Draft statement by H.E. Tekeda Alemu, Ambassador and Permanent
Representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, at the 1st
Segment of Intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development
agenda.
19 January 2015
Distinguished Co-facilitators,
Let me start by thanking you both for bringing us to this point, to where we are
now. I don’t wish to repeat what others who took the flour before me have said,
all the move because our views are aligned with the statements of the group of
77 and China, the Africa group ,the LDCS and LLDCS as presented respectively by
our colleagues, the Permanent Representatives of South Africa ,Morocco, Benin
and Niger .
What I wish to do therefore is to highlight a few points which in our view
require stressing,
First, by way of general remark, I wish to repeat what the PGA said this morning
with respect to how the circumstances we are, in this process, accords us a
historic opportunity. The process that was kicked off by the Rio+20 outcome
document, The Future We Want, has indeed opened up opportunities that need
to be seized. But obviously this is going to require a great deal of political will
and the required mindset, for what we face as a challenge is to bring about a
paradigm change in international development cooperation which calls for
greater commitment to people-centered economic and social development which is sensitive to the need to protect our planet. Here it is critical to take
note of the fact that in recent years there has been a trend which needs to be
reversed in connection with international cooperation in favor of the Least
Developed Countries and Africa. Recent figures on ODA make this obvious. The
Synthesis report has indicated what needs to be done in this connection .We
endorse it.
The second issue I wish to raise is related to what the Secretary-General said
this morning with respect to the means of implementation. He said it is the test
whether the Post - 2015 Development Agenda we are working towards would
succeed or not. He was absolutely correct when he said what is required is
concrete and ambitious program. Obviously, that is why the July Addis Ababa
Conference is so critical and why the success of the post -2015 development
agenda is very much contingent upon the success of what Addis Conference. It is
with that conviction that we in Ethiopia are proceeding with the preparation to
discharge our responsibilities as host. Let me point out here that in fact the
Report of the Intergovernmental Expert Committee, as much as it contains very
many good ideas and offers options essentially based on what was contained in
the Monterrey Consensus, has not nonetheless offered to us a concrete frame
work for means of implementation. That is a work that awaits us for completion
in Addis.
Distinguished Co-facilitators,
We have indeed come a long way. What has been achieved by the OWG has been
commendable and both the Co-facilitators and member states should be
congratulated for that. Those Seventeen goals and targets are the result of extended and intense negotiations. It is our hope, as agreed, the integrity of the
outcome of the work of the OWG would be maintained and that they would
serve as the main basis for our negotiation which has gotten under way today.
The Synthesis report of the Secretary General along with the Report of the
Intergovernmental Expert Committee on Sustainable Development Finance and
others, including the General Assembly structured dialogues on possible
arrangements for facilitation mechanism to promote the development, transfer
and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies would be
useful inputs. The Synthesis report could have highlighted more issues related
to global governance and related matters concerning norm setting and the
constellation of factors which are Systemic. A conducive global environment for
development is a major challenge which requires a lot of good will to make
progress on.
The work that we are beginning today is indeed critical, and, in fact, with a
potential to be historic. We have no doubt; we can succeed, if we summon all
the good will that we are capable of marshaling.
