Qatar
Reactions during the informal meetings [ 27 - 31 July ]
of the plenary on the intergovernmental negotiations
on the post-2015 development agenda
Statement delivered by Miss Al-Daana Al-Mulla, Third Secretary, on behalf of the
Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar
Thank you Ambassador // Chair,
We align ourselves with the statement delivered by South Africa on behalf of the
G77 and China, and with the statement delivered by the United Arab Emirates on
behalf of the Arab Group, and would like to make the following comments in my
national capacity.
After more thorough review of the text, my delegation noticed that issues related
to food and water are not adequately addressed in the revised document.
ON FOOD
Specifically, on paragraph 25, we have two observations:
1) in the last line, where it reads “in particular Least Developed Countries,” the
text should also refer to ALL developing countries.
2) We noticed a new reference in the text produced yesterday [30 July 2015] to
the “Rome Declaration on Nutrition and the Framework for Action.” When
addressing food security, nutrition, and agriculture, the Committee on World
Food Security should be treated with high importance as it is THE
international and intergovernmental body within the UN system responsible
for managing the full range of these issues.
For this reason we ask to delete the language on the Rome Declaration and
to replace it with more inclusive and balanced language reaffirming the
important role and inclusive nature of the Committee on World Food
Security.
ON WATER
We are concerned by the current language on the human right to water and
sanitation as it does not meet the ambition of our Post 2015 Development
Agenda.
In this regard, we would like to add voice to what was already expressed by the
delegation of Switzerland. The report on MDGS shows that sanitation is still
lagging behind.
This was recognized by the Heads of States in the para 121 of “The future we
want” in 2012, as well as by the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/157 in
2013.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should not undermine this. The
“right to safe drinking water and sanitation” must be retained in the final
document.
On Sustainable water management, we must speak to the full range of
freshwater resources. United Nations reports indicate that 40% of the
worlds population is projected to be living in areas of water scarcity by
2050.
We therefore strongly advocate that we cannot fail to include reference to its
sustainable management in the declaration, as it is of vital importance and is in
full agreement with language contained in “the Future we want” where we
collectively “committed to significantly improve the implementation of
integrated water resources management.”
In para 9: It is not sufficient to simply include reference to “rivers.” We therefore
ask that you add:
“A world in which consumption and production patterns, (add: management)
and use of all natural resources – from air to land, from rivers, (add: freshwater
bodies, so that we do not exclude lakes and aquifers) to oceans and seas –
are sustainable.”
In para 32, add: “We are therefore determined to conserve and sustainably use
oceans and seas, (add: protect and manage) freshwater resources”
ON LAND
We would like to support the statement made by the delegation of Iceland and
Namibia regarding the revision of targets. It seems that the proposal to change
the year from 2020 to 2030 has not been included in the text and this is
concerning to us. This is not to say that we are not committed to this issue.
In fact, in a proactive effort, the State of Qatar launched the Global Dryland
Alliance - an initiative that aims to combat the increasing challenges posed by
desertification, drought, drylands, and sustainable land management, though
collaborative approach.
The concept of land-degradation neutral world is still new however, therefore it is
therefore important that we afford adequate time for policy formulation and the
mobilization of resources.
I thank you for your attention
of the plenary on the intergovernmental negotiations
on the post-2015 development agenda
Statement delivered by Miss Al-Daana Al-Mulla, Third Secretary, on behalf of the
Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar
Thank you Ambassador // Chair,
We align ourselves with the statement delivered by South Africa on behalf of the
G77 and China, and with the statement delivered by the United Arab Emirates on
behalf of the Arab Group, and would like to make the following comments in my
national capacity.
After more thorough review of the text, my delegation noticed that issues related
to food and water are not adequately addressed in the revised document.
ON FOOD
Specifically, on paragraph 25, we have two observations:
1) in the last line, where it reads “in particular Least Developed Countries,” the
text should also refer to ALL developing countries.
2) We noticed a new reference in the text produced yesterday [30 July 2015] to
the “Rome Declaration on Nutrition and the Framework for Action.” When
addressing food security, nutrition, and agriculture, the Committee on World
Food Security should be treated with high importance as it is THE
international and intergovernmental body within the UN system responsible
for managing the full range of these issues.
For this reason we ask to delete the language on the Rome Declaration and
to replace it with more inclusive and balanced language reaffirming the
important role and inclusive nature of the Committee on World Food
Security.
ON WATER
We are concerned by the current language on the human right to water and
sanitation as it does not meet the ambition of our Post 2015 Development
Agenda.
In this regard, we would like to add voice to what was already expressed by the
delegation of Switzerland. The report on MDGS shows that sanitation is still
lagging behind.
This was recognized by the Heads of States in the para 121 of “The future we
want” in 2012, as well as by the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/157 in
2013.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should not undermine this. The
“right to safe drinking water and sanitation” must be retained in the final
document.
On Sustainable water management, we must speak to the full range of
freshwater resources. United Nations reports indicate that 40% of the
worlds population is projected to be living in areas of water scarcity by
2050.
We therefore strongly advocate that we cannot fail to include reference to its
sustainable management in the declaration, as it is of vital importance and is in
full agreement with language contained in “the Future we want” where we
collectively “committed to significantly improve the implementation of
integrated water resources management.”
In para 9: It is not sufficient to simply include reference to “rivers.” We therefore
ask that you add:
“A world in which consumption and production patterns, (add: management)
and use of all natural resources – from air to land, from rivers, (add: freshwater
bodies, so that we do not exclude lakes and aquifers) to oceans and seas –
are sustainable.”
In para 32, add: “We are therefore determined to conserve and sustainably use
oceans and seas, (add: protect and manage) freshwater resources”
ON LAND
We would like to support the statement made by the delegation of Iceland and
Namibia regarding the revision of targets. It seems that the proposal to change
the year from 2020 to 2030 has not been included in the text and this is
concerning to us. This is not to say that we are not committed to this issue.
In fact, in a proactive effort, the State of Qatar launched the Global Dryland
Alliance - an initiative that aims to combat the increasing challenges posed by
desertification, drought, drylands, and sustainable land management, though
collaborative approach.
The concept of land-degradation neutral world is still new however, therefore it is
therefore important that we afford adequate time for policy formulation and the
mobilization of resources.
I thank you for your attention
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