Netherlands
Post-2015 Inter-governmental negotiations on outcome document
Thursday 23 July 2015
Statement by the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Co-facilitators,
I join in the condolences expressed by many before me on the passing away of His Excellency Roble Olhaye, Permanent Representative of Djibouti.
I align myself with the statement of the European Union, and would like to make some additional national remarks.
We thank you for your proposal on chapter 3 of the agenda, focusing on implementation.
We agree with the G77 and many others that Means of Implementation are a fundamental component and integral part of the post-2015 agenda.
Having a chapter 3 focusing on Means of Implementation and the Global Partnership, as you propose, fully corresponds with our longstanding view that Means of Implementation are politically as important as the Goals and Targets. Rather than treating the Means of Implementation as a subset or afterthought under the Goals and Targets, we have always favored putting the Means of Implementation and Global Partnership alongside the Goals and Targets, at an equal level and according them equal status. After all, they are at the heart of our framework. We need to match the ambition we have set ourselves on the 'what' side with dedicated Means and a strong and substantive message on the 'how' side.
Addressing the MoI sand Global Partnership in chapter 3 can be done without any substantive changes to the agenda as a whole. Nothing will be lost. On the contrary, analytically and in terms of structure, it will make our agenda stronger, more logical, more coherent and better understandable.
Not addressing MoIs and GP in chapter 3 would essentially leave us with an empty chapter. In that case, one wonders why we would need a chapter 3 at all.
Co-facilitators,
We have carried out a thorough comparison of the MoIs and Global Partnership and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. As my Australian colleague said earlier, the Addis Agenda is the more rigorous and comprehensive set of means and actions. In other words, if the MoIs and goal 17 are the skeleton for implementation, Addis is the flesh on the bones.
For instance, target 17.1 on strengthening domestic resource mobilization is brought to life in the Domestic Public Finance section of the Addis Agenda.
Target 17.2 on ODA is further fleshed out in the Addis Agenda, as are the additional financial resources in 17.3.
Target 17.4 on debt sustainability equally receives attention through an entire section.
I could continue for all of the other targets of goal 17 and all the 62 MoIs. The basic point is clear: the MoIs are elaborated in greater detail and infused with more concrete ambition in the Addis Agenda. In other words the MoIs and the Addis Agenda are closely linked and joined up. Whereas we agree that Addis is not a substitute for the MoIs and Goal 17, keeping Addis separate from the post-2015 agenda is detrimental both to the Addis Agenda and to the post-2015 agenda.
Chapter 3 on implementation should reflect the jointness of the MoIs, GP and Addis Agenda, otherwise we risk losing the valuable package of actions and means we agreed upon in Addis - a package that can put us on a solid path towards achieving the SDGs.
+++++
Thursday 23 July 2015
Statement by the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Co-facilitators,
I join in the condolences expressed by many before me on the passing away of His Excellency Roble Olhaye, Permanent Representative of Djibouti.
I align myself with the statement of the European Union, and would like to make some additional national remarks.
We thank you for your proposal on chapter 3 of the agenda, focusing on implementation.
We agree with the G77 and many others that Means of Implementation are a fundamental component and integral part of the post-2015 agenda.
Having a chapter 3 focusing on Means of Implementation and the Global Partnership, as you propose, fully corresponds with our longstanding view that Means of Implementation are politically as important as the Goals and Targets. Rather than treating the Means of Implementation as a subset or afterthought under the Goals and Targets, we have always favored putting the Means of Implementation and Global Partnership alongside the Goals and Targets, at an equal level and according them equal status. After all, they are at the heart of our framework. We need to match the ambition we have set ourselves on the 'what' side with dedicated Means and a strong and substantive message on the 'how' side.
Addressing the MoI sand Global Partnership in chapter 3 can be done without any substantive changes to the agenda as a whole. Nothing will be lost. On the contrary, analytically and in terms of structure, it will make our agenda stronger, more logical, more coherent and better understandable.
Not addressing MoIs and GP in chapter 3 would essentially leave us with an empty chapter. In that case, one wonders why we would need a chapter 3 at all.
Co-facilitators,
We have carried out a thorough comparison of the MoIs and Global Partnership and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. As my Australian colleague said earlier, the Addis Agenda is the more rigorous and comprehensive set of means and actions. In other words, if the MoIs and goal 17 are the skeleton for implementation, Addis is the flesh on the bones.
For instance, target 17.1 on strengthening domestic resource mobilization is brought to life in the Domestic Public Finance section of the Addis Agenda.
Target 17.2 on ODA is further fleshed out in the Addis Agenda, as are the additional financial resources in 17.3.
Target 17.4 on debt sustainability equally receives attention through an entire section.
I could continue for all of the other targets of goal 17 and all the 62 MoIs. The basic point is clear: the MoIs are elaborated in greater detail and infused with more concrete ambition in the Addis Agenda. In other words the MoIs and the Addis Agenda are closely linked and joined up. Whereas we agree that Addis is not a substitute for the MoIs and Goal 17, keeping Addis separate from the post-2015 agenda is detrimental both to the Addis Agenda and to the post-2015 agenda.
Chapter 3 on implementation should reflect the jointness of the MoIs, GP and Addis Agenda, otherwise we risk losing the valuable package of actions and means we agreed upon in Addis - a package that can put us on a solid path towards achieving the SDGs.
+++++
Stakeholders