Australia, The Netherlands and United Kingdom
Australia, the Netherlands and United Kingdom
Sustainable Development Goals Open Working Group, 11th Session, May 2014
Constituency Statement
Focus area 15: Means of Implementation/Global partnership for sustainable development
We are committed to an ambitious, forward looking and universally agreed new Global Partnership goal, including effective Means of Implementation to achieve the post-2015 agenda. We appreciate the work of the co-chairs, elaborating further on an MDG8 successor which is supportive of the new post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals. We acknowledge the work being undertaken by the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDF) and look forward to seeing their report.
Our capacity to implement the new framework is as important as the global goals that we agree. We are open to discussing MOI at different levels, but believe that our focus should be on refining an effective Global Partnership goal, as the successor to MDG8. We also need to address where we are going to do what, since we risk duplicating our work and scattering our efforts. What will we achieve in the OWG and what do we leave in the ICESDF or for further consideration in the next phase, for instance within the Financing for Development (FFD) process?
- We need a strong, cross cutting, overarching global partnership for implementation that supports all goals. This would ensure that issues of overall relevance such as ODA, domestic resource mobilization and international public and private flows maximize sustainable development outcomes.
- This partnership can be elaborated further at the Financing for Development conference, to be held in 2015 or 2016. The Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development provides a comprehensive basis for discussion on the Means of Implementation, covering all financial and non-financial means as well as systemic issues in the domestic and international, public and private domain. We support a Global Partnership Goal that reflects the six focus areas as defined in the Monterrey framework. We suggest Focus Area 15 reflects this structure.
- How do we respond to the call for implementation strategies at the goal level? We are not in favour of repeating MoI that apply across the framework for every single goal. This would lead to duplication. Naturally, implementation will be different for each goal, so our strategies must be tailored and fit-for-purpose. During our discussions, examples raised included multi-stakeholder partnerships such as the Global Fund for TB and malaria, Sustainable Energy for All and the Zero Hunger Challenge. We can assess over the coming period where additional efforts may be needed to infuse partnerships and cooperation into all goals. Engaging all stakeholders is key, including civil society, the scientific community and the private sector.
- The Busan Partnership agreement on development effectiveness remains important for maximizing the impact of each of our development contributions. In this regard, we welcome the outcome of the first High Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation in Mexico (15 and 16 April 2014) and support the message of the UNSG that the GPEDC can make an important contribution to the implementation of the post-2015 agenda.
- We underline that, as defined in Rio principle 7, CBDR applies specifically to global environmental degradation. It is not an overarching principle for the SDGs. We are committed to a universal agenda and we acknowledge shared responsibilities and contributions of all development stakeholders, with mutual respect for each other's evolving capabilities and circumstances. Whilst an effective means of implementation framework depends on mutual responsibility, and agreed principles, we recognize that some countries need special consideration and treatment, in particular the LDC’s, SIDS, Landlocked Developing Countries and countries affected by conflict.
These are our comments on the target areas for consideration:
On trade:
- Target 15a could be shortened: Implement the outcomes of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Bali agreement, and making progress on future pro-development multilateral trade issues;
- We support target 15b with an addition, it would read: Provide LDCs with greater duty-free and quota-free market access for goods, and preferential access for services, in keeping with WTO decisions; (target15b)
- Target 15c could be shortened: Integrate the poorest developing countries further into the global trading system by at least double the share of LDC’s exports in global exports (Istanbul Programme of Action);
In addition we suggest the following targets under this section:
- Reduce trade distortions and trade costs globally;
- Enhance support for trade-related capacity development in developing countries, including enhancing Aid for Trade initiatives.
On technology:
- Target 15d could be shortened: Promote collaboration on and access to science, technology, innovation, research and knowledge sharing, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation.
- We support target 15e, and 15h with the deletion of 'fully': Support (fully) research and development of vaccines and medicines for the common diseases of developing countries, particularly LDCs.
On Financing and Debt sustainability:
- We support a target on ODA that reads: 'full implementation by developed countries of their ODA commitments'.
- Target 15j and 15k could be merged and expanded: Mobilize additional financial resources from multiple sources, including innovative financing for sustainable development, foreign direct investments and other long-term private investments, inclusive finance, and reducing the costs of remittances.
- We suggest the following target: 'Direct and encourage financial flows, including ODA, to states, people and activities where the need is greatest, in particular LDCs, SIDS, LLDCs and vulnerable states'.
- Target 15m would be reformulated: take measures to enhance debt sustainability.
- Target 15n would read: 'Promote strong international institutions, including conclusion of reforms for increasing effective participation of developing countries in international financial institutions.' We would suggest addressing the national elements of this issue in the goal on good governance and effective institutions.
- Target 15o would be expanded as follows:
Strengthen domestic resource mobilization and the effective use of development finance, including by:
a) improving tax collection and the efficiency of public spending, including through capacity building;
b) Reducing illicit financial flows, tax evasion and avoidance, and improving stolen asset recovery;
c) Strengthening systems to harness domestic savings for investments;
d) Combatting corruption and strengthening anti-money laundering;
e) Improving tax transparency and securing revenue from natural resources.
On Capacity Building:
-We support target 15r.
- We also suggest the following additional target:
Support to developing countries to create a domestic enabling environment for attracting and effectively using development finance.
On the 'Strengthened global partnership for sustainable development'
We support targets 15u and 15v and suggest adding the following targets:
• Increase policy coherence for sustainable development.
• Support global financial system stability.
• Support broad-based multi-stakeholder partnerships, including with civil society, the private sector and multiple levels of government.
Sustainable Development Goals Open Working Group, 11th Session, May 2014
Constituency Statement
Focus area 15: Means of Implementation/Global partnership for sustainable development
We are committed to an ambitious, forward looking and universally agreed new Global Partnership goal, including effective Means of Implementation to achieve the post-2015 agenda. We appreciate the work of the co-chairs, elaborating further on an MDG8 successor which is supportive of the new post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals. We acknowledge the work being undertaken by the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDF) and look forward to seeing their report.
Our capacity to implement the new framework is as important as the global goals that we agree. We are open to discussing MOI at different levels, but believe that our focus should be on refining an effective Global Partnership goal, as the successor to MDG8. We also need to address where we are going to do what, since we risk duplicating our work and scattering our efforts. What will we achieve in the OWG and what do we leave in the ICESDF or for further consideration in the next phase, for instance within the Financing for Development (FFD) process?
- We need a strong, cross cutting, overarching global partnership for implementation that supports all goals. This would ensure that issues of overall relevance such as ODA, domestic resource mobilization and international public and private flows maximize sustainable development outcomes.
- This partnership can be elaborated further at the Financing for Development conference, to be held in 2015 or 2016. The Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development provides a comprehensive basis for discussion on the Means of Implementation, covering all financial and non-financial means as well as systemic issues in the domestic and international, public and private domain. We support a Global Partnership Goal that reflects the six focus areas as defined in the Monterrey framework. We suggest Focus Area 15 reflects this structure.
- How do we respond to the call for implementation strategies at the goal level? We are not in favour of repeating MoI that apply across the framework for every single goal. This would lead to duplication. Naturally, implementation will be different for each goal, so our strategies must be tailored and fit-for-purpose. During our discussions, examples raised included multi-stakeholder partnerships such as the Global Fund for TB and malaria, Sustainable Energy for All and the Zero Hunger Challenge. We can assess over the coming period where additional efforts may be needed to infuse partnerships and cooperation into all goals. Engaging all stakeholders is key, including civil society, the scientific community and the private sector.
- The Busan Partnership agreement on development effectiveness remains important for maximizing the impact of each of our development contributions. In this regard, we welcome the outcome of the first High Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation in Mexico (15 and 16 April 2014) and support the message of the UNSG that the GPEDC can make an important contribution to the implementation of the post-2015 agenda.
- We underline that, as defined in Rio principle 7, CBDR applies specifically to global environmental degradation. It is not an overarching principle for the SDGs. We are committed to a universal agenda and we acknowledge shared responsibilities and contributions of all development stakeholders, with mutual respect for each other's evolving capabilities and circumstances. Whilst an effective means of implementation framework depends on mutual responsibility, and agreed principles, we recognize that some countries need special consideration and treatment, in particular the LDC’s, SIDS, Landlocked Developing Countries and countries affected by conflict.
These are our comments on the target areas for consideration:
On trade:
- Target 15a could be shortened: Implement the outcomes of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Bali agreement, and making progress on future pro-development multilateral trade issues;
- We support target 15b with an addition, it would read: Provide LDCs with greater duty-free and quota-free market access for goods, and preferential access for services, in keeping with WTO decisions; (target15b)
- Target 15c could be shortened: Integrate the poorest developing countries further into the global trading system by at least double the share of LDC’s exports in global exports (Istanbul Programme of Action);
In addition we suggest the following targets under this section:
- Reduce trade distortions and trade costs globally;
- Enhance support for trade-related capacity development in developing countries, including enhancing Aid for Trade initiatives.
On technology:
- Target 15d could be shortened: Promote collaboration on and access to science, technology, innovation, research and knowledge sharing, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation.
- We support target 15e, and 15h with the deletion of 'fully': Support (fully) research and development of vaccines and medicines for the common diseases of developing countries, particularly LDCs.
On Financing and Debt sustainability:
- We support a target on ODA that reads: 'full implementation by developed countries of their ODA commitments'.
- Target 15j and 15k could be merged and expanded: Mobilize additional financial resources from multiple sources, including innovative financing for sustainable development, foreign direct investments and other long-term private investments, inclusive finance, and reducing the costs of remittances.
- We suggest the following target: 'Direct and encourage financial flows, including ODA, to states, people and activities where the need is greatest, in particular LDCs, SIDS, LLDCs and vulnerable states'.
- Target 15m would be reformulated: take measures to enhance debt sustainability.
- Target 15n would read: 'Promote strong international institutions, including conclusion of reforms for increasing effective participation of developing countries in international financial institutions.' We would suggest addressing the national elements of this issue in the goal on good governance and effective institutions.
- Target 15o would be expanded as follows:
Strengthen domestic resource mobilization and the effective use of development finance, including by:
a) improving tax collection and the efficiency of public spending, including through capacity building;
b) Reducing illicit financial flows, tax evasion and avoidance, and improving stolen asset recovery;
c) Strengthening systems to harness domestic savings for investments;
d) Combatting corruption and strengthening anti-money laundering;
e) Improving tax transparency and securing revenue from natural resources.
On Capacity Building:
-We support target 15r.
- We also suggest the following additional target:
Support to developing countries to create a domestic enabling environment for attracting and effectively using development finance.
On the 'Strengthened global partnership for sustainable development'
We support targets 15u and 15v and suggest adding the following targets:
• Increase policy coherence for sustainable development.
• Support global financial system stability.
• Support broad-based multi-stakeholder partnerships, including with civil society, the private sector and multiple levels of government.