit
The text requests the President of UNGA 69 to appoint two co-facilitators, to be appointed by the end of September, to hold intergovernmental consultations with all Member States through the appointment to reach agreement on all remaining issues relating to the intergovernmental negotiation process, including the Summit. The organization and modalities for the intergovernmental negotiations are to be established by the end of December 2014.
For full text of resolution click here.