22 June 2012: The UN Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) Committee for Development Policy (CDP) has published a policy note titled “The United Nations Development Strategy Beyond 2015,” which proposes principles and policy alternatives for a post-2015 development agenda. The Note is a result of the CDP’s 14th Session, held in March 2012, at which the Committee examined the relevant issues.

The policy note: reviews the achievements and limitations of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); addresses the key challenges to be addressed by the international development strategy; identifies core principles for developing post-2015 goals and strategies; and considers the priority areas for which goals are needed. It also analyzes options for national strategies to achieve development goals and incorporate sustainability, together with actions to be taken at the international level to promote an enabling environment for development.

The paper argues that, although the core principles, values and objectives contained in the MDGs are appropriate and potentially effective, the goals themselves are too narrow in scope. It therefore proposes the setting of new, broader, global goals to advance the core principles in the MDGs of expanding people’s freedoms in a sustainable and equitable way with security from adverse shocks.

According to the CDP, the post-2015 agenda must also consider strategies for achievement of the goals. The note identifies a range of alternative economic and social policy approaches for promoting growth and the vision of the MDGs, such as a more harmonized monitoring and assessment framework, and open economy macro policies.

In addition, the policy note asserts that the global development agenda should be applicable to all countries, both developed and developing, and that its formulation and implementation must be based on inclusive participation. It urges a reconsideration of existing trade, financial and other architectures to provide global public goods in a coherent and efficient manner, as well as the creation of a stronger and more democratic international governance structure and legislation. [Publication: The United Nations Development Strategy Beyond 2015] [Publication: Report on the 14th Session]