On 27 September 2013, the 68th United Nations General Assembly hosted a special panel discussion organized by Indonesian Government titled "Global Partnership and Sustainable Growth with Equity: Making Development Work in a Post-2015 World". The discussion held in the Trusteeship Council chamber at the UN headquarters involved over 300 delegates representing the governments of member states, civil society organisations, national youth delegations, and private sector organisations.
The panel discussion was moderated by Presidential Delivery Unit’s first deputy Heru Prasetyo and included Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, Maria Angela Holguin, the Colombian Foreign Minister; John Podesta, the American Center for Progress chief; Babatunde Osotimehin, the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); Kevin Conrad, Papua New Guinea’s Ambassador and special envoy on climate change; and Ahmad Alhendawi, UN Secretary General’s envoy on youth.
The discussion aimed at underscoring three paramount principles in connection with the post-2015 development agenda, namely: partnership, sustainability, and equity. A string of global initiatives have been launched to discuss the key issues to be pursued in promoting post-2015 global development, among them was the High Level Panel of Eminent Persons (HLPEP) on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, of which Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was co-chair.
The discussion garnered wide-spread praise from participants as it explored various perspectives on the principles of global partnership and sustainable growth with equity in development. Mr. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, Chair of Indonesia’s National Committee on the Post-2015 Development Agenda said “There is no development without partnership, sustainability, and equity. Development policies and measures will lose their self-identities if they fail to heed these principles. Future development should not only aim at improving the welfare of humans (people-centered) but must also consider natural resources (planet-sensitive), which will continue to shrink if the development is carried out in the ‘business-as-usual’ means.”
The keynote speakers highlighted the integral action strategies toward the new post-2015 development agenda, reflected on Millennium Development Goal (MDG) successes and shortcomings, and outlined continuing efforts being undertaken to ensure sustainable growth. During the open discussion it was emphasised that equity and balance are key principles in the post-2015 development agenda.
Speaking on the panel, Babatunde Osotomehin, UNFPA Executive Director, expressed his perspectives on the importance of women’s empowerment and reproductive health in the post-2015 world. He said that issues of gender, reproductive health and reproductive rights were innately connected with the pursuance of wider development goals including education, jobs and sustainability. Addressing population issues such as family planning and sexual and reproductive health and rights are not only important in regard to planning for productive workforces, but also in matters of food and resource security especially in the context of global population growth which is putting ever greater pressure on our planets’ natural resources.
UNFPA Indonesia Youth Advocate, Angga Dwi Martha, also had an opportunity to make a contribution to the discussions. He observed that young people now constitute one third of the world’s population, and that it is very important to partner with them in the post-2015 world development agenda discussions. Since the idea of “global partnership” is a key aspect of the post-2015 development themes, he proclaimed that this idea also implied partnership with young people, the generation that constitutes some 1.8 billion people on this planet. He added that 1.8 billion should not just be taken as being a large number of individuals, but also as 1.8 billion hopes, 1.8 billion opportunities and 1.8 billion solutions for the planets future development, and as such must be considered seriously as partners in the development process.
In her closing address, UN Secretary General Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning Amina Mohammed, said that the world was now actively gearing up to engage in the post-2015 development planning and action taking process. She added that it was essential to fully utilize accumulated experience and know-how in progressing this work. Amina Mohammed, also in conclusion, added that while the UN had a leadership role to play in co-ordinating the process of formulating the post 2015 development plans, the involvement from all parties—including governments, the business world, and community sectors—was essential to this process.
Tags: Post-2015
