Botswana

REPUBLIC OF
BOTSWANA
PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF
BOTSWANA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
154 EAST 46TH STREET 'ÿ NEWYORK, N.Y. 10017
TEL. [phone]
Statement by
Deputy
Mr. Nkoloi
Permanent
Nkoloi
Representative
during the First Session of the
Open Working Group on Sustainable
Development Goals
15 March 2013, New York
Please check against delivery.

Distinguished Co Chairs,
1. Let me start by associating my delegation with the statements delivered by
the Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe on behalf of the countries of Southern
African Development Community (SADC); the statement delivered by the Republic
of Chad on behalf of the Africa Group, as well as the Statement delivered by the
Republic of Fiji on behalf of the G77.
2. Botswana congratulates both Hungary and Kenya for having accepted
nomination to spearhead the process of bringing together inputs from Member
States and relevant stakeholders and the further consolidation of the different ideas
into Sustainable Development Goals.
3. In keeping with the decisions of Rio+20, we trust that the inclusiveness and
openness of the Working Group on the SDGs will allow the process to benefit from
contributions and experiences of the broad Membership.
4. We thank the Secretary-General for his Report of "Initial Input to the Open
Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals". The Report provides useful
insight into priority areas identified through Member States' responses to the
Questionnaire soliciting their inputs.
5. My delegation wishes to underscore the importance of treating every potential
SDG with equal status. The current listing of priority areas in the Report of the
Secretary General, which was guided by the frequency of responses in one
particular issue area, has the danger of giving a false hierarchical status to some
issues ahead of others. We believe that all possible SDGs deserve the same value
emphasis and should reinforce each other rather than compete with one another.
Above all the SDGs should also complement rather than overshadow the MDGs and
should be accompanied by robust means of implementation and time-bound targets
and deliverables.
Co Chairs,
6. We emerged from Rio some 10 months ago armed with brilliant ideas on how
best we can support the development of our economies, sustain growth and
promote the welfare of our citizens without exerting undue pressure on the
environment.
7. The Rio+20 Outcome Document provided for an integrated approach in
confronting challenges faced by the international community. The Rio+20 Outcome
Document laid down a strategic vision to formulate a post 2015 development
agenda anchored by among other components, Sustainable Development Goals.
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8. My delegation is therefore convinced that as we launch the process of crafting
the SDGs, we must also in the fullness of time, factor in other variables that are key
to the support structure we are building for the post-2015 development framework.
9. At this stage we do not have a full appreciation of how the post-2015
Development Framework will look like. However, we are certain of one thing: We are
still struggling to attain the MDGs in full. Many countries are still far from achieving
the MDGs especially, with respect to halting poverty by 2015.
10. The critical question then becomes - what should we take into consideration
in moving forward to where we all want.
11. The answer is very simple. In September, we will take stock of progress made
since 2000. We will undertake a critical examination of the obstacles that impeded
the journey we have travelled so far. We will take proper account of implementation
gaps matched against the commitments we made. We will also make projections
and assess the toolkits necessary for the final fast sprint towards 2015. In the event
the outcome of the Review in September maintains that the MDGs remain
"unfinished business", then the most logical solution would be as a first priority, to
complete the social issues that remain pending and close the gaps that remain.
Co Chairs,
12. We welcome the fact that the work of the Open Ended Working Group for the
SDGs has now begun and should be on course to terminate with submission of
recommendations to the GA in September. We believe that the final decision of the
GA on possible SDGs that could be incorporated into the post 2015 development
Framework should be underpinned by poverty eradication and integration of the
three pillars of sustainable development.
13. Even though the implementation of SDGs will generally be universal in nature,
there is still need to consider the special situation of groups of countries that are
facing peculiar challenges. Food insecurity, access to water and sanitation, energy,
health, as well as transport and infrastructure continue to be critical for countries
such as my own to attain respectable levels of development.
14. My delegation therefore would like to reiterate that in elaborating the SDGs,
due prominence should be given to the concerns of the LDCs, LLDCs and MICs.