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G77 AND CHINA DRAFT POSITION PAPER ON THE POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

Initial indications point to the fact that the post-2015 development agenda architecture will consist of four components namely; Declaration, Sustainable Development Goals and targets; Means of implementation and Follow up and Review.

SECTION I

Declaration.

1. To frame the declaration the Group of 77 and China could agree upon and submit the following elements:

2. The declaration should be ambitious and action oriented;

3. The declaration must reiterate the purpose and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;

4. The declaration should draw from the agreed outcomes of previous Summits and processes such as the Millennium Declaration, Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, The Future We Want and endorse the Report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals;

5. The declaration should reflect a vision of common development and shared prosperity and should enhance win-win cooperation in international relations;

6. The declaration should set the tone for the delivery of an agenda that is universally applicable, however, the universality of the agenda does not entail uniformity in implementation;

7. The post-2015 development agenda is an aspirational global agenda, the United Nations needs to support the process of ownership in each country and region, It needs to take into account of the capacities and levels of development and respect national policies and priorities;

8. The declaration needs to reinvigorate the political will to eradicate poverty in all its dimensions, and achieve sustainable development and putting people at its centre and leaving no one behind and completing the unfinished business of the MDGs;

9. The declaration should ensure the balanced integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development, namely economic, social and environmental;

10. The declaration should incorporate the Rio principles particularly CBDR;

11. The declaration should strengthen the commitments made to developing countries, particularly to: SIDS, LDCs, LLDCs, Africa, and middle income countries;

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12. The declaration should remove the obstacles to the full realization of self-determination of peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development as well as their environment;

13. The post-2015 agenda needs to refer to our commitment to human rights and strengthen our commitment to the right to development;

14. Poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development are the priorities of the post-2015 development agenda, while peace and security, rule of law, are enablers towards sustainable development;

15. The declaration needs to be consistent with the on-going process in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;

16. The declaration should incorporate the outcomes of the Third International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to be held in Sendai, Japan;

17. The declaration should draw a link between migration and development and support the High Level Dialogue on Migration;

18. The United Nations and the international community should support developing countries in implementing the post-2015 development agenda through MOI, technology transfer and capacity building, it should also strengthen national institutions that will be leading the implementation the post 2015 agenda;

19. The declaration should incorporate the outcomes of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development that will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;

20. The declaration should support the data revolution and strengthen capacities of the statistical community at the national level;

21. The declaration should improve global economic governance and create favourable economic environment for developing countries, including through increasing their voice and representation in international financial institutions. It should support a greater role of developing countries in international affairs to address global challenges;

22. The declaration should strengthen the institutional arrangements of the United Nations to implement the post 2015 development agenda; and

23. The declaration should strengthen the global partnership of development based on MDG 8, with the understanding that the national Governments have primary responsibility in the implementation and follow up.

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SECTION II

Sustainable Development Goals and targets.

24. The G77 and China position on SDGs and targets could be articulated around two elements:

- The integration of SDGs and targets in the post-2015 development agenda;

- The development of indicative global indicators.

Integration of SDGs and targets in the post-2015 development agenda.

25. The agenda should ensure the preservation of the integrity of the Report of the OWG/SDGs;

26. The Report of the OWG/SDGs, inclusive of the reservations made by Member states, should not be re-opened for negotiations (refer to the letter of the Chair to the PGA regarding the outcome document of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) dated 8 August 2014; the ministerial declaration adopted by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77 and China on 26 September 2014;the statement delivered by the Group on 20 January 2015 on the occasion of the Stock-Taking Session on the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The issue of “technical proofing”

27. The Groups does not support the so-called “technical proofing of the goals and targets” as it would only be used as a means to re-open the delicate political and substantive compromise reached at the OWG/SDGs. (Note should be taken of the position of the proponents of this exercise that “we may have slipped below existing international standards in relation to some targets, and that in the case of others, language was perhaps used which makes a common understanding difficult to achieve” (see Co-facilitators Summary of Stock taking meeting of Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-2015 Development).

28. Nevertheless, there is no way Member States can re-define new standards or reformulate language used in targets without re-opening the whole package and entering in a new phase of negotiations with divergent views and perspectives.

29. This position has been reaffirmed in the statement delivered by the Group of 77 and China on 20 January 2015 on the occasion of the Stock-Taking Session on the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

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The issue of “rearrangement” or “re-packing” of SDGs

30. The G77 is opposed to the proposed re-arrangement or attempt to “rearrange” or re-pack SDGs. (Noteworthy the UN Secretary General has proposed in paragraph 63 of his Synthesis Report “the possibility of maintaining the 17 goals and re-arranging them in a focused and concise manner that enables the necessary global awareness and implementation at the country level”.

31. It is worth noting that, the “rearrangement” of the current 17 SDGs in a “focused and concise manner” can lead to the change and the reduction of goals, raising questions on what shall be streamlined, on what basis.

32. Furthermore, the Group of 77 and China considers that a clustering or packaging of the Goals would constitute a step in the wrong direction as it would bring us back to the silo approach that fails to acknowledge the need to integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development.

33. At the Stock-Taking Session on the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, the Group clearly stated that the comprehensive and integrated agenda for sustainable development contained in the outcome of the OWG must not be compromised in the name of re-packaging.

Figures to be determined and currently represented by “x per cent” in the OWG report:

34. There are nine instances in the OWG report where figures are expressed as “x per cent”. There is no clarity so far on the manner in which Member States are going to determine actual figures. Two options may be explored:

- a decision on actual numbers during the intergovernmental process;

- the determination of those percentages by each country according to its national circumstances.

35. The Group may wish to clarify its position on this issue.

The development of “indicative global indicators.”

36. The development of indicators is linked to the issue of “technical proofing” and to the follow-up and review. Even though the Group's position was that indicators would be looked at in the review section, the summary by the Co-facilitators clearly states it will be dealt with under this part of the agenda;

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37. To some stakeholders, several targets contained in the OWG report cannot be measured and, consequently, shall be left out. However, the Group of 77 and China may emphasize the fact that this does not come as a surprise because it is was well-known throughout deliberations of the OWG that the nature of a number of targets was political and qualitative rather than quantitative;

38. At the stock-taking meeting, the Group reiterated that intergovernmental negotiations should generate global indicators which will help to measure the implementation of the agenda at the global level and enable the HLPF on Sustainable Development to carry out its mandate to “follow up and review progress in the implementation of sustainable development commitments”.

39. The Group is also of the view that there should be no indicators at national level decided at the global level, as governments should implement the post-2015 development agenda according to their national circumstances, capability and development stages, on voluntary basis. Therefore, each country will have the responsibility to develop its national indicators;

40. In their summary, the Co-facilitators note that they “made contact with the UN Statistical Commission who will present to us for our reflection in advance of the March meeting, a draft set of indicative global indicators which would accompany the SDGs and targets”. However, they point out that “it will probably not be possible to complete the work on them in time between now and September”. In other words, our Heads of States and Governments would adopt an incomplete development agenda. Such an eventuality should be addressed at this early stage of the process;

41. Accordingly the Group should carefully consider this matter and elaborate its position on how it should deal with the UN Statistical Commission's paper on indicators, ahead of the March session. In the same vein, the Group may seek clarification from Co-facilitators to stimulate some thinking and signal to other interested parties the Group interests in the development of indicators. As development partners and other stake-holders may wish to use the issue of measurement for the purpose of “technical proofing” thus re-opening SDGs and targets, it seems inadvisable to adopt an incomplete document in September.

SECTION III

Means of implementation for the post-2015 development agenda.

42. In engaging on the section on the means of implementation the Group of 77 and china intends to take the following approach based on the outcomes of the recent Summits and debates:

43. The Group may wish to “emphasize the importance of achieving an ambitious outcome document given the need to review the progress in the implementation

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of the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Declaration, reinvigorate and strengthen the financing for development follow-up process, identify obstacles encountered for the achievements of the goals therein and actions to overcome these constraints, as well as support the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda (based on G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 19);

44. There is a need to also reaffirm that “each country has primary responsibility for its own development and that the role of national policies and development strategies for the achievement of sustainable development cannot be overemphasized, and recognizes that national efforts should be complemented by supportive global programmes, measures and policies aimed at expanding the development opportunities of developing countries, while taking into account national conditions and ensuring respect for national ownership, strategies and sovereignty; (OP2 A/RES/68/204);

45. The Group could reaffirm its “determination to advance and strengthen the global partnership for development as the centrepiece of cooperation in the years ahead, as reaffirmed in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus, the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation), the 2005 World Summit Outcome, the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development: outcome document of the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, the outcome document of the Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development, the outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals, entitled “Keeping the promise: united to achieve the Millennium Development Goals”, the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, and the outcome document of the 2013 special event to follow up efforts towards achieving the Millennium development Goals. (OP3 A/RES/68/204);

46. The Group could propose the need to “recognize the need for significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources and the effective use of financing, in order to give strong support to developing countries in their efforts to implement the sustainable development goals (based on Para 254 Rio+20);

47. The Group may want to “stress the importance to fully respect the development policy space of developing countries to make use of policy tools and measures that are required to implement their policies for poverty eradication and other developmental plans and programmes. In this regards, we should promote rapid, sustained and inclusive economic growth in developing countries as a key requirement for eradicating poverty and hunger and reducing inequalities within and among countries. (based on G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 17);

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48. In the view of the Group there is a need to ensure improvement of the international environment, in order to achieve the objective to promote sustainable development, globally and in every nation and free humanity from poverty and hunger. (Stat 5 December 2014 on ACTION ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FINANCING- IGCESDF). The Group may wish to add in this connection the need to “aim at producing: developing an international enabling environment for sustainable development, by addressing the questions of trade, reform of the international financial system, global economic governance, debt, repatriation of illicit funds, cooperation in the fields of finance and technology, in order to support the efforts of developing countries to achieve sustainable development. (G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 23);

49. The Group could seize the opportunity to “underscore the importance of understanding poverty as a multidimensional phenomenon, and in this regard reaffirmed the need to end poverty in all its forms. (G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 11);

50. In addition the Group may stress the need to “recognize the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) as stated in Principal 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. (IGCESDF);

51. The Group may wish to remind the partners countries that that developed countries committed previously “to provide the required to enhance international cooperation and scale up support for developing countries.” The Group may emphasize “the need for developed countries to urgently fulfil the official development assistance commitments they have made, individually and collectively, including the target of allocating 0.7 per cent of their gross national product to official development assistance by 2015 and the target of allocating between 0.15 and 0.20 per cent of their gross national product to official development assistance for least developed countries. (G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 15);

52. Furthermore the Group could reaffirm that “South-South solidarity IS a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, and it is a complement and not a substitute for North-South cooperation. (G77 ministerial declaration, Sept 2014 and IGCESDF);

53. It is the group’s view that “innovative financing mechanisms can make a positive contribution in assisting developing countries to mobilize additional resources for financing for development on a voluntary basis. Such financing should supplement and not be a substitute for traditional sources of financing, while recognizing the considerable progress in innovative sources of financing

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for development. In this regard that Group may call for a scaling-up of present initiatives. (Para 267 Rio+20)

54. The Group could affirm that technology is a key means of implementation, and that it is the most important lever of change for achieving sustainable development. Without a breakthrough in international cooperation in the field of technology, shifting to a more sustainable path will be very difficult and burdensome for developing countries. (Based on G77 Ministerial declaration Sep 2014. Para 20);

55. The Group could “recall the special needs of Africa and commit to support Africa's development initiatives, including Agenda 2063 (a continental strategic vision and priority framework for socioeconomic development), the New Partnership for Africa's Development and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa. (Based on G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 58-59);

56. In further highlighting the plight of category of countries with special needs the G77 and China could “welcome the adoption of the Outcome Document titled "Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action" - SAMOA Pathway, which represents the international community's renewed political commitment to the sustainable development of SIDS and reaffirms that SIDS remain "a special case" for sustainable development due to their unique and particular vulnerabilities. (Basedon G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 60);

57. In addition the Group could “reaffirm our commitment to the special needs and development priorities of LDCs, including the eight priority areas of the Istanbul Programme of Action should be given appropriate consideration in relation to the post-2015 development agenda;

58. Furthermore the Group may want to stress the need to address the special development needs of and challenges faced by landlocked and transit developing countries through their genuine partnership with sufficient support and cooperation from the international community for the effective implementation of priorities of the Almaty Programme of Action and its successor programme.(Based on G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 63);

59. The Group may want to reiterate its posit that seeks to “underscore the need to take further effective measures to remove obstacles to the realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, in particular peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development and are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the

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human person and must be combated and eliminated. People under foreign occupation must be protected in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law. (Para 103 Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development);

Mobilizing domestic financial resources for development

60. In addressing this issue the Group could acknowledge “that while some developing countries have exhibited dynamic economic performance, many countries remain mired in the vicious circle of poverty, lacking productive capacity and supply side constraints; dependent often on a single commodity; vulnerable to external economic turbulence, and unattractive for commercially driven investment. (G77 Statement 14 December 2014);

61. The Group could once again recognize that the development of a sound and broad-based financial sector is central to the mobilization of domestic financial resources and should be an important component of national development strategies, as well as the need to strive for diversified, well-regulated, inclusive financial systems that promote savings and access to financial services and channel savings to sound projects that increase sustainable, long-term economic growth, generate revenues and create jobs (based on para 12 A/RES/68/204);

62. The Group could also “underline the need for Member States to enhance and strengthen domestic resource mobilization and fiscal space, including, where appropriate, through modernized tax systems, more efficient tax collection, the broadening of the tax base and the effective combating of tax evasion and capital flight, and reiterates that, while each country is responsible for its tax system, it is important to support national efforts in these areas by strengthening technical assistance and enhancing international cooperation and participation in addressing international tax matters (based on Para 11 A/RES/68/204 );

63. Moreover the Group could “reaffirm the importance of implementing measures to curtail illicit financial flows at all levels, enhance disclosure practices and promote transparency in financial information, and in this regard notes that strengthening national and multinational efforts to address this issue is crucial, including through support and technical assistance to developing countries to enhance their capacities; (Para 17 A/RES/68/204);

64. The G77 and China could use the intergovernmental process of negotiations to “emphasize the need to pursue, at the national level and in a manner consistent with national laws, appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks through which to encourage public and private initiatives, including at the local level, and to foster a dynamic and well-functioning business sector, while improving income growth and distribution, raising productivity, advancing women’s empowerment and protecting labour rights and the environment, and reiterates

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the importance of ensuring that the benefits of growth reach all people by empowering individuals and communities; (Para 18 A/RES/68/204);

65. The Group could “underline that foreign direct investment is a major source of financing for development, in this regard calls upon developed countries to continue to devise source-country measures to encourage and facilitate the flow of foreign direct investment, inter alia, through the provision of export credits and other lending instruments, risk guarantees and business development services;

66. Additionally the G77 and China could emphasize that there is a need to address and to promote conditions for cheaper, faster, more transparent and safer transfers of remittances, in a non- discriminatory fashion, in both source and recipient countries, and invites Member States, as well as the private sector, international organizations, the banking community and other stakeholders, to reduce by……..the transfer costs of remittances; (based on Para 20 A/RES/68/204);

67. The Group could support a “call on all countries to prioritize sustainable development in the allocation of resources in accordance with national priorities and needs, and we recognize the crucial importance of enhancing financial support from all sources for sustainable development for all countries, in particular developing countries. We recognize the importance of international, regional and national financial mechanisms, including those accessible to subnational and local authorities, to the implementation of sustainable development programmes;

68. The Group may wish to reopen the paragraph below with a view to recasting it to take into account new developments:

“We welcome increasing efforts to improve the quality of ODA and to increase its development impact. We also recognize the need to improve development effectiveness, increase programme-based approaches, use country systems for activities managed by the public sector, reduce transaction costs and improve mutual accountability and transparency and, in this regard, we call upon all donors to untie aid to the maximum extent. We will further make development more effective and predictable by providing developing countries with regular and timely indicative information on planned support in the medium term. We recognize the importance of efforts by developing countries to strengthen leadership of their own development, national institutions, systems and capacity to ensure the best results for effective development by engaging with parliaments and citizens in shaping those policies and deepening engagement with civil society organizations. We should also bear in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all formula that will guarantee

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development effectiveness. The specific situation of each country needs to be fully considered. (Para 259 Rio+20)”

69. The Group could reiterate its ‘support for South-South cooperation, as well as triangular cooperation, which provide much needed additional resources to the implementation of development programmes, while also recognizing the importance and different history and particularities of South-South cooperation and stress that South-South cooperation should be seen as an expression of solidarity and cooperation between countries, based on their shared experiences and objectives. Both forms of cooperation support a development agenda that addresses the particular needs and expectations of developing countries. The Group could reaffirm its apposition that South-South cooperation complements rather than substitutes for North-South cooperation, while also acknowledging the role played by middle-income developing countries as providers and recipients of development cooperation.” (Para 260 Rio+20);

70. The Group could reach out and once again “invite the international financial institutions, within their respective mandates, to continue providing financial resources, including through specific mechanisms for the promotion of sustainable development and poverty eradication in developing countries.” (Para 261 Rio+20);

71. It could be recognized that greater coherence and coordination among the various funding mechanisms and initiatives related to sustainable development are crucial. We reiterate the importance of ensuring that developing countries have steady and predictable access to adequate financing from all sources to promote sustainable development. (Para 262 Rio+20);

72. The Group could continue to “stress the need for adequate funding for the operational activities of the United Nations development system, as well as the need to make funding more predictable, effective and efficient as part of wider efforts to mobilize new, additional and predictable resources to achieve the objectives that we have set forth in the present outcome document.” (Para 264 Rio+20);

73. The Group may wish to remind the international community that the “on-going serious global financial and economic challenges carry the possibility of undoing years of hard work and gains made in relation to the debt of developing countries. We further recognize the need to assist developing countries in ensuring long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring (edited).” (Para 263 Rio+20)

Mobilizing international resources for development: foreign direct investment and other private flows.

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74. The Group may wish to re-define that role of the private sector in the new development landscape and scrutinise the implications of Para 268 Rio+20 that says:

“We recognize that a dynamic, inclusive, well-functioning, socially and environmentally responsible private sector is a valuable instrument that can offer a crucial contribution to economic growth and reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development. In order to foster private sector development, we shall continue to pursue appropriate national policy and regulatory frameworks in a manner consistent with national laws to encourage public and private initiatives, including at the local level, to foster a dynamic and well-functioning business sector, and to facilitate entrepreneurship and innovation, including among women, the poor and the vulnerable. We will work to improve income growth and distribution, inter alia through raising productivity, empowering women, protecting labour rights, and taxation. We recognize that the appropriate role of government in relation to the promotion and regulation of the private sector will vary from country to country depending on national circumstances.”

75. The Group could renew calls to change the status of the Committee of Experts on Tax Matters, transforming it from experts acting in their own capacity, to an intergovernmental subsidiary body of the Council, with experts representing their respective governments. (based on G77 Statement 9 December 2014);

International trade as an engine for development.

76. The Group could reaffirm that international trade is an engine for development and sustained economic growth, and also reaffirm the critical role that a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system, as well as meaningful trade liberalization, can play in stimulating economic growth and development worldwide, thereby benefiting all countries at all stages of development, as they advance towards sustainable development. In this context, we remain focused on achieving progress in addressing a set of important issues, such as, inter alia, trade-distorting subsidies and trade in environmental goods and services. (Para 281 Rio+20);

77. Furthermore members of WTO 39 could be urged“to redouble their efforts to achieve an ambitious, balanced and development-oriented conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda, while respecting the principles of transparency, inclusiveness and consensual decision-making, with a view to strengthening the multilateral trading system. In order to effectively participate in the work programme of WTO and fully realize trade opportunities, developing countries need the assistance and enhanced cooperation of all relevant stakeholders.” (Para 282 Rio+20);

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78. A concern could be expressed that, “despite significant efforts, the Doha Development Agenda round of multilateral trade negotiations has not yet been concluded. We will urgently re-engage and strive to reach agreement by the end of the year on modalities that lead to a successful and early conclusion to the World Trade Organization Doha Development Agenda with an ambitious, balanced and development-oriented outcome.” (Based of para 32 of Doha declaration);

79. On trade the Group could once again recognize the particular challenges faced by least developed countries in integrating beneficially into the international trading system. 42. We acknowledge that least developed countries require special measures and international support to benefit fully from world trade, as well as in adjusting to and integrating beneficially into the global economy. We will also reinforce efforts to provide technical assistance to least developed countries that request it in order to enable them to participate more effectively in the multilateral trading system, including through the effective operation of the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries and by providing support to allow them to participate effectively in international trade negotiations.” (Based para 34 of Doha declaration);

80. Additionally the Group could further highlight the particular challenges that may be faced by other developing countries, including small and vulnerable economies, to fully benefit from the multilateral trading system. Appropriate consideration and support should be provided to these countries to help facilitate their effective participation in the global economy. In this regard, we encourage progress in the implementation of the World Trade Organization work programme on small economies, mandated in the Doha Ministerial Declaration.” (Para 35 of Doha declaration);

81. It could be reiterated that that Aid for Trade is an important component of the measures that will assist developing countries in taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the international trading system, the outcome of the Doha round and regional trade agreements. A critical aim of Aid for Trade should be to enhance trade capacity and international competitiveness while ensuring ownership and alignment with national development strategies of individual developing countries. Aid for Trade should aim to help developing countries, particularly least developed countries, with trade policy and regulations; trade development; building productive capacities; trade-related infrastructure; trade-related adjustment and other trade-related needs.” (Based on Para 36 of Doha declaration);

82. The Group could re-emphasize that that regional integration as well as bilateral trade and economic cooperation agreements are important instruments to

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expand trade and investment. We should continue to ensure that these agreements promote long-term development, advance the goals of the World Trade Organization and are complementary elements of the multilateral trading system. International support for cooperation in trade and other trade-related areas can be catalytic in strengthening and consolidating regional and sub-regional integration.”The importance of increased support to South-South trade and cooperation initiatives in trade-related areas, including through triangular cooperation, consistent with World Trade Organization rules, could also be restated. (Para 38 of Doha declaration);

External debt

83. The Group may wish to, once again, welcome the significant progress achieved on debt relief through Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) and the framework of debt sustainability by the World Bank and the IMF for Low Income Countries or the improvements (G77 Statement 28-30 January 2015)

84. It could be underlined the lack of sustainability of external debt can be a main obstacle to development, economic growth and poverty eradication and an impediment to human rights and achieving greater equity. (G77 Statement 28-30 January 2015);

85. It could be stressed that sovereign debt management has been a crucial issue for developing countries in past decades and recent years. We underline that a new concern has emerged relating to the activities of vulture funds. Such funds pose a risk to all future debt-restructuring processes, both for developing and developed countries. Therefore the Group could accentuate the importance of not allowing vulture funds to paralyse the debt-restructuring efforts of developing countries, and that these funds should not supersede a State's right to protect its people under international law. (based on G77 Ministerial declaration, Sep 2014. Para 29);

86. The Group could, once again, express a view that it is essential for the stability and predictability of international financial architecture, to ensure that agreements reached between debtors and creditors within the context of sovereign debt restructuring processes are respected, allowing payment flows to be distributed to cooperative creditors as agreed with them in the process of consensual readjustment of the debt. We must count on instruments making reasonable and definitive agreements between sovereign creditors and debtors, allowing them to confront debt sustainability problems in an orderly fashion. (G77 Statement 9 December 2014);

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Systemic issues

87. The Group could further argued that the on-going world financial and economic crisis and its impacts on development serve to underscore the importance of a global, universal and integrated response by the international community to address systemic fragilities and imbalances inherent in the international financial institutions (IFIs). This requires serious actions to resolve the structural problems of financial instability and unavailability of liquidity for developing countries in need to generate the necessary sustained growth and development. (Statement G77 9 December);

88. The Group could re-commit to push for redress of the democratic deficit in global economic governance and provide developing countries their rightful place and participation in the governance and decision-making of all the institutions and forums where discussions and decisions are taken on global economic and financial issues. (Statement G77 12 December);

89. It could be re-affirmed that efforts to reform the international architecture should therefore be seriously strengthened, should be internationally coordinated and should lead to the full participation of developing countries in international financial and economic decision-making and norm-setting. (Statement G77 12 December);

90. The Group could renew calls for comprehensive reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, including enhancement of the voting powers of developing countries in a time-bound manner, in order to enable greater equity between developed and developing countries and to eliminate all types of conditionalities tied to aid. (Statement G77 12 December);

91. The Group could renew calls for the urgent completion of the 2010 IMF quota formula reform in order to ensure that the quotas and governance of IMF better reflect the relative weight of emerging and developing countries in the global economy. (Statement G77 12 December);

92. The Group could push to ensure that IMF provides more comprehensive and flexible financial responses to the needs of developing countries, without imposing pro-cyclical conditionalities and respecting their need for adequate policy space. (Statement G77 12 December);

INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY AND CAPACITY BUILDING (Further discussion needed)

Technology

93. The Group could renew calls to “promote, facilitate and finance, access to and the development, transfer and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies and corresponding know-how, in particular to developing countries and

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countries with economies in transition on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms (edited).(Based on para 105 Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development);

(a) Provide information more effectively;

(b) Enhance existing national institutional capacity in developing countries to improve access to and the development, transfer and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies and corresponding know-how;

(c) Facilitate country -driven technology needs assessments;

(d) Establish legal and regulatory frameworks in both supplier and recipient countries that expedite the transfer of environmentally sound technologies in a cost-effective manner by both public and private sectors and support their implementation;

(e) Promote the access and transfer of technology related to early warning systems and to mitigation programmes to developing countries affected by natural disasters.

(f) Improve interaction and collaboration, stakeholder relationships and networks between and among universities, research institutions, government agencies and the private sector;

(g) Develop and strengthen networking of related institutional support structures, such as technology and productivity centres, research, training and development institutions, and national and regional cleaner production centres;

(h) Create partnerships conducive to investment and technology transfer, development and diffusion, to assist developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, in sharing best practices and promoting programmes of assistance, and encourage collaboration between corporations and research institutes to enhance industrial efficiency, agricultural productivity, environmental management and competitiveness;

(i) Provide assistance to developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, in accessing environmentally sound technologies that are publicly owned or in the public domain, as well as available knowledge in the public domain on science and technology, and in accessing the know-how and expertise required in order for them to make independent use of this knowledge in pursuing their development goals;

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(j) Support existing mechanisms and, where appropriate, establish new mechanisms for the development, transfer and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries and economies in transition.

94. The Group may remind the development partners of their commitment to “assist developing countries in building capacity to access a larger share of multilateral and global research and development programmes. In this regard, strengthen and, where appropriate, create centres for sustainable development in developing countries.” (Para 107 Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development)

95. Additionally partners could be reminded of another commitment to “build greater capacity in science and technology for sustainable development, with action to improve collaboration and partnerships on research and development and their widespread application among research institutions, universities, the private sector, governments, non-governmental organizations and networks, as well as between and among scientists and academics of developing and developed countries, and in this regard encourage networking with and between centres of scientific excellence in developing countries.” (Para 108 Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development)

96. The Group could recall the decision to take the following actions:

• An innovation funds to support innovative enterprises in the early stages and during commercialization stage of the technology;

• A facilitation mechanism to promote the development, transfer and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on concessional and preferential terms (build on Para 273 Rio+20)

• An online platform to map existing technology facilitation initiatives, enhance international cooperation and promote networking and information sharing, knowledge transfer and technical assistance;

• A Technology Bank for the LDCs;

(G77 Statement 28-30 January 2015 and others)

Capacity-building

97. The Group could emphasize the need for enhanced capacity building for sustainable development and, in this regard, we call for the strengthening of technical and scientific cooperation, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation. It could be reiterated that the importance of human resource development, including training, the exchange of experiences and

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expertise, knowledge transfer and technical assistance for capacity-building, which involves strengthening institutional capacity, including planning, management and monitoring capacities. (Para 277 Rio+20);

98. The Group could renew calls for the continued and focused implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building, adopted by UNEP. (Para 278 Rio+20)

99. The Group could also encourage the participation and representation of men and women scientists and researchers from developing and developed countries in processes related to global environmental and sustainable development assessment and monitoring, with the purpose of enhancing national capabilities and the quality of research for policy- and decision-making processes. (Para 279 Rio+20);

100. The Group could restate the need for all relevant agencies of the United Nations system and other relevant international organizations to support developing countries and, in particular, the least developed countries in capacity-building for developing resource-efficient and inclusive economies, including through:

(a) Sharing sustainable practices in various economic sectors;

(b) Enhancing knowledge and capacity to integrate disaster risk reduction and resilience into development plans;

(c) Supporting North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation for the transition to a resource-efficient economy;

(d) Promoting public-private partnerships.(Para 280 Rio+20);

Monitoring, Data and follow-up (further discussion needed)

(How we link FFD process and Goal 17 which is MoI)???????????

101. In its engagements the Group could continue to underline the need for stronger synergies between the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Third International Conference on Financing for Development.

102. In relation to environment the Group could re-state its position that seeks to “recognize the important achievements of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) over the past 20 years in funding environmental projects and welcome important reform processes that GEF has carried out during recent years, and we call for its further improvement and encourage GEF to take additional steps, within its mandate, to make resources more accessible to meet country needs for the national implementation of their international environmental commitments. We support further simplification of procedures and assistance to developing countries, in particular in assisting the least developed countries, Africa and small island developing States in accessing resources from GEF, and enhanced

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coordination with other instruments and programmes focusing on environmentally sustainable development.” (Para 265 Rio+20);

SECTION IV

Follow-up and Review.

103. The Group could express a view that an efficient, robust, inclusive and transparent follow-up and review mechanism will be a fundamental cornerstone of a successful post-2015 agenda;

104. To guide its approach to this issue the Group may wish to recall that Rio+20 outcome document The Future We Want underlined the importance of following up and reviewing progress in the implementation of sustainable development commitments;

105. The Group could re-affirm that the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the key forum for such a review mechanism. Having said that, it is important for the Group to consider in the inter-governmental negotiations on the post-2015 the institutional arrangements needed to ensure an efficient and effective HLPF that can deliver on its functions as stipulated in 67/290;

106. The Group could emphasize that HLPF should aim at advancing the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development and foster coherence and progress in implementation;

107. It could be mentioned in the negotiations that all other mechanisms created to follow up on outcomes of certain UN conferences and conventions must ensure in their structure coherence with and reporting to the HLPF.

108. The Group could argue that the following principles must be embedded within the Follow up and review section:

(a) For the review mechanism to be owned and embraced by all countries it should be voluntary.

(b) It must be government-led, involving ministerial and other relevant high-level participants.

(c) The Group requests the UN development system to be accountable and to adapt itself and work coherently to effectively assist countries in the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda that integrates the three dimensions of sustainable development.

(d). It should focus on the assessment of progress, achievements and challenges faced by developed and developing countries.

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(e) It should also include the contribution of the relevant UN entities, including the regional level.

(f). The review should be conducted in a constructive spirit. This means that it should be based on long term orientation and incentives such as access to best practices, policy advice, sharing of experiences, necessary means of implementation, taking into account capacity-building and financing needs, facilitating the sharing of best practices and technology and other support to be provided by a wide range of actors in order to identify possible solutions, to foster positive mutual learning and cooperation in order to improve governments’ performances on sustainable development.

(g). Its approach should be differentiated, which means that it will focus on universal goals, in particular the SDGs, applicable to all countries, while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities.

(h). It should ensure coherence between the national, regional and global level.

(i). The basis for the review is robust data drawn from national progress reports. Data and information from existing reporting mechanisms should be used where possible, bearing in mind the need for capacity building in regards to improved data collection.

109. The follow-up and review mechanism of the post-2015 development agenda must have special provision for monitoring and accountability of the global partnership for development and MOI at the global level, with special emphasis on honouring development commitments such as ODA, technology transfer, trade and capacity building.