Belgium
Draft remarks by the FID Co-facilitators on the intergovernmentally agreed
conclusions and recommendations of the second ECOSOC Forum on Financing for
Development follow-up
Mr. President,
High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Session 13: Review of implementation SDGs
SDG 17 - Investing in and financing for SDGs
(Thunday, 13 July 2017, 3:00-4:30 p.m.)
Distinguished panelists,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is our honour to present the outcome document of the 2nd ECOSOC Forum on
Financing for Development follow-up, which was held from 22 to 25 May in New York.
The purpose of the FtD Forum, established by the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda, is
the follow-up and review of financing for development outcomes and the means of
implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As mandated by the
Addis Agenda, the intergovermentally agreed conclusions and recommendations of the
FtD Forum are fed into the overall follow-up and review of the implementation of the
2030 Agenda at the HLPF.
The second FtD Forum was considered a great success both in terms of its
proceedings and its outcome. This year, the Forum brought together 20 ministers and
vice-ministers, numerous high-level officials from ministries of finance, foreign affairs
and development cooperation. While sharing lessons learned from their countires, these
officials stressed the need to further develop long-term vision and frameworks for
financing sustainable development. There were multiple calls to utilize the FtD process
for a sustained dialogue on concrete national experiences in implementing the Addis
Agenda.
The FID Forum is much more than a space for policy dialogue. It is a platform for
concrete action. Under the guidance of the President of ECOSOC and with constructive
participation of all Member States, we, the co-facilitators managed to conclude
negotiations in a timely manner, arriving at a consensus document that is substantive,
balanced and comprehensive. The report of the Inter-agency Task Fore~ on Financing for
Development provided important input to the negotiations.
The 26-paragraph conclusions and recommendations put the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals front and center. The outcome document recalls that the
Addis Agenda is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda, supports and complements it and
helps to contextualize its means of implementation targets with concrete policies and
actions. It reaffirms key elements of the Addis Agenda, and contains new commitments
on policies and actions to ensure the full and timely implementation of the Addis Agenda
in support of the SDGs.
The outcome document acknowledges the significant impacts of the challenging
global environment on the implementation of the Addis Agend~ including difficult
macroeconomic conditions, as well as humanitarian crises and conflicts. It also
recognizes that the current global trajectory will not deliver the goal of eradicating
poverty in all its forms and dimensions by 2030. In order to reverse this trend, countries
agree to accelerate national and international efforts to implement the Addis Agenda.
In this context, the outcome document calls for corrective actions in all seven
action areas of the Addis Agend~ as well a range of cross-cutting issues, including
gender equality, infrastructure investment and social protection. Throughout the
document, Member States also note the importance of paying attention to the needs of
countries in special situations.
Please allow us to take this opportunity to highlight some of its key policy
commitments, in particular those that build on and go beyond agreed policies contained
in the Addis Agenda.
For example, the document includes some ambitious new language on gender
equality by emphasizing that GDP could increase significantly if every country achieved
gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Countries commit to
transformative actions on gender and highlight the need to better consider the impact of
development finance on gender equality.
The outcome document places great emphasis on investment into quality, reliable,
sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Special attention is given to transit and transport
development, including a request to the Global Infrastructure Forum to give consideration
to this issue at its next annual meeting. In this connection, countries agree that increased
long-term oriented investments need to be complemented by measures to assist the poor
and vulnerable people. They commit to expand peer learning among countries on
financing social protection systems.
The outcome document also acknowledges strengthened awareness of the link
between taxation, expenditure, good governance, accountability and anti-corruption
efforts. It firmly commits countries to continue strengthening international cooperation in
tax matters, supporting greater international efforts to curb illicit financial flows, and
making the recovery of stolen assets a priority.
To fully tap private finance at the national and international levels, countries
pledge to increase the volume and quality of domestic and foreign investment and to
pursue policies that better align these flows with sustainable development.
On international development cooperation, the outcome document notes with
concern a decrease in ODA to LDCs and calls on ODA providers to fulfill their
respective commitments and to set a target to provide at least 0.2 per cent ODA/GNI to
LDCs. Countries also highlight the potential of catalyzing additional finance from other
sources, public and private, and through appropriately designed risk-sharing instruments,
including co-investments, public-private partnerships and guarantees.
The outcome document emphasizes that trade remains crucial for sustainable
development. Countries welcome further progress towards the goal of providing dutyfree
and quota-free market access for LDCs. They also commit to put in place policies
that encourage access by micro, small and medium size enterprises to adequate and
affordable trade finance.
On debt and debt sustainability, countries welcome progress on debt management,
in particular on sovereign debt management, debt crisis prevention and on market-based
solutions for sovereign debt restructuring. Commitments are made to further explore the
role of state-contingent debt financing instruments, address aggressive litigation by noncooperative
minority creditors and to continue work on guidelines for debtor and creditor
responsibilities.
The document recognizes the systemic challenges in implementing the Addis
Agenda. Countries commit to strengthen their investment climate to attract long-term
flows and work to address excessive volatility through necessary macroeconomic policy
adjustments. They also call on all regional and global organisations and institutions to
consider the SDGs as they develop their strategies, policies and practices.
On science, technology and capacity building, the outcome document notes the
important progress that has been made in facilitating access to many technologies, but
expresses concern about significant digital divides across and within countries. Countries
also commit to take into consideration both the transformative and disruptive potential of
new technologies on labor markets and on the jobs of the future.
In its final section on data, monitoring and follow-up, the outcome document
reaffirms the importance of high quality disaggregated data for evidence-based policymaking
and for monitoring progress of implementation of the Addis Agenda and the
2030 Agenda. In a related innovative commitment, countries pledge to strengthen the
collection of data to determine the value of unpaid care work and its contribution to the
national economy.
Countries note, with appreciation, the report of the Inter-agency Task Force on
Financing for Development and its online annex and call on the IA TF to examine a
number of thematic areas, within its mandate and existing resources and as part of its
2018 report.
The document concludes with a decision to hold the third ECOSOC Forum on
Financing for Development follow-up from 23 to 26 April 2018.
Last but not least, we wish to emphasize that there was significant convergence
between the key policy messages emerging from the deliberations at the Forum and the
policy actions endorsed in the outcome document. This is yet another confirmation of the
success and relevance of the 2 nd FfD Forum, including its modalities.
We are convinced that the intergovernmentally agreed conclusions and
recommendations will help guide deliberations of the 2017 High-level Political Forum on
Sustainable Development, the central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.
Thank you for your attention.
conclusions and recommendations of the second ECOSOC Forum on Financing for
Development follow-up
Mr. President,
High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Session 13: Review of implementation SDGs
SDG 17 - Investing in and financing for SDGs
(Thunday, 13 July 2017, 3:00-4:30 p.m.)
Distinguished panelists,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is our honour to present the outcome document of the 2nd ECOSOC Forum on
Financing for Development follow-up, which was held from 22 to 25 May in New York.
The purpose of the FtD Forum, established by the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda, is
the follow-up and review of financing for development outcomes and the means of
implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As mandated by the
Addis Agenda, the intergovermentally agreed conclusions and recommendations of the
FtD Forum are fed into the overall follow-up and review of the implementation of the
2030 Agenda at the HLPF.
The second FtD Forum was considered a great success both in terms of its
proceedings and its outcome. This year, the Forum brought together 20 ministers and
vice-ministers, numerous high-level officials from ministries of finance, foreign affairs
and development cooperation. While sharing lessons learned from their countires, these
officials stressed the need to further develop long-term vision and frameworks for
financing sustainable development. There were multiple calls to utilize the FtD process
for a sustained dialogue on concrete national experiences in implementing the Addis
Agenda.
The FID Forum is much more than a space for policy dialogue. It is a platform for
concrete action. Under the guidance of the President of ECOSOC and with constructive
participation of all Member States, we, the co-facilitators managed to conclude
negotiations in a timely manner, arriving at a consensus document that is substantive,
balanced and comprehensive. The report of the Inter-agency Task Fore~ on Financing for
Development provided important input to the negotiations.
The 26-paragraph conclusions and recommendations put the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals front and center. The outcome document recalls that the
Addis Agenda is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda, supports and complements it and
helps to contextualize its means of implementation targets with concrete policies and
actions. It reaffirms key elements of the Addis Agenda, and contains new commitments
on policies and actions to ensure the full and timely implementation of the Addis Agenda
in support of the SDGs.
The outcome document acknowledges the significant impacts of the challenging
global environment on the implementation of the Addis Agend~ including difficult
macroeconomic conditions, as well as humanitarian crises and conflicts. It also
recognizes that the current global trajectory will not deliver the goal of eradicating
poverty in all its forms and dimensions by 2030. In order to reverse this trend, countries
agree to accelerate national and international efforts to implement the Addis Agenda.
In this context, the outcome document calls for corrective actions in all seven
action areas of the Addis Agend~ as well a range of cross-cutting issues, including
gender equality, infrastructure investment and social protection. Throughout the
document, Member States also note the importance of paying attention to the needs of
countries in special situations.
Please allow us to take this opportunity to highlight some of its key policy
commitments, in particular those that build on and go beyond agreed policies contained
in the Addis Agenda.
For example, the document includes some ambitious new language on gender
equality by emphasizing that GDP could increase significantly if every country achieved
gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Countries commit to
transformative actions on gender and highlight the need to better consider the impact of
development finance on gender equality.
The outcome document places great emphasis on investment into quality, reliable,
sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Special attention is given to transit and transport
development, including a request to the Global Infrastructure Forum to give consideration
to this issue at its next annual meeting. In this connection, countries agree that increased
long-term oriented investments need to be complemented by measures to assist the poor
and vulnerable people. They commit to expand peer learning among countries on
financing social protection systems.
The outcome document also acknowledges strengthened awareness of the link
between taxation, expenditure, good governance, accountability and anti-corruption
efforts. It firmly commits countries to continue strengthening international cooperation in
tax matters, supporting greater international efforts to curb illicit financial flows, and
making the recovery of stolen assets a priority.
To fully tap private finance at the national and international levels, countries
pledge to increase the volume and quality of domestic and foreign investment and to
pursue policies that better align these flows with sustainable development.
On international development cooperation, the outcome document notes with
concern a decrease in ODA to LDCs and calls on ODA providers to fulfill their
respective commitments and to set a target to provide at least 0.2 per cent ODA/GNI to
LDCs. Countries also highlight the potential of catalyzing additional finance from other
sources, public and private, and through appropriately designed risk-sharing instruments,
including co-investments, public-private partnerships and guarantees.
The outcome document emphasizes that trade remains crucial for sustainable
development. Countries welcome further progress towards the goal of providing dutyfree
and quota-free market access for LDCs. They also commit to put in place policies
that encourage access by micro, small and medium size enterprises to adequate and
affordable trade finance.
On debt and debt sustainability, countries welcome progress on debt management,
in particular on sovereign debt management, debt crisis prevention and on market-based
solutions for sovereign debt restructuring. Commitments are made to further explore the
role of state-contingent debt financing instruments, address aggressive litigation by noncooperative
minority creditors and to continue work on guidelines for debtor and creditor
responsibilities.
The document recognizes the systemic challenges in implementing the Addis
Agenda. Countries commit to strengthen their investment climate to attract long-term
flows and work to address excessive volatility through necessary macroeconomic policy
adjustments. They also call on all regional and global organisations and institutions to
consider the SDGs as they develop their strategies, policies and practices.
On science, technology and capacity building, the outcome document notes the
important progress that has been made in facilitating access to many technologies, but
expresses concern about significant digital divides across and within countries. Countries
also commit to take into consideration both the transformative and disruptive potential of
new technologies on labor markets and on the jobs of the future.
In its final section on data, monitoring and follow-up, the outcome document
reaffirms the importance of high quality disaggregated data for evidence-based policymaking
and for monitoring progress of implementation of the Addis Agenda and the
2030 Agenda. In a related innovative commitment, countries pledge to strengthen the
collection of data to determine the value of unpaid care work and its contribution to the
national economy.
Countries note, with appreciation, the report of the Inter-agency Task Force on
Financing for Development and its online annex and call on the IA TF to examine a
number of thematic areas, within its mandate and existing resources and as part of its
2018 report.
The document concludes with a decision to hold the third ECOSOC Forum on
Financing for Development follow-up from 23 to 26 April 2018.
Last but not least, we wish to emphasize that there was significant convergence
between the key policy messages emerging from the deliberations at the Forum and the
policy actions endorsed in the outcome document. This is yet another confirmation of the
success and relevance of the 2 nd FfD Forum, including its modalities.
We are convinced that the intergovernmentally agreed conclusions and
recommendations will help guide deliberations of the 2017 High-level Political Forum on
Sustainable Development, the central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.
Thank you for your attention.
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