Norway
Norway: Preamble and declaration 27. July
Preamble
The preamble is now too long to function as a good communication tool, which should be its main purpose. But as the declaration becomes longer and longer, the need for a short preamble grows.
At this late stage, we will limit our proposals for amending the preamble to just a few:
People: The section on «people» need a clear reference to human rights. We would like to see the following included «We commit to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
Planet: Freshwater resources should, like oceans and seas, be both conserved and used. Suggest to rephrase: “We will conserve and sustainably use our oceans, seas and freshwater resources” and “Safe, inclusive and sustainable cities”
Partnership: “The Global Partnership will contribute to the mobilization of the means required for implementation of the Agenda…”
Declaration
In general we are concerned about the declaration being too long, too repetitive, paraphrasing goals and targets and generally looking more like an executive summary than a visionary statement. Revised text has in our view taken some steps in the wrong direction, including in its references relating to Addis and MOIs.
We do not see the need for repeating the content of sections 2, 3 and 4. We would therefore prefer a much shorter declaration.
But if the current format is kept, we have a few proposals:
Para 13: (CBDR) We prefer that we limit this to reaffirming all the principles of the Rio Declaration, not singling out only one principle.
Para 19: agree with Japan, Iceland and the EU that we need to delete the last phrase “..taking into account…etc..” Cannot make our commitment to international law relative to national circumstances etc.
In our view, the section on the new agenda goes too far in reformulating what some of the goals are all about. We therefore suggested it significantly shortened. But if it is kept in the current extensive version, it should better reflect what we have actually agreed to in the goals and targets. A few suggestions to that effect:
Para 21: on gender should better reflect the balance of goal 5, and should include a reference to ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
para 25: We agree with UK - this para should be better aligned with the goal 1 by deleting the comma after "including extreme poverty". The historical commitment to end extreme poverty by 2030, which is within reach, should be reflected in a correct manner.
Para 26: (education) Would like to see reference to safe schools and qualified teachers. In the last sentence, after "youth dividend" we would like the text to read : “including through supportive families, communities and safe schools with qualified teachers, all of which etc….”
Para 27: (health) This para on health is not reflecting the main priorities as set out in SDG3. We suggest to delete “physical” in the first line, and to move “No one must be left behind” up to be inserted after life expectancy for all. The sentence would then read “To promote health and well-being and to extend life expectancy for all, no one must be left behind” The language then continues with “We must achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care”. We also question the inclusion of several elements not included in Goal 3, while important issues covered in that goal are not reflected, such as reducing the health risks caused by pollution and contamination.
Para 31: We do not support including the bracketed text, as it is not in line with agreed language from Lima.
Para 34: We support the proposal by Korea to include “good governance”.
We are concerned that the text in the section on Means of implementation has been expanded, rather than shortened, as we would have preferred.
Also concerned that we are now moving in the direction of renegotiating what has just been agreed in Addis.
We agree with others that if many of the paras in this section are kept, they need to be better balanced and aligned with what was agreed in Addis.
Para 44: We suggest to delete this paragraph on families. This agenda must focus on protecting the rights of all individuals.
Para 47: Concerned with the changes made to this para, in particular the deletion of the references to the private sector and civil society. Without their involvement, we will not be able to implement this agenda. We would furthermore like to see indigenous peoples included in the list. We do not see the value of the last sentence starting with “in accordance with…”, and suggest its deletion.
Follow-up:
Para 49: The second sentence is unclear. We suggest to revert to the sentence in para 42 of the previous version: “To support this accountability, provision has been made- and is detailed below- for systematic follow-up and review of implementation at the various levels”
Preamble
The preamble is now too long to function as a good communication tool, which should be its main purpose. But as the declaration becomes longer and longer, the need for a short preamble grows.
At this late stage, we will limit our proposals for amending the preamble to just a few:
People: The section on «people» need a clear reference to human rights. We would like to see the following included «We commit to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
Planet: Freshwater resources should, like oceans and seas, be both conserved and used. Suggest to rephrase: “We will conserve and sustainably use our oceans, seas and freshwater resources” and “Safe, inclusive and sustainable cities”
Partnership: “The Global Partnership will contribute to the mobilization of the means required for implementation of the Agenda…”
Declaration
In general we are concerned about the declaration being too long, too repetitive, paraphrasing goals and targets and generally looking more like an executive summary than a visionary statement. Revised text has in our view taken some steps in the wrong direction, including in its references relating to Addis and MOIs.
We do not see the need for repeating the content of sections 2, 3 and 4. We would therefore prefer a much shorter declaration.
But if the current format is kept, we have a few proposals:
Para 13: (CBDR) We prefer that we limit this to reaffirming all the principles of the Rio Declaration, not singling out only one principle.
Para 19: agree with Japan, Iceland and the EU that we need to delete the last phrase “..taking into account…etc..” Cannot make our commitment to international law relative to national circumstances etc.
In our view, the section on the new agenda goes too far in reformulating what some of the goals are all about. We therefore suggested it significantly shortened. But if it is kept in the current extensive version, it should better reflect what we have actually agreed to in the goals and targets. A few suggestions to that effect:
Para 21: on gender should better reflect the balance of goal 5, and should include a reference to ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
para 25: We agree with UK - this para should be better aligned with the goal 1 by deleting the comma after "including extreme poverty". The historical commitment to end extreme poverty by 2030, which is within reach, should be reflected in a correct manner.
Para 26: (education) Would like to see reference to safe schools and qualified teachers. In the last sentence, after "youth dividend" we would like the text to read : “including through supportive families, communities and safe schools with qualified teachers, all of which etc….”
Para 27: (health) This para on health is not reflecting the main priorities as set out in SDG3. We suggest to delete “physical” in the first line, and to move “No one must be left behind” up to be inserted after life expectancy for all. The sentence would then read “To promote health and well-being and to extend life expectancy for all, no one must be left behind” The language then continues with “We must achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care”. We also question the inclusion of several elements not included in Goal 3, while important issues covered in that goal are not reflected, such as reducing the health risks caused by pollution and contamination.
Para 31: We do not support including the bracketed text, as it is not in line with agreed language from Lima.
Para 34: We support the proposal by Korea to include “good governance”.
We are concerned that the text in the section on Means of implementation has been expanded, rather than shortened, as we would have preferred.
Also concerned that we are now moving in the direction of renegotiating what has just been agreed in Addis.
We agree with others that if many of the paras in this section are kept, they need to be better balanced and aligned with what was agreed in Addis.
Para 44: We suggest to delete this paragraph on families. This agenda must focus on protecting the rights of all individuals.
Para 47: Concerned with the changes made to this para, in particular the deletion of the references to the private sector and civil society. Without their involvement, we will not be able to implement this agenda. We would furthermore like to see indigenous peoples included in the list. We do not see the value of the last sentence starting with “in accordance with…”, and suggest its deletion.
Follow-up:
Para 49: The second sentence is unclear. We suggest to revert to the sentence in para 42 of the previous version: “To support this accountability, provision has been made- and is detailed below- for systematic follow-up and review of implementation at the various levels”
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