Sri Lanka
Session 13
Review of implementation SDGs and thematic review
SDG 17: Investing in and financing for SDGs
Thursday, 1.3 July 2017, 1.5:00-1.6:30, Conference Room 4
Draft presentation for HLPF Panel Discussion on "SDG 17: Investing in and Financing
SDGs"
H.E. Mr. Ambassador Gebeyehu Ganga, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ethiopia ta the United
Nations
• Thank you, Vice President, and thank you Moderator.
• Let me thank Distinguished Keynote Speakers, the PRs of South Africa and of Belgium
who wisely and successfully led the negotiation process of the Second FFD Forum into an
inter-governmentally agreed outcome.
• As one of the developing countries, though our position has been to have a more ambitious
outcome, we are pleased that the FFD Forum has its first substantive outcome, which we
still believe has a lot of important elements that should be implemented.
• Coming back to share our perspective on some of the questions, I would like to stress that
to accelerate the timely and effective implementation of the Addis Agenda what is required
is renewed global commitment and political determination. Reports, including the InterAgency
Task Force for Financing for Development have demonstrated that we cannot
achieve the ambitious 2030 Agenda with the current trajectory. The international
community must take this message very seriously and must act with a sense of urgency to
create a more favorable environment for inclusive and sustainable development. The
difficult political, economic, social and environmental challenges that continue to impede
the implementation of the Addis Agenda demand unwavering commitment for effective
multilateralism.
• National actions are also important to realize the vision of 2030 Agenda. Here I want to
underline national ownership and leadership. In Ethiopia, as poverty eradication is our
primary policy objective, we are implementing SDGs by integrating them into our national
development plan. We have allocated more than 70 per cent of our budget to pro-poor
programs and projects.
• We have prepared a Comprehensive Action Plan to implement the Addis Agenda in
Ethiopia. We are talcing policy interventions to mobilize domestic resources, including by
launching a "Tax Transformation for Sustainable Development" initiative aimed at further
reforming the tax administration system. We are one of the leading LDCs in attracting FDI
that is aligned with our development priorities. We have been benefiting from North and
South; as well as South-South cooperation. What we have been doing in Ethiopia is
maximizing the impact of development finance, including ODA on poverty reduction and
job generating programs such as infrastructure.
• In short what has worked for Ethiopia to reduce poverty and sustain its inclusive growth is
its political commitment for implementing comprehensive development plans that are in
line with our national contexts. And we continue to learn from our development process
and the experience of others. Also, we have been harnessing international cooperation
according to our development priorities.
• However, I must say that we still continue to face funding gaps to implement SDGs in
Ethiopia. Coupled with the volatile international commodity price, our export has been
sluggish. The negative impacts of climate change are also posing a significant challenge,
affecting our financing priorities and economic growth.
• Finally, let me say that implementing SDGs in Ethiopia and other developing countries
requires the concerted and joint actions of all development actors. Developed countries
should respect their commitment to provide ODA, climate finance and technology. We
need a reformed UN that is fit for purpose in supporting member states to implement SDGs.
Multilateral development banks should finance sustainable projects that build productive
capacity and promote regional integration. We also need the private sector to avoid "shorttermism"
and invest in long-term and SDGs-aligned projects that have impact on poverty.
CSOs should also advocate for an enabling international economic environment that
recognizes there is no one size that fits all. All these reaffirm what I said earlier: investing
and financing SDGs require renewed sense of global solidarity and partnership.
I thank you
Review of implementation SDGs and thematic review
SDG 17: Investing in and financing for SDGs
Thursday, 1.3 July 2017, 1.5:00-1.6:30, Conference Room 4
Draft presentation for HLPF Panel Discussion on "SDG 17: Investing in and Financing
SDGs"
H.E. Mr. Ambassador Gebeyehu Ganga, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ethiopia ta the United
Nations
• Thank you, Vice President, and thank you Moderator.
• Let me thank Distinguished Keynote Speakers, the PRs of South Africa and of Belgium
who wisely and successfully led the negotiation process of the Second FFD Forum into an
inter-governmentally agreed outcome.
• As one of the developing countries, though our position has been to have a more ambitious
outcome, we are pleased that the FFD Forum has its first substantive outcome, which we
still believe has a lot of important elements that should be implemented.
• Coming back to share our perspective on some of the questions, I would like to stress that
to accelerate the timely and effective implementation of the Addis Agenda what is required
is renewed global commitment and political determination. Reports, including the InterAgency
Task Force for Financing for Development have demonstrated that we cannot
achieve the ambitious 2030 Agenda with the current trajectory. The international
community must take this message very seriously and must act with a sense of urgency to
create a more favorable environment for inclusive and sustainable development. The
difficult political, economic, social and environmental challenges that continue to impede
the implementation of the Addis Agenda demand unwavering commitment for effective
multilateralism.
• National actions are also important to realize the vision of 2030 Agenda. Here I want to
underline national ownership and leadership. In Ethiopia, as poverty eradication is our
primary policy objective, we are implementing SDGs by integrating them into our national
development plan. We have allocated more than 70 per cent of our budget to pro-poor
programs and projects.
• We have prepared a Comprehensive Action Plan to implement the Addis Agenda in
Ethiopia. We are talcing policy interventions to mobilize domestic resources, including by
launching a "Tax Transformation for Sustainable Development" initiative aimed at further
reforming the tax administration system. We are one of the leading LDCs in attracting FDI
that is aligned with our development priorities. We have been benefiting from North and
South; as well as South-South cooperation. What we have been doing in Ethiopia is
maximizing the impact of development finance, including ODA on poverty reduction and
job generating programs such as infrastructure.
• In short what has worked for Ethiopia to reduce poverty and sustain its inclusive growth is
its political commitment for implementing comprehensive development plans that are in
line with our national contexts. And we continue to learn from our development process
and the experience of others. Also, we have been harnessing international cooperation
according to our development priorities.
• However, I must say that we still continue to face funding gaps to implement SDGs in
Ethiopia. Coupled with the volatile international commodity price, our export has been
sluggish. The negative impacts of climate change are also posing a significant challenge,
affecting our financing priorities and economic growth.
• Finally, let me say that implementing SDGs in Ethiopia and other developing countries
requires the concerted and joint actions of all development actors. Developed countries
should respect their commitment to provide ODA, climate finance and technology. We
need a reformed UN that is fit for purpose in supporting member states to implement SDGs.
Multilateral development banks should finance sustainable projects that build productive
capacity and promote regional integration. We also need the private sector to avoid "shorttermism"
and invest in long-term and SDGs-aligned projects that have impact on poverty.
CSOs should also advocate for an enabling international economic environment that
recognizes there is no one size that fits all. All these reaffirm what I said earlier: investing
and financing SDGs require renewed sense of global solidarity and partnership.
I thank you
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