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On Monday morning, 20 July, Co-Facilitator Macharia Kamau, Kenya, welcomed Member States to the seventh session of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. He recognized the outcome of the financing for development (FfD) process that had concluded in Addis Ababa on 16 July, congratulating all who had contributed to reaching agreement on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA).
Kamau introduced the “final draft” of the post-2015 outcome document, and acknowledged that questions remain as to how the FfD outcome should be handled. He also sought the “indulgence” of the Group of 77 and China regarding the inclusion of “tweaks” to the targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Co-Facilitator David Donoghue, Ireland, stressed that reaching agreement on 31 July is achievable as there are no insurmountable obstacles, and he encouraged delegations to get in touch with each other on the more delicate issues.
Member States provided general comments on the draft and, specifically, the preamble and declaration, including proposals for the title of the outcome document. Many welcomed the recognition of migrants’ contribution to sustainable development in the text, as was called for during the June session, with some calling for stronger references to the situation of refugees, internally displaced persons, and human trafficking and smuggling. The European Union (EU) and others welcomed the references to human rights and gender equality; however they underscored that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) continues to be problematic. The G-77/China argued that CBDR as the overarching principle applying to the entire post-2015 agenda is non-negotiable, adding that the reference to “shared responsibility” contradicts its essence.
Delegates debated whether the preamble, which focuses on the five P’s – people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership – should be retained or rewritten. Brazil argued that “partnership” and “peace” cannot be placed on an equal footing with “people,” “prosperity” and “planet,” which reflect the three dimensions of sustainable development. Others cautioned that the five headings could serve to maintain silos among the indivisible aspects of sustainable development.
Discussion of the declaration will continue on Tuesday.
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