Major Group: Local Authorities
LAMG Statement on the Joint Session between FfD and Post-2015 processes
4th session of the Post-2015 negotiations – 21-24 April 2015
Delivered by Marta Subirà, Government of Catalonia and nrg4SD representative on behalf of the Local Authorities Major Group Excellencies, Dear Co-facilitators and colleagues, Thank you to the Co-facilitators for the chance to share the views of the Local Authorities Major Group with Member States on the Means of Implementation and Global Partnership for the Post 2015 framework. Local and subnational governments, in their capacity as governmental stakeholders of the global efforts, are committed to playing an active role to ensure that the post-2015 Agenda becomes a truly transformative, sustainable and inclusive agenda for all. We, local and subnational governments, very much agree that a strong Global Partnership based on national ownership and leadership and supported by reinforced cooperation and coordination at all levels and with all stakeholders is fundamental for the effective implementation of the post-2015 agenda, to enhance the resource mobilization and ensure accountable monitoring and follow-up. Democratic and bottom-up participatory governance must be at the core of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. With that in mind, local and subnational governments are keen to participate and bring necessary contributions and efforts to the operationalization of a new multi-level and multi-stakeholder framework. This new framework should be associated with the empowerment of and resource mobilization for local and subnational levels to ensure the localization of the agenda, including capacity-building policies and targeted funds for local and subnational governments. According to the UN Secretary General Synthesis Report, “many of the investments to achieve sustainable development goals will take place at the subnational level and be led by local authorities”. The 3rd International Financing for Development Conference should recognize this and suggest instruments to facilitate those investments at all levels. To unlock the potential of local and subnational governments to contribute to the SDGs, both the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development and the future global development agenda, should consider the following means of implementation: 1) Increase domestic resource mobilization, ensuring appropriate fiscal decentralization and the sharing of national resources with regular and predictable transfers 2) Enable local and subnational governments to access international, regional and national financial mechanisms 3) Enhance long term financing in infrastructures strengthening local and subnational governments’ including climate change financing mechanisms to invest in resilient infrastructures.
4) Make use of the existing expertise and installed local and subnational institutional capacities to develop effective and targeted capacity building policies and technology transfer through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation between local and subnational governments
5) Strengthen local and subnational legal and institutional frameworks to support the national implementation of the SDGs The above considerations incur into better coordination and coherence of public policies at all levels which are instrumental for the effective implementation of the post-2015 agenda and the Financing for development process Finally, we believe that the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) should provide further opportunities for Member States and Stakeholders to collaborate on following-up and reviewing the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. We thank you for your attention and remain at your disposal, wishing you successful discussions.
4th session of the Post-2015 negotiations – 21-24 April 2015
Delivered by Marta Subirà, Government of Catalonia and nrg4SD representative on behalf of the Local Authorities Major Group Excellencies, Dear Co-facilitators and colleagues, Thank you to the Co-facilitators for the chance to share the views of the Local Authorities Major Group with Member States on the Means of Implementation and Global Partnership for the Post 2015 framework. Local and subnational governments, in their capacity as governmental stakeholders of the global efforts, are committed to playing an active role to ensure that the post-2015 Agenda becomes a truly transformative, sustainable and inclusive agenda for all. We, local and subnational governments, very much agree that a strong Global Partnership based on national ownership and leadership and supported by reinforced cooperation and coordination at all levels and with all stakeholders is fundamental for the effective implementation of the post-2015 agenda, to enhance the resource mobilization and ensure accountable monitoring and follow-up. Democratic and bottom-up participatory governance must be at the core of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. With that in mind, local and subnational governments are keen to participate and bring necessary contributions and efforts to the operationalization of a new multi-level and multi-stakeholder framework. This new framework should be associated with the empowerment of and resource mobilization for local and subnational levels to ensure the localization of the agenda, including capacity-building policies and targeted funds for local and subnational governments. According to the UN Secretary General Synthesis Report, “many of the investments to achieve sustainable development goals will take place at the subnational level and be led by local authorities”. The 3rd International Financing for Development Conference should recognize this and suggest instruments to facilitate those investments at all levels. To unlock the potential of local and subnational governments to contribute to the SDGs, both the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development and the future global development agenda, should consider the following means of implementation: 1) Increase domestic resource mobilization, ensuring appropriate fiscal decentralization and the sharing of national resources with regular and predictable transfers 2) Enable local and subnational governments to access international, regional and national financial mechanisms 3) Enhance long term financing in infrastructures strengthening local and subnational governments’ including climate change financing mechanisms to invest in resilient infrastructures.
4) Make use of the existing expertise and installed local and subnational institutional capacities to develop effective and targeted capacity building policies and technology transfer through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation between local and subnational governments
5) Strengthen local and subnational legal and institutional frameworks to support the national implementation of the SDGs The above considerations incur into better coordination and coherence of public policies at all levels which are instrumental for the effective implementation of the post-2015 agenda and the Financing for development process Finally, we believe that the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) should provide further opportunities for Member States and Stakeholders to collaborate on following-up and reviewing the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. We thank you for your attention and remain at your disposal, wishing you successful discussions.