Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)
Statement by
H.E. Mr Robert G. Aisi,
Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations
and Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Chair
on behalf of Pacific Troika and Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)
for the
Open Working Group on SDGs Focus Area 18 issues concerning Means of Implementation and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
4 April 2014, New York
Check against delivery
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Co-Chair,
I am pleased to deliver this Statement on behalf of the Pacific Troika in the OWG, namely Nauru, Palau and my own country, Papua New Guinea on Focus Area 18 concerning the Means of Implementation and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
This intervention is also made on behalf of the 9 other Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) represented at the United Nations; namely, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. We are pleased to be joined by our neighbour, Timor-Leste.
We are associate ourselves with the Statement delivered on this cluster by Nauru on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). Likewise, with the exception of PSIDS members who are not G-77, we also align with the intervention made by Bolivia as the Chair of G-77 and China.
Co-Chair,
Any internationally agreed post-2015 SDG's successful attainment hinges on a clearly defined, concise, practical, accessible and affordable means of implementation.
We would therefore underscore that means of implementation as a seminal enabler of sustainable development ought not to be a stand-alone goal but rather there must be means of implementation for every SDG.
This should also adequately account for countries development specificities, circumstances and vulnerabilities.
We welcome and agree with the possible targets areas identified in the Co-Chairs Focus Area report, however, we would venture to further strengthen the following.
In the area of enhancing fair, open and rules-based multilateral trading system noted under clause "a", we urge for the:
1. Development in various trade and economic agreements special and differential treatment for small vulnerable economies at the WTO and trade preferences for countries in special situations, including SIDS;
2. Provide adequate financial and technical assistance through aid-for-trade mechanisms to build capacity in developing countries especially SIDS to assist them effectively participate in the multilateral trading system, including trade policy formulation and implementation.
On financing for development suggested under clause "d", we call for:
1. Cumbersome application procedures to access finance for development in bilateral and multilateral as well as domestic financing sources need to be overhauled and simplified;
2. Develop alternate measurements beyond GDP and GNI that accounts for special circumstances and vulnerabilities for accessing finance for development;
3. Enhance access to concessionary sources of financing;
4. Facilitate sufficient, additional and predictable financial resources to developing countries, especially SIDS to build their resilience capacities and capabilities including in climate change mitigation and adaption projects.
Co-Chair,
On technology transfers noted in "f", this should be affordable, appropriate and environmentally sound to complement national sustainable development efforts.
On improving disaggregated data collation and management to measure development progress suggested under clause "l", we recommend that the UN system and global multilateral institutions and bilateral development partners recognize and make greater use of national and regional institutions statistics and development indicators. Often the lack of recognition of these data disadvantages especially developing countries in accessing development resources from international development agencies and bodies and states.
Another key enabler that could harness sustainable development for countries is the necessity of the UN system, global and regional financial entities to provide improved institutional support by strengthening coherence of their work with national development priorities.
For a transformative sustainable development agenda, it is vital that monitoring and mutual accountability of all commitments and actions, as noted in clause "m" must be specific, measurable, achievable, appropriate and time-bound.
Co-Chair,
Turning to the issue of global partnership for sustainable development, this is a critical enabler that needs to harnessed at all levels including domestically and globally and between public and private.
Partnerships, irrespective of their size and origin, must be people-centered, genuine and durable. This must also be based on mutual trust, equality, respect, accountability and transparency.
Whilst we agree with the intent under letter "a" as noted in the Co-Chairs focus area report, we recommend that this needs to be clearly defined as it is rather too broad and vague. The "how?" of focused and strengthened public-private partnership is imperative. Important issues including ways to incentivize cooperative partnership, ownership and leadership on development issues in the partnership needs to be spelt out clearly if people-centered deliverables are to be realized.
In closing, we would venture that the means of implementation and global partnership requires enhanced focus and attention as this will ultimately determine the fate of any sustainable development goals we agree on.
Thank you.
H.E. Mr Robert G. Aisi,
Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations
and Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Chair
on behalf of Pacific Troika and Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)
for the
Open Working Group on SDGs Focus Area 18 issues concerning Means of Implementation and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
4 April 2014, New York
Check against delivery
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Co-Chair,
I am pleased to deliver this Statement on behalf of the Pacific Troika in the OWG, namely Nauru, Palau and my own country, Papua New Guinea on Focus Area 18 concerning the Means of Implementation and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
This intervention is also made on behalf of the 9 other Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) represented at the United Nations; namely, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. We are pleased to be joined by our neighbour, Timor-Leste.
We are associate ourselves with the Statement delivered on this cluster by Nauru on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). Likewise, with the exception of PSIDS members who are not G-77, we also align with the intervention made by Bolivia as the Chair of G-77 and China.
Co-Chair,
Any internationally agreed post-2015 SDG's successful attainment hinges on a clearly defined, concise, practical, accessible and affordable means of implementation.
We would therefore underscore that means of implementation as a seminal enabler of sustainable development ought not to be a stand-alone goal but rather there must be means of implementation for every SDG.
This should also adequately account for countries development specificities, circumstances and vulnerabilities.
We welcome and agree with the possible targets areas identified in the Co-Chairs Focus Area report, however, we would venture to further strengthen the following.
In the area of enhancing fair, open and rules-based multilateral trading system noted under clause "a", we urge for the:
1. Development in various trade and economic agreements special and differential treatment for small vulnerable economies at the WTO and trade preferences for countries in special situations, including SIDS;
2. Provide adequate financial and technical assistance through aid-for-trade mechanisms to build capacity in developing countries especially SIDS to assist them effectively participate in the multilateral trading system, including trade policy formulation and implementation.
On financing for development suggested under clause "d", we call for:
1. Cumbersome application procedures to access finance for development in bilateral and multilateral as well as domestic financing sources need to be overhauled and simplified;
2. Develop alternate measurements beyond GDP and GNI that accounts for special circumstances and vulnerabilities for accessing finance for development;
3. Enhance access to concessionary sources of financing;
4. Facilitate sufficient, additional and predictable financial resources to developing countries, especially SIDS to build their resilience capacities and capabilities including in climate change mitigation and adaption projects.
Co-Chair,
On technology transfers noted in "f", this should be affordable, appropriate and environmentally sound to complement national sustainable development efforts.
On improving disaggregated data collation and management to measure development progress suggested under clause "l", we recommend that the UN system and global multilateral institutions and bilateral development partners recognize and make greater use of national and regional institutions statistics and development indicators. Often the lack of recognition of these data disadvantages especially developing countries in accessing development resources from international development agencies and bodies and states.
Another key enabler that could harness sustainable development for countries is the necessity of the UN system, global and regional financial entities to provide improved institutional support by strengthening coherence of their work with national development priorities.
For a transformative sustainable development agenda, it is vital that monitoring and mutual accountability of all commitments and actions, as noted in clause "m" must be specific, measurable, achievable, appropriate and time-bound.
Co-Chair,
Turning to the issue of global partnership for sustainable development, this is a critical enabler that needs to harnessed at all levels including domestically and globally and between public and private.
Partnerships, irrespective of their size and origin, must be people-centered, genuine and durable. This must also be based on mutual trust, equality, respect, accountability and transparency.
Whilst we agree with the intent under letter "a" as noted in the Co-Chairs focus area report, we recommend that this needs to be clearly defined as it is rather too broad and vague. The "how?" of focused and strengthened public-private partnership is imperative. Important issues including ways to incentivize cooperative partnership, ownership and leadership on development issues in the partnership needs to be spelt out clearly if people-centered deliverables are to be realized.
In closing, we would venture that the means of implementation and global partnership requires enhanced focus and attention as this will ultimately determine the fate of any sustainable development goals we agree on.
Thank you.
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