Statement
by
H.E.
Ms.
Sofia
Borges
Ambassador
and
Permanent
Representative
of
Timor-‐Leste
to
the
United
Nations
to
the
Eighth
Session
of
the
Open
Working
Group
on
Sustainable
Development
Goals
Conflict
Prevention,
Post-‐conflict
Peacebuilding
and
the
Promotion
of
Durable
Peace,
Rule
of
Law
and
Governance
6
February
2014
New
York
Check
Against
Delivery
2
Distinguished Co-Chairs,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Timor-Leste associates with the statement made by the Ambassador of Benin on
behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries.
Resilient societies are peaceful societies.
Resilience and peace are central to eradicating poverty, and achieving sustainable and
inclusive development.
The absence of peace has been the greatest obstacle to achieving the Millennium
Development Goals. Progress in MDG achievement has been slowest in settings of
conflict and fragility. There is little contention that freedom from fear, violence, and
conflict are essential foundations for eradicating poverty, and for building peaceful and
prosperous societies. It is a universal aspiration of all peoples, in all countries.
The Rio +20 outcome document reaffirmed “the importance of freedom, peace and
security, respect for all human rights, including the right to development and the right to
an adequate standard of living, including the right to food, the rule of law, gender
equality and women’s empowerment and the overall commitment to just and democratic
societies for development.”
Furthermore, the Rio Principles adopted in 1992, in particular Principle 25 states:
peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisible. As
we frame the Sustainable Development Goals, we are now equipped with a broader
understanding of development than the one we had 15 years ago. Central to that
understanding is the lived experience that there can be no development without peace,
and there can be no peace without development.
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Peace is not merely the absence of violence or conflict. It is a condition that enables
people to prosper socially, economically and environmentally. It is about ensuring
equality, resilience and strengthening the social contract between governments and their
people.
Distinguished Co-Chairs,
We want to eradicate poverty. We want to establish the conditions for our people to
have access to decent jobs and basic services, including water, sanitation, education and
health care. We want to live in harmony with our natural environment. In order to do that,
we know we must have peace and effective state institutions based on the rule of law.
Timor-Leste endorses the report and recommendations of the High Level Panel of
Eminent Persons, published last May with separate illustrative goals on good governance
and effective institutions, as well as ensuring stable and peaceful societies. These issues
truly are universal and critical to eradicating poverty for those in the most vulnerable
situations.
Our experience in Timor-Leste, reinforced by empirical evidence, is that conflict and
vulnerability finds fertile ground in the very development challenges we are trying to
tackle. These include youth unemployment, inequality, sub-standard service delivery, lack
of food security and the ineffective management of natural resources.
Our turning point was the 2007 Timor-Leste Standard of Living Survey, following the
2006 political crisis in the country, and ensuing insecurity. We discovered that poverty
rates had doubled in some areas, and overall poverty had increased by 15 per cent. This
was despite an investment of over 8 billion dollars by the international community since
2001, together with a concerted effort to achieve the MDGs.
We had to act, and we did. Expedient reforms that strengthened our institutions,
improving the delivery of essential services to the population, accountability,
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reconciliation, transparency, the rule of law and an inclusive political dialogue swiftly lead
to increased economic resilience and growth in only 5 years. From the birth of our
independent nation, we had embarked on reconciliation internationally and among our
own divided community. We needed everyone to know they would be safe and to create
the space for inclusive political dialogue. We used customary ways to heal, and today we
are a stronger country for it. Our country now continues to achieve unprecedented
double-digit economic growth, and we have witnessed a 9 per cent decrease in poverty
and gains in service delivery.
Yet, others have been less fortunate. In many parts of the world, we are still a long way
from achieving lasting peace – and thus sustainable development. Globally, there are 1.5
billion people living in settings of conflict and fragility; they are among the poorest, most
vulnerable and most in need. They share the global desire to have access to decent water
and sanitation, education, health care and jobs. We have an obligation to make sure that
the post-2015 development agenda does not leave them behind again. As the example
of Timor-Leste demonstrates, they will not be able to achieve their aspiration without first
ending violence and building effective state capacity to deliver essential services.
Ours is not an isolated experience. We continue to measure progress and coordinate
the support of our international partners. Our collective learning from the MDGs has
shown us the value of nationally relevant targets and indicators when coupled with global
goals. Our gains have founded in strong country leadership and ownership of our
development.
If our aspiration is to eradicate poverty and develop prosperous societies, we need to
recognize the nexus between peace, stability and the development of inclusive state
institutions. The Millennium Declaration brought together the linkages between peace,
development and the eradication of poverty. However, the omission of this link in the
MDGs resulted in unevenness and gaps in their progress and has been a fundamental
obstacle to their achievement in Timor-Leste.
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Timor-Leste support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets on
governance and the rule of law, and peace and stability. Only through this inclusion can
the post-2015 development framework be transformative and leave no on behind.
Distinguished Co-Chairs,
I wish us all continued fruitful discussions today and in the months ahead, and to
express our appreciation and confidence in your work thus far.
Thank you.
