Southern Africa Region
STATEMENT BY S G MHISHI PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR & SOCIAL WELFARE – REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Southern Africa Region namely; Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and my own Country Zimbabwe.
I wish to align this statement with the statements made by the Ambassadors of (Bolivia on behalf of G77 and China ) as well as (Lesotho ) on behalf of the Africa group.
Co-Chairs let me acknowledge the considerable progress by our Committee under your able leadership. The current working document now has 16 focus areas from previous 19. This is commendable however more work still needs to be done to further reduce the focus areas.
In the mean time we have specific comments in the following areas:
1. FOCUS AREA 1: POVERTY ERADICATION, BUILDING SHARED PROSPERITY AND PROMOTING EQUALITY.
We propose that the goal be worded as follows
GOAL: End poverty globally in all its forms
TARGETS
(i) Target (a) Eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 - is more of a
goal than a target. We suggest the target to read
“Reduce to zero the proportion of people living below the national food poverty line by 2020”
(ii) Target (b) we suggest it reads
“Reduce by 50% the proportion of people living below the National total consumption poverty line by 2030”.
(iii) Target (c) appears more of a strategy. We suggest it be removed.
(iv) Target (d) mixes deaths and economic loses and intends to measure these using one index. We suggest the target to read as follows:
“Build resilience of the poor and reduce by X% deaths due to natural disasters.
(v) Target (e) we support it remain as is.
(vi) Target (f) is more of a statement of intent. We suggest it reads;
”Avail secure rights to own land, property and other productive assets to all women and men by 2030”
General comment.
A target measuring inequality is needed under this focus area. It could be expressed in terms of a desired gini coefficient level by 2030.
2 FOCUS AREA 2: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION
We propose that the goal be worded as follows:
GOAL: “End hunger and improve nutrition for all”
The rest of the statement is now strategy and should be omitted.
TARGETS
(i) Target (a) is supported as is.
(ii) Target (b) is supported but should be time framed to at most “by 2025”.
(iii) Target (c) is a statement of intent. It should be decomposed to stand alone targets on water use intensity, chemical and energy use reduction as follows;
• By 2030 ensure sustainable food production systems through:
(a) Increasing water use efficiency by 50%
(b) Reducing chemical use by 20%
(c) Increasing by 50% the use of renewable energies
(iv) Target (d) is also too much of an omnibus it should be decomposed as follows;
(a) “By 2030 achieve access to agricultural knowledge by all."
(b) “By 2030 achieve access to adequate inputs, productive resources, financial services and markets by more than 50% of small farmers with particular focus on women and youths
(v) Target (e) is supported as is.
(vi) Target (f) supported.
(vii) Target (g) could be made to be more universal as follows;
“By 2030 more than 50% of the farmers practice climate smart agriculture that is resilient and adaptable to extreme weather”.
(viii) Target (h) good statement of intent but not measurable
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Southern Africa Region namely; Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and my own Country Zimbabwe.
I wish to align this statement with the statements made by the Ambassadors of (Bolivia on behalf of G77 and China ) as well as (Lesotho ) on behalf of the Africa group.
Co-Chairs let me acknowledge the considerable progress by our Committee under your able leadership. The current working document now has 16 focus areas from previous 19. This is commendable however more work still needs to be done to further reduce the focus areas.
In the mean time we have specific comments in the following areas:
1. FOCUS AREA 1: POVERTY ERADICATION, BUILDING SHARED PROSPERITY AND PROMOTING EQUALITY.
We propose that the goal be worded as follows
GOAL: End poverty globally in all its forms
TARGETS
(i) Target (a) Eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 - is more of a
goal than a target. We suggest the target to read
“Reduce to zero the proportion of people living below the national food poverty line by 2020”
(ii) Target (b) we suggest it reads
“Reduce by 50% the proportion of people living below the National total consumption poverty line by 2030”.
(iii) Target (c) appears more of a strategy. We suggest it be removed.
(iv) Target (d) mixes deaths and economic loses and intends to measure these using one index. We suggest the target to read as follows:
“Build resilience of the poor and reduce by X% deaths due to natural disasters.
(v) Target (e) we support it remain as is.
(vi) Target (f) is more of a statement of intent. We suggest it reads;
”Avail secure rights to own land, property and other productive assets to all women and men by 2030”
General comment.
A target measuring inequality is needed under this focus area. It could be expressed in terms of a desired gini coefficient level by 2030.
2 FOCUS AREA 2: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION
We propose that the goal be worded as follows:
GOAL: “End hunger and improve nutrition for all”
The rest of the statement is now strategy and should be omitted.
TARGETS
(i) Target (a) is supported as is.
(ii) Target (b) is supported but should be time framed to at most “by 2025”.
(iii) Target (c) is a statement of intent. It should be decomposed to stand alone targets on water use intensity, chemical and energy use reduction as follows;
• By 2030 ensure sustainable food production systems through:
(a) Increasing water use efficiency by 50%
(b) Reducing chemical use by 20%
(c) Increasing by 50% the use of renewable energies
(iv) Target (d) is also too much of an omnibus it should be decomposed as follows;
(a) “By 2030 achieve access to agricultural knowledge by all."
(b) “By 2030 achieve access to adequate inputs, productive resources, financial services and markets by more than 50% of small farmers with particular focus on women and youths
(v) Target (e) is supported as is.
(vi) Target (f) supported.
(vii) Target (g) could be made to be more universal as follows;
“By 2030 more than 50% of the farmers practice climate smart agriculture that is resilient and adaptable to extreme weather”.
(viii) Target (h) good statement of intent but not measurable