Mr. Vuk Jeremic, President of the 67th session of the General Assembly
Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon
Hon. Ministers
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to make this statement on behalf of the delegation of Kenya. At the
outset, I want to thank you, Mr. President for organizing this very important meeting and you,
the co facilitators, for helping member states produce the working documents for this first
meeting of the Open Working Group (OWG) on the establishment of sustainable development
goals (SDGs). At the same time, I take this opportunity to convey my Government's sincere
condolences to the Government and People of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela following
the demise of President Hugo Chavez. Kenya stands with you during this trying moment in your
country' s history.
Mr. President,
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to make a few comments both on the process and substance regarding the formulation
of the SDGs. Kenya aligns itself with the statement that will be made by the G-77 and China. On
matters pertaining to the process, Kenya fully supports the draft working methods that has been
negotiated and agreed by member states. My delegation considers it a reflection of consensus
among member states. It should therefore help guide this process moving forward. As a country,
Kenya will always support an open, transparent and inclusive intergovemmental negotiation
process whose outcomes are adopted by consensus.
On the substantive matters, I wish to reiterate that we, member states, have this historic
opportunity to collectively develop a set of global sustainable development goals (SDGs) that
will provide guidelines for the achievement of sustainability in our development. In this regard,
Kenya expects the proposed SDGs to address the reasons why sustainable development has
remained elusive over the last century in a concise, holistic, coherent and balanced manner. The
Open Working Group has to consider the issues in focused and pragmatic way so as to develop
concrete goals and targets that tackle current shortfalls in the implementation of sustainable
development. • ::ÿ
It is important to remind ourselves that about 13years ago, the United Nations adopted the
Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals. However, to date most
developing countries especially those in Africa are still off-track and will not achieve the MDGs
by 2015. Kenya believes that the MDGs, the internationally agreed development goals as well as
the outcomes of the major UN summits and conferences are very relevant in moving this process
forward. Therefore, the SDGs formulation process must take into account these vital resources
building on their strengths and improving on their weaknesses. I single out the review of the
MDGs as the goals are narrow in scope, are limited in aspiration, are focused on results rather
than enablers of development and on quantity rather than quality.
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The world has changed significantly compared to 13 years ago when the Millennium
Development Goals were adopted. Even as countries make progress, we seem to move from
crisis to crisis; from the economic and financial crisis to food and energy crisis as well as to
environmental crisis. Our countries continue to face intermittent economic shocks with the poor
disproportionately affected. Inequalities among states coupled with massive youth
unemployment in developing countries have become the hallmarks of this century. Climate
change, ecosystem and land degradation and the loss of biodiversity have continued to
undermine our food and energy security and compromise our development potential. These
challenges have made poverty eradication even more difficult than before.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Kenya believes that the SDGs must balance global agenda setting with national circumstances
allowing adequate policy space especially for developing countries. We must all strive to
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formulate sustainable development goals that provide for a just and equitable world that
promotes gender equality and empowerment of women. Kenya believes that we should take
international obligations in line with our national visions and development priorities that reflect
the principle of common but responsibility (CBDR). We have to address poverty eradication in a
manner that ensures !ÿ-ÿevious international development commitments made to developing
countries with regard to poverty eradication are neither side-stepped nor ignored.
Mr. President
In conclusion, my delegation looks forward to constructive engagement during the consultations
processes leading to the formulation of the sustainable development goals. In this regard, Kenya
will remain supportive of an open, transparent and inclusive intergovernmental process that
honors and promotes effective participation of all member states with final decisions taken by
consensus. These principles are very important and must be upheld because the goals will apply
to all states.
It is Kenya's view that work on the substantive agenda of the OWG must progress at pace that is
consultative and inclusive and that brings all member states on board. We should begin with
broad stock taking exercise that endeavors to converge all the processes of the Rio+20 Outcome
in a manner that addresses the three dimensions of sustainable development as well as the means
of implementation of whatever goals we agree to set ourselves.
Finally, I wish to thank you, member states, for the honor and confidence that you have
bestowed on my delegation following the election of H.E Ambassador Macharia Kamau as cochair
of this important intergovernmental process. I want to assure you of Kenya's readiness to
play its rightful role in ensuring the process remains legitimate and credible for a successful
outcome that will move sustainable development agenda forward.
I thank you.
