October Post-2015 Update 

The opening of the 68^th Session of the UN General Assembly focused on accelerating progress to achieve the MDGs and defining the process and content for negotiating the post-2015 development agenda.  This update provides information and analysis on the discussions and outcomes related to the post-2015 agenda.

It was clear that while the post-2015 process commands a high level of interest and engagement, more is at stake than the design of the next global development goals. Multilateralism itself is being put to the test. World leaders now have an historic opportunity to not only set an ambitious development agenda, but also to ensure that the multilateral system is equipped to address the challenges of the 21st century.

PGA’s Special Event

The President of the General Assembly convened a Special Event on the MDGs on September 25. Member states adopted an Outcome Document, which included key substantive and process points related to the post-2015 agenda.

The document states that intergovernmental negotiations will be launched at the opening of the 69^th UNGA in September 2014, and calls on the SG to deliver a synthesis report of all inputs by the end of 2014, providing a formal mechanism to bring together the many post-2015 strands. The process will culminate in a Summit of Heads of State and Government in September 2015to adopt the agenda.

The outcome document underlines the need for a single universal framework. It also incorporates the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR).” The inclusion of this principle came about as a result of a compromise between G77 and EU countries. The latter agreed to CBDR in exchange for a reference to “promote peace and security, democratic governance, the rule of law, gender equality and human rights for all.” While it is promising that all these issues were included, it may not actually indicate a willingness to compromise on the final framework if member states decided that accepting this language in the outcome document would not prevent them from backing away at a later stage of negotiations.

Process for the Forthcoming Year

At present, the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG) is the main focus of member state engagement. There will be four more formal sessions from November-February 2014, after which they will move into negotiations on their final report. At this point, it remains unclear as to how the Chairs will facilitate negotiations on the final report. The OWG has drawn legitimacy from its relatively open and transparent membership and process, though some question how the Chairs can maintain this legitimacy but at the same time narrow gaps between constituencies and build the space for meaningful compromise.

The PGA has made it clear that post-2015 will be a key focus of the 68^th session.  He has emphasized six clusters of issues around which he will organize thematic discussions: 1) Women, youth and civil society; 2) Water, sanitation, and sustainable energy; 3) Partnerships; 4) South-South cooperation, triangular cooperation, and ICT; 5) Human rights and rule of law; and 6) Peaceful and stable societies.

The poverty agenda

Overall, there was widespread agreement that the post-2015 development agenda should be anchored in the MDGs, and goals not met by 2015 should be carried forward into the new agenda.

Universality

The outcome document stated the post-2015 framework should be “universal in nature and applicable to all countries, while taking account of differing national circumstances and respecting national policies and priorities.” It remains unclear how a universal agenda will work in practice because it raises several practical questions for goal areas that do not necessarily apply across countries, such as eradicating extreme poverty, and suggests greater implications for national policy in developed countries than they may be prepared to accept.

Financing

This will be particularly crucial as the question of financing is at the heart of many member states’ calculations around what they stand to gain or lose from the post-2015 framework. Issues that received considerable attention during UNGA were illicit financial flows, tax evasion and havens, charges on remittances, and domestic resource mobilization. Financing issues, in particular domestic resource mobilization, have been discussed in tandem with corruption, transparency, and governance. Civil society and other stakeholders have criticized the Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing for being too closed and have demanded that it be opened up to outside participation.

Inequality

Member states are grappling with inequality and how to address it within a universal agenda. They seem willing to highlight it as an issue of concern, but less willing to support any framing that would put their domestic circumstances in the spotlight.

Peace, stability and governance

These issues are now widely seen as enablers of poverty reduction and sustainable development and as essential outcomes in their own right. Member states tend not to dispute the relationship between peace, governance, poverty reduction and sustainable development. The ongoing challenge comes from member states that see these issues as threatening their core priorities within the post-2015 agenda and consequently argue that they will dilute the developmental focus of the framework.

Measurement and data

Many member states have coalesced around the High-Level Panel’s proposal for a data revolution. They tend to agree on the need for better data and strengthened measurement and data management capacities. Many also highlight that data is an area that could and ideally, should be worked on before 2015.

Input from Civil Society

Civil society groups generally agreed on the need to build a unified vision and to influence the positions of their own governments, beginning with advocacy at the national level. Southern civil society leaders emphasized the importance of targeting the G77 in their advocacy efforts. Key themes highlighted by civil society included: inequalities and equity; women’s rights; environmental sustainability; governance; peacebuilding; and accountability of the private sector.

 Additionally, youth stated that they do not want to be seen only as recipients of aid or just as “the future” – they want to be heard now, and treated as equal partners and citizens.

Must-Reads for October

         The World Bank’s Report: Financing for Development Post-2015 (Executive summary available) – includes mobilizing domestic resources, better and smarter aid, private finance, and innovative sources of financing for the post-2015 agenda.

          John McArthur (UN Foundation) on the World Economic Forum’s blog: 23 Months for the world to get organized –reflects on where we are after the GA’s Outcome Document  and where we need to go in the months leading up to 2015.

         Kevin Watkins (ODI) think piece “Leaving No One Behind: an equity agenda for the post-2015 goals” – focuses on widening inequalities and the case of “equity stepping stones.”

         DevEx Blog: Private sector redoubles MDG efforts – outlines their top five private sector commitments to advance the MDGs during GA week.

         Eric Kashambuzi (UN Foundation) on the IISD’s blog: Accelerating Growth to End Poverty without Damaging the Environment – argues that a new political mindset will be needed to end business as usual in production and consumption patterns in the post-2015 agenda.

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