LDC Watch Statement delivered at the SPECIAL THEMATIC EVENT
“Building Synergy and Coherence in the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”
UN Headquarters, New York, 11 February 2016
PANEL 2: Building synergy and coherence in national and international policies for implementation and follow-up of the Istanbul Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Excellencies, colleagues, and friends,
On behalf of LDC Watch, I would like to thank the President of the UN General Assembly for inviting us to present LDC civil society voice in the context of the High-Level Mid-Term Review process of the Istanbul Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
We appreciate our recognition as the civil society partner in the IPoA process since our global co-ordinating role of the civil society track and the Civil Society Forum at the UN LDC-IV which adopted the IPoA in 2011. We also appreciate our work in the implementation, follow-up, and monitoring of IPoA, being duly acknowledged in the UN Secretary-General’s report to the ECOSOC every year.
As one of the key stakeholders, we have been advocating for the effective implementation of the IPoA, SDGs, and other IADGs through national and regional CSO consultations in different parts of the LDC world. Globally, we advocated for synergy and coherence in the implementation of the IPoA, especially in the context of the SDGs with our campaign call, ‘No SDGs without LDCs!’ building upon our campaign ‘NO MDGs without LDCs!’. The FfD3 negotiations including international climate and trade negotiations have been our other arena of global advocacy work, having a huge bearing on the IPoA. In this regard, we have engaged with LDC and other developing country governments, development partners, the UN system, academia, and global civil society in the South and North.
In responding to the question of how to promote the contribution of CSOs in national policy-making of the LDCs as well as international policy-making processes; LDC Watch would like to present its views based on our work and experience so far engaging at the national, regional and global levels as highlighted earlier.
We have enough evidence to reveal that the development model underlying the MDGs and other IADGs has not worked well as intended. Progress on poverty eradication has been slow and uneven. There have been increasing challenges in reaching inclusive and sustainable development in the world. Hence, there is a dire need to properly review and appraise the existing national, regional, and international policies on trade, finance, investment, climate, food, and technology transfer. LDC Watch, therefore, would like to support the five principles put forward by the UN CDP to guide such global governance reforms: common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, subsidiarity; inclusiveness, transparency and accountability; coherence, and responsible sovereignty.
As you all know, LDC CSOs are constantly constrained by very limited resources and inadequate infrastructure – their working conditions are being further challenged due to conflict, war, and outbreak of natural calamities. Nonetheless, our political will and commitment will remain towards contributing to sustainable development and poverty eradication in LDCs and for a fair, free, and safe world. We would therefore like to urge all stakeholders and partners to effectively work towards creating an enabling environment for LDC CSOs in order to promote their contributions and participation in the national, regional, and international policy-making processes.
Clearly, means of implementation is key, and therefore, the provision of more and better resources remains essential to their further capacity enhancement in monitoring and follow-up of both the IPoA and Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.
Next, the provision of more policy space for their substantive inputs at the national, regional and international policy making levels, must be duly promoted in the spirit of a genuine multistakeholder partnership and democratic ownership of development processes. Promotion and practice of inclusive, broad-based representation and participation, and recognition of policy inputs by LDC CSOs is integral to achieving synergy and coherence in the implementation of the IPoA and Agenda 2030.
In the context of the IPoA Mid-Term Review process, LDC Watch is particularly preparing to conduct its African LDC CSO regional consultation prior to the 9th Joint Annual Meetings of the AU and ECA in April in Addis Ababa, like in the past with successful partnership with the UN system. We look forward to receiving the continued cooperation and support of the ECA, OHRLLS, and UNCTAD as our key partners.
In May, LDC Watch is preparing to conduct its global LDC CSO forum in the lead-up to or in parallel to the High-Level Mid-Term Review in Antalya, Turkey. We look forward to presenting the global LDC civil society declaration to the official high-level review and to our representation and participation in the plenary and round-table meetings. In particular, we seek the support and cooperation of the office of the high representative UN OHRLLS given its mandate towards civil society coordination and mobilization as in the past.
We would also like to express our further engagement in the ongoing review process especially in the context of the official negotiations and the draft outcome document. In this regard, we would like to urge for representation and participation of LDC CSO representatives in the Preparatory Meeting of Experts scheduled in end of March.
CSOs are a true partner of sustainable development in their own right. Their participation and contribution in the process of reviewing national, regional, and international policies on development including IPoA should be duly recognized and promoted. Success and effective implementation of IPoA, SDGs, and other IADGs will very much depend on the solidarity, synergy, and coherence of different stakeholders including Governments, CSOs, and development partners.
Thank you
Gauri Pradhan
International Co-ordinator
LDC Watch
(File) LDC Watch Statement at special thematic event – 104 kB (File Size)
