Papua New Guinea

Statement by
H.E. Mr Robert G. Aisi,
Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations,
at the Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the
Post-2015 Development Agenda
18 February 2015, New York
“Check against Delivery”

Co-Facilitators,

My delegation associates with the statements delivered yesterday by the distinguished Permanent Representatives of Tonga, Maldives and South Africa; on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and G77 & China, respectively. We also align ourselves with the statement made by the distinguished Permanent Representative of Austria on behalf of the friends of peace and security and rule of law.

Having learnt from the lessons and challenges of the MDGs implementation nationally, Papua New Guinea set in place in 2014 our own homegrown “National Responsible Sustainable Development Strategy” to accommodate the outcome of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which will complement our national development roadmap, known and referred to as “Vision 2050” along with other enabling strategic policies and platforms.

Co-Facilitators,

We commend you both and the Secretariat for the instructive “elements paper” issued to guide our work on drafting the parameters of the Declaration of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

In response to your question on what should constitute the Declaration: we submit the following elements for your consideration:

1. On the Common Global Vision: we agree with you and other delegations that the Declaration must draw from the lessons learnt from the challenges of the implementation of the MDGs and be anchored in a robust action-oriented, concise, yet ambitious and clear common global vision of a world beyond 2030 that is underpinned by sustained political will and commitment for a shared and prosperous future for all, without the indignity of poverty in all its dimensions. More precisely this Vision should also acknowledge gender equality and empowerment. Furthermore, and of equal importance should be the recognition of children and the youth - who surely will be beneficiaries of this process and who will become a critical part of the "Future we want".

2. Whilst we appreciate the various competing national, regional and global interests on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, we must collectively ensure that we do not deliver to our leaders and global citizens, the lowest common denominator outcome. This necessitates that the Declaration sets the right tone and spirit.

3. The Declaration must reaffirm the pivotal role of the UN Charter’s purposes and principles and respect for international law and also account for other shared internationally agreed principles and high-level political commitments. We suggest that this be reflected at the fore-front of the Declaration as a pre-ambular paragraph.

Co-Facilitators,

On the issue of “what we must do to get there?”: firstly, we urge that as much as possible, we avoid an agenda that resembles a "shopping-list" in the Declaration that is repetitious and inconsistent with the consensus elements reached in the OWG Report. Instead it must embody the core values and principles of the Post-2015 Development Agenda as defined by RioPlus 20 outcome document the “Future We Want” and the Report of the OWG on SDGs to ensure the retention of its integrity.

Secondly, the Declaration must endorse and fully respect the 17 SDGs and 169 Targets defined by the OWG Report without undermining or devaluing any of them. We therefore do not subscribe to devaluing the importance of the link between peace and security and sustainable development, which you as Co-Facilitators rightly alluded to in your introductory remarks yesterday and which we, along with other delegations, share.

Thirdly, the critical importance of national ownership and leadership including multi-stakeholder partnerships but driven by national governments, needs to be stressed in the Declaration. This should also, in tandem, underscore the importance of coherence and synergy between the national and global development agenda but with policy space for national efforts and for development partners to play a complementary role.

Fourthly, there must be a clear and broad recognition in the Declaration of the need to address existing international multilateral and national systemic issues such as inequitable economic and financial practices along with "negative" governance which continue to impede sustainable development.

Fifthly, the Declaration must emphasize the importance of leaving-no-one-behind by recognizing the specific development challenges and vulnerabilities faced by each country and for special consideration to be accorded to their development needs. For instance, the special case of SIDS and support for the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway, as their sustainable development roadmap.


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We remain cautious with any attempts to clustering the new framework using the Secretary-General’s proposed six elements as these are not derived from the Member States' consensus but they could be used as guideposts as we move this process forward. To delve into any proposal for change at this point of time would be counter-productive.

Co-Facilitators,

As regards, “how we will do this?”, firstly, the imperative of mobilizing all relevant Means of Implementation, as identified in the OWG Report, which are predictable, sufficient, appropriate and time-bound to the achievement of the SDGs must be clearly underscored in the Declaration.

Additionally, the complementarity of the FfD process to sustainable development agenda needs to be recognized as an important factor.

Thirdly, defining clear global partnerships to support the Post-2015 Development Agenda is important. It should advocate that North-South cooperation be strengthened including through fulfillment of existing commitments of ODA 0.7 percent of GNI to developing countries. South-South and triangular cooperation play an important but complementary role for sustainable development and should also continue to be strengthened. Improved engagement of the UN through reviewing and re-tooling the “One-UN system” at the country and at the regional levels needs to be also considered.

Fourthly, the Declaration must stress the significance of setting a mutually agreeable global evaluation, assessment and accountability framework for measuring the implementation of the three dimensions of sustainable development (social, economic and environmental) to ensure effective and timely delivery of the commitments, goals, targets and indicators on sustainable development. This must however, be sensitive to the specificities of different countries.

Fifthly, but not the least, the Declaration must underscore the strong link between the serious threats and challenges of climate change especially its adverse impacts to the sustainable development agenda and the imperative to build national resilience and cooperation at all levels whilst respecting the UNFCCC process.

Co-Facilitators,

In closing, we join other delegations in commending you both for your strong pragmatic leadership, commitment and constructive manner that you are guiding this critical process. We pledge to work in a spirit of "genuine and durable partnership" with you and all other delegations and stakeholders. [END]