Montenegro
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR. MILORAD ŠĆEPANOVIĆ,
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MONTENEGRO TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Stocktaking session of the Intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda, Means of implementation and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, 20 January 2015
Distinguished Co-facilitators,
I am pleased and honoured to address you at this timely and important Stocktaking session, which comes in the midst of our deliberations on the post-2015 development agenda. With Millennium Development Goals set to expire soon, UN and the whole international community stand at the crossroads. We have a historic opportunity, but at the same time a great responsibility to chart a new global course of action to end poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for all, while at the same time protecting environment.
Building on the momentum and significant achievements of MDGs, some of the humanity’s noble objectives, such as eradicating extreme poverty, are within reach and we must deliver. Trends have visibly shown that although major progress has been made around the world in eradicating extreme poverty, progress has differed significantly across regions, and even within states and societies, leaving many outside of scope of progress.
Striving for ambitious and transformative, yet implementable post-2015 agenda, we believe that the final outcome of the OWG captured successfully the multi-dimensional nature of sustainable development, whereby issues of all its three dimensions, in a balanced manner, found place in the proposed SDGs. Proposed set of goals answers in a right way to the prime objective, which is to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development.
As we have pointed out several times, we believe that primary responsibility for development lies within national states and in this regard we strongly support promoting national ownership. But delivering a better future for all requires coherent action by all stakeholders in society. Let me underline that engaging private sector, which has so far had little participation, is particularly vital, since business community is considered a main driver of economic activity. Recognizing the importance of shared values and interests, business involvement has to become sustainable as well. Therefore, we have to find ways to attract their substantive contribution, at the national as well as regional and global levels.
The engagement in implementation of new agenda should be build on shared responsibility, respective national capacities and circumstances and accountability mechanisms. Such partnership should include wide range of different stakeholders, including private sector, civil society, philanthropic organisations, international financial institutions and other major actors.
In addition to traditional sources, innovative sources of financing would have to be brought in to meet the large needs countries would have, most notably the least developed countries. Therefore, many countries, my own included, will be relying on effective and robust means of implementation to complement national efforts and resources. Belonging to the middle-income countries, a group that is growing in number, means of implementation or the proposed goal 17 will have to pay due attention to address the challenges of MICs, so that the progress achieved in attaining this status is not reversed, but rather enforced.
We would like to reiterate again that principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) has not been recognised as an overarching principle for SDGs nor interpreted as the principle, extended to all issues to be addressed in the post-2015 agenda.
We agree with those countries which in the context of new global partnership highlighted the acknowledgment of special needs and circumstances of the poorest and most vulnerable populations living in LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS and conflict affected states.
We further believe that ODA remains an important part of the development financing in many countries, especially the most vulnerable ones, as well as in the sectors most in need. However, we are of the view that full realization of SDGs will require mobilization of additional financial resources from multiple sources, especially non-public ones.
I thank you Mr. Co-facilitator
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MONTENEGRO TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Stocktaking session of the Intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda, Means of implementation and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, 20 January 2015
Distinguished Co-facilitators,
I am pleased and honoured to address you at this timely and important Stocktaking session, which comes in the midst of our deliberations on the post-2015 development agenda. With Millennium Development Goals set to expire soon, UN and the whole international community stand at the crossroads. We have a historic opportunity, but at the same time a great responsibility to chart a new global course of action to end poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for all, while at the same time protecting environment.
Building on the momentum and significant achievements of MDGs, some of the humanity’s noble objectives, such as eradicating extreme poverty, are within reach and we must deliver. Trends have visibly shown that although major progress has been made around the world in eradicating extreme poverty, progress has differed significantly across regions, and even within states and societies, leaving many outside of scope of progress.
Striving for ambitious and transformative, yet implementable post-2015 agenda, we believe that the final outcome of the OWG captured successfully the multi-dimensional nature of sustainable development, whereby issues of all its three dimensions, in a balanced manner, found place in the proposed SDGs. Proposed set of goals answers in a right way to the prime objective, which is to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development.
As we have pointed out several times, we believe that primary responsibility for development lies within national states and in this regard we strongly support promoting national ownership. But delivering a better future for all requires coherent action by all stakeholders in society. Let me underline that engaging private sector, which has so far had little participation, is particularly vital, since business community is considered a main driver of economic activity. Recognizing the importance of shared values and interests, business involvement has to become sustainable as well. Therefore, we have to find ways to attract their substantive contribution, at the national as well as regional and global levels.
The engagement in implementation of new agenda should be build on shared responsibility, respective national capacities and circumstances and accountability mechanisms. Such partnership should include wide range of different stakeholders, including private sector, civil society, philanthropic organisations, international financial institutions and other major actors.
In addition to traditional sources, innovative sources of financing would have to be brought in to meet the large needs countries would have, most notably the least developed countries. Therefore, many countries, my own included, will be relying on effective and robust means of implementation to complement national efforts and resources. Belonging to the middle-income countries, a group that is growing in number, means of implementation or the proposed goal 17 will have to pay due attention to address the challenges of MICs, so that the progress achieved in attaining this status is not reversed, but rather enforced.
We would like to reiterate again that principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) has not been recognised as an overarching principle for SDGs nor interpreted as the principle, extended to all issues to be addressed in the post-2015 agenda.
We agree with those countries which in the context of new global partnership highlighted the acknowledgment of special needs and circumstances of the poorest and most vulnerable populations living in LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS and conflict affected states.
We further believe that ODA remains an important part of the development financing in many countries, especially the most vulnerable ones, as well as in the sectors most in need. However, we are of the view that full realization of SDGs will require mobilization of additional financial resources from multiple sources, especially non-public ones.
I thank you Mr. Co-facilitator
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