China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan
Statement by
Dr. Endah Murniningtyas
Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environment of
the National Development Planning Agency
Republic of Indonesia
on behalf of China, Indonesia and Kazakstan
Eighth Meeting of the OWG on SDGs
New York, 3-7 February 2014
“Conflict Prevention, Post-conflict Peacebuilding
and the Promotion of Durable Peace, Rule of Law and Governance”
Mr. Co-chairs,
Thank you for the opportunity to present the views of China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. We align with the views of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) expressed by the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mr. Co-chairs,
People are at the core of sustainable development. With a stable social environment, people can pursue sustainable development pathways that enhance the welfare of present and future generations.
From that standpoint, conflict prevention, post-conflict peace-building and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance are recognizable enablers that help to establish stable conditions for sustainable development to thrive at all levels. Their continued application makes them part of development as well, particularly the field of law and governance.
Mr. Co-chairs,
It is difficult to ignore the human toll of conflict. The most visible and most distressing aspect of conflict is the disruption to the social well-being of the population. Conflicts happening around the world are different with their particular history and reasons. However, it has become clearer that most of the times, conflicts start from poverty and inequalities and. The inequality stems from the lack of access to the results of development, and the lack of participation and decision making in the development process.
In this connection, we would like to underscore a number of salient points:
First, concerning the responsibility to create the conditions of peace, we reiterate that it is every government’s responsibility to perform that task, because without peace we cannot have sustainable development. Every government needs to ensure social stability by ensuring peace as well as preventing conflict. At the global level, the role of addressing these series of issues has been addressed in their appropriate context, which is through the Security Council, Peace Building Commission and other relevant United Nations’ bodies handling peace and security. Suffice it to say, conflict prevention, post-conflict peace-building and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance have been most effectively addressed solely through those avenues.
Second, development will suffer considerably with the outbreak of conflict and the absence of peace. As we highlighted earlier, where inequality and poverty has persisted, conflict has surfaced. For inequality to be addressed, we need to look at the conditions leading to inequality and poverty. Therefore, these issues should not be a stand a lone goal but the spirit to address the root causes of inequality and poverty should be reflected in the goals and targets of the post MDGs development agenda.
Mr. Co-Chairs,
The MDGs has created enormous benefits for social stability. The provision of poverty eradication, universal education, better maternal and infant health, clean water and sanitation are concrete answers to inequalities.
In connection with the framing of the development goals, we are of the view that a number of principles should apply when taking into account conflict prevention, peace, rule of law and governance:
First, these issues should be considered within the context of development, and not in the peace and security dimension. Relevant discussions should ensure the equitable distribution of development gains, and just and equitable access to the development process. To enable development to take root, the rule of law and governance should give citizens equal access to participate in development. This puts into effect inclusive development, giving equal opportunity to all members of society to be part of development from an economic and social standpoint, while exercising their political rights within the established laws and regulations of each country.
Second, social stability is commensurate upon the prevalence of equality and the relative ease in which the general population can gain access to development gains. Equality is reflected and most visible when all segments of society can gain equal access to financing; have equal opportunity to start and grow a business; and have equal opportunity for employment. International cooperation have a significant bearing in creating equality, such as removing trade barriers. Unequal treatment and discrimination in trade is a constraint to any country’s growth and creates an obstacle for improved welfare of the population.
Third, at the global level, developed and developing countries have a common responsibility in maintaining peace, and upholding the law, however, with certain differentiation commensurate with the level of development. Rule of law at the national level is in essence a matter of internal affairs. There is no “one-size-fits-all” model for rule of law and it is hardly goal-able and properly measured. In addition, the rule of law at the national and international levels should be treated on equal footing. Developed countries with established governance systems that have effectively served their people should support countries that require capacity building in the rule of law and governance.
Likewise, cooperation between developed and developing countries should center around bottlenecks that have constrained growth and sustainable development in developing countries, such as inequality in global governance issues, including income inequality and inequality in access to global trade and finance.
There is also the issue of market access between countries that constrain human, social and economic development objectives as well as hinder the effective conservation of the environment. As an important element to ensure social cohesion and development, prevention of widened inequality in particular in income distribution calls for a greater intervention in market forces, policies and actions at both national and global levels.
Furthermore, the provision of capacity building should match with the local context and uphold ownership, in order for the recipient country to achieve the objectives under its national development plan, and to collectively achieve the development goals.
Mr. Co-Chair,
In the context of OWG SDGs, the troika is of the view that the issues of “Conflict Prevention, Post-conflict Peacebuilding and the Promotion of Durable Peace, Rule of Law and Governance” should be considered in development context.
Promotion of peace, rule of law and governance are important elements to be a part of the global vision to ensure development that is equitable and sustainable. However, we are of the view that deepening discussion on the linkages of these elements with development should not take place in the context of the SDGs deliberation. It is clear that the OWG SDGs obtains its mandate from the Rio+20 Outcome Document that recognized solely the three dimensions of sustainable development.
Lastly, the principle of common but differentiated responsibility must be appropriately reflected in the future SDGs, in order that developing countries, , can effectively implement the agreed goals and targets in the post-2015 context.
Thank you.
Dr. Endah Murniningtyas
Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environment of
the National Development Planning Agency
Republic of Indonesia
on behalf of China, Indonesia and Kazakstan
Eighth Meeting of the OWG on SDGs
New York, 3-7 February 2014
“Conflict Prevention, Post-conflict Peacebuilding
and the Promotion of Durable Peace, Rule of Law and Governance”
Mr. Co-chairs,
Thank you for the opportunity to present the views of China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. We align with the views of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) expressed by the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mr. Co-chairs,
People are at the core of sustainable development. With a stable social environment, people can pursue sustainable development pathways that enhance the welfare of present and future generations.
From that standpoint, conflict prevention, post-conflict peace-building and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance are recognizable enablers that help to establish stable conditions for sustainable development to thrive at all levels. Their continued application makes them part of development as well, particularly the field of law and governance.
Mr. Co-chairs,
It is difficult to ignore the human toll of conflict. The most visible and most distressing aspect of conflict is the disruption to the social well-being of the population. Conflicts happening around the world are different with their particular history and reasons. However, it has become clearer that most of the times, conflicts start from poverty and inequalities and. The inequality stems from the lack of access to the results of development, and the lack of participation and decision making in the development process.
In this connection, we would like to underscore a number of salient points:
First, concerning the responsibility to create the conditions of peace, we reiterate that it is every government’s responsibility to perform that task, because without peace we cannot have sustainable development. Every government needs to ensure social stability by ensuring peace as well as preventing conflict. At the global level, the role of addressing these series of issues has been addressed in their appropriate context, which is through the Security Council, Peace Building Commission and other relevant United Nations’ bodies handling peace and security. Suffice it to say, conflict prevention, post-conflict peace-building and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance have been most effectively addressed solely through those avenues.
Second, development will suffer considerably with the outbreak of conflict and the absence of peace. As we highlighted earlier, where inequality and poverty has persisted, conflict has surfaced. For inequality to be addressed, we need to look at the conditions leading to inequality and poverty. Therefore, these issues should not be a stand a lone goal but the spirit to address the root causes of inequality and poverty should be reflected in the goals and targets of the post MDGs development agenda.
Mr. Co-Chairs,
The MDGs has created enormous benefits for social stability. The provision of poverty eradication, universal education, better maternal and infant health, clean water and sanitation are concrete answers to inequalities.
In connection with the framing of the development goals, we are of the view that a number of principles should apply when taking into account conflict prevention, peace, rule of law and governance:
First, these issues should be considered within the context of development, and not in the peace and security dimension. Relevant discussions should ensure the equitable distribution of development gains, and just and equitable access to the development process. To enable development to take root, the rule of law and governance should give citizens equal access to participate in development. This puts into effect inclusive development, giving equal opportunity to all members of society to be part of development from an economic and social standpoint, while exercising their political rights within the established laws and regulations of each country.
Second, social stability is commensurate upon the prevalence of equality and the relative ease in which the general population can gain access to development gains. Equality is reflected and most visible when all segments of society can gain equal access to financing; have equal opportunity to start and grow a business; and have equal opportunity for employment. International cooperation have a significant bearing in creating equality, such as removing trade barriers. Unequal treatment and discrimination in trade is a constraint to any country’s growth and creates an obstacle for improved welfare of the population.
Third, at the global level, developed and developing countries have a common responsibility in maintaining peace, and upholding the law, however, with certain differentiation commensurate with the level of development. Rule of law at the national level is in essence a matter of internal affairs. There is no “one-size-fits-all” model for rule of law and it is hardly goal-able and properly measured. In addition, the rule of law at the national and international levels should be treated on equal footing. Developed countries with established governance systems that have effectively served their people should support countries that require capacity building in the rule of law and governance.
Likewise, cooperation between developed and developing countries should center around bottlenecks that have constrained growth and sustainable development in developing countries, such as inequality in global governance issues, including income inequality and inequality in access to global trade and finance.
There is also the issue of market access between countries that constrain human, social and economic development objectives as well as hinder the effective conservation of the environment. As an important element to ensure social cohesion and development, prevention of widened inequality in particular in income distribution calls for a greater intervention in market forces, policies and actions at both national and global levels.
Furthermore, the provision of capacity building should match with the local context and uphold ownership, in order for the recipient country to achieve the objectives under its national development plan, and to collectively achieve the development goals.
Mr. Co-Chair,
In the context of OWG SDGs, the troika is of the view that the issues of “Conflict Prevention, Post-conflict Peacebuilding and the Promotion of Durable Peace, Rule of Law and Governance” should be considered in development context.
Promotion of peace, rule of law and governance are important elements to be a part of the global vision to ensure development that is equitable and sustainable. However, we are of the view that deepening discussion on the linkages of these elements with development should not take place in the context of the SDGs deliberation. It is clear that the OWG SDGs obtains its mandate from the Rio+20 Outcome Document that recognized solely the three dimensions of sustainable development.
Lastly, the principle of common but differentiated responsibility must be appropriately reflected in the future SDGs, in order that developing countries, , can effectively implement the agreed goals and targets in the post-2015 context.
Thank you.