Brussels, 12/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 12 December, the EU28 ministers for development paved the way in Brussels for a united EU position on the UN negotiations which aim to decide, in New York in September 2015, on the post-2015 global sustainable development programme which will take over from the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) (see EUROPE 11215).
In the opinion of High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, who for the first time chaired a Foreign Affairs Council meeting in development format, this was “an excellent opportunity to put development at the centre of foreign affairs policy - the EU being a key actor on the ground”. And thanks to the exchange of views on the draft conclusions that will be adopted without debate by the General Affairs Council on Tuesday 16 December, “the EU can now speak with a single voice and rise to its responsibilities as a key actor at the United Nations”
Reducing the North-South divide. Summarising the debate to the press, Mogherini highlighted three points: - the universal nature of the future programme thanks to which “no one must be left on the roadside”; - the need for the EU to facilitate communication of the future strategy to the widest audience possible (civil society, NGOs); - the bridging role that the EU can play to cut short the North-South divide by building bridges with countries which, in the same spirit, want to eradicate poverty and “leave behind the paternalism of the past”.
European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica said he wanted “the EU to move on from the status of payer to the status of actor”, and he stressed “the convergence needed” between the conference in New York, the conference on financing development (Addis Ababa in July) and the climate conference in Paris in December 2015 (COP 15) “which will define the world's objectives for the future” (our translation throughout)..
All the ministers welcomed the UN summary report from Ban Ki-moon, which was presented to them by his special adviser Amina Mohamed, and they especially welcomed the emphasis on human rights and good governance. Their unanimous consensus also focuses on three necessities: - that all policies be coherent with the post-2015 programme; - that implementation of the future programme guarantee a balance between financial and non-financial means, between men and women, and the environmental/climate objectives; - that the EU play an active role in bridging the North-South divide.
The UN report proposes to regroup the future objectives into six clusters: dignity to end poverty and fight equality; prosperity to grow a strong inclusive and transformative economy; justice to promote safe and peaceful societies and strong institutions; people to ensure healthy lives, knowledge and the inclusion of women and children; partnership to catalyse global solidarity for sustainable development; and the planet to protect our ecosystems for all societies and our children. The European Parliament gave its opinion in November (see EUROPE 11205). (AN)