1st Session of Intergovernmental Negotiations
on Post-2015 Development Agenda
New York
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Intervention by Mr. Amit Narang, Counsellor,
Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations
January 20, 2015
Thank you Mr. Co-Facilitator.
I would like to share some thoughts on the Declaration for the Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda, but before that I would like to supplement some points on the SDGs and the Indicators, taking into account what we have heard so far.
At the outset, ‘technical proofing’ of the SDGs and development of ‘Indicators’ are two entirely different things and should be considered separately.
We share the concerns expressed by the Group of 77 and several delegations including Brazil, France and others about the so-called ‘technical proofing’ of the SDGs.
I should note first of all that the issue of ‘technical proofing’ has just been raised by some delegations and is still under our discussion. There is therefore no mandate at this stage for any technical proofing to be carried out.
Secondly, we look forward to fully understand the rationale and the purpose of any such proofing. In particular because, in so far as we are aware, the entire UN System was in fact very closely involved with the formulation of the SDGs. We understand that each iteration of the SDGs and the targets was parsed through a technical lens by the UN System so that we were on the right track.
Besides, any proofing at this stage may also inevitably disturb the delicate political balance of the SDG package and disrupt our progress.
Mr. Co-Facilitator,
In so far as the ‘measurability’ of the targets is concerned, we note that the SDGs are not only for the citizens to hold their governments accountable, but also for the accountability of international action to support the revitalized Global Partnership for development.
Besides, the lens of measurability must especially be applied to the several targets in the SDG package that are clearly political in nature and do not lend themselves to measurability.
On Indicators, we agree that this is a technical process, and emphasize it should remain a technical process, and not a means to inject ideas that did not find consensus under the SDGs.
Besides, the development of the Indicators must be done under the full oversight and mandate emanating out of this process so that it can be coherent with our overall approach to follow-up and review.
Mr. Co-Facilitator,
I would like to now share some thoughts on the Declaration for the Summit in September 2015.
Let me at the outset thank the distinguished panelist this morning, Mr. Debapriya Bhattacharya for his excellent and most useful presentation which has provided some interesting food-for-thought on this issue.
From our perspective, the outcome document of the Rio+20, which contains the most recent intergovernmental consensus on all issues pertaining to sustainable development, provides a firm basis for us to craft our Declaration.
We also have the Introduction of the proposal of the OWG, which in turn was also based by and large, on the Rio+20 outcome document. Rather than re-negotiating, it would be prudent for us to craft our Declaration on the basis of these documents.
The Declaration should provide an ambitious political framing for the Post-2015 Development Agenda and its Goals and Targets. Since we have already articulated a comprehensive and integrated package of goals and targets, the Declaration should obviously closely relate to the vision presented in the outcome document of the OWG itself.
 The Declaration must unequivocally reaffirm all the Rio principles, including in particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities
 It should be anchored on the principle of equity in international relations and for international cooperation to achieve sustainable development.
 It must unequivocally affirm the high political vision for ending poverty – the greatest global challenge – and for enhancing international cooperation to put the world on a more sustainable path.
 It must articulate a vision of development that is comprehensive and integrated across all three dimensions of sustainable development, rooted in the indispensable requirement of poverty eradication.
 It must anchor a renewed global partnership necessary for implementing the new agenda
 It should anchor a follow-up and review process that is rooted in national sovereignty and international cooperation, built upon existing mechanisms, one that is lean and flexible, incentivizes action at all levels, and makes a special provision for the accountability of the renewed global partnership
 It should renew a vision of democratization of global governance to give real voice and participation of developing countries in line with current realities
 It must eschew a narrow vision of one-size-fits-all and recognize the importance of respecting diverse national circumstances and starting points
 It must therefore anchor an agenda universal in relevance but differentiated in action
 It must reaffirm, as has been done in the Introduction of the SDGs, that the agenda and its goals and targets are global and aspirational in nature, that each Government will have the policy flexibility to set its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition, but taking into account national circumstances
Mr. Co-Facilitator,
Equally if not more important, the Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda will also commemorate the momentous 70th Anniversary of the United Nations. This occasion cannot be allowed to pass by without our collective introspection and observance.
In our view, the Declaration of the Summit is the apt platform for this commemoration.
The Declaration should therefore be crafted broad enough to give our leaders an opportunity to reflect on global challenges in a holistic manner and take into account the evolution of global governance and the need for its reform.
The outcome document of the World Summit in 2005 would be the proper benchmark upon which to base this stocktaking. We must examine the 2005 outcome, which constituted the 60th Anniversary of the UN, and to what extent we have fulfilled the commitments made therein.
Thank you.
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