14 June 2013: The High-Level Conference of Middle Income Countries (MICs), which was hosted by the Government of Costa Rica and co-organized by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), convened under the theme ‘Challenges for Sustainable Development and International Cooperation in Middle Income Countries: The Role of Networks for Prosperity.’

The conference, which was held from 12-14 June 2013, in San José, Costa Rica, brought together high-level representatives from over 70 countries, including ministers, policy makers, experts, and private sector and civil society representatives. Participants addressed, inter alia, the role of MICs in the post-2015 development agenda, inclusive growth and prosperity, knowledge networks, sustainability and industrial development, and financing for development following the fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, which was held in Busan, Republic of Korea, in November 2011.

The conference concluded with the adoption of the San José Declaration. In the Declaration, Ministers and Heads of Delegation commit to, inter alia: promote measures and cooperation that advance inclusive and equitable economic growth and prosperity, industrial advancement in the framework of sustainable development and finance and investment in MICs; request the UN to develop a comprehensive framework to regard the diversity among developing countries; emphasize MICs progress in education, health and social programmes, which require support from the international community to sustain; reaffirm international trade as an engine for development and sustained economic growth and the role that a universal rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multi-lateral trading system can play to stimulate economic growth and development worldwide; call for a development-oriented outcome of the World Trade Organization Doha Development Round; call on all countries to prevent, mitigate and adapt to the adverse effects of climate change under the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities; emphasize the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and knowledge networking as instruments to meet sustainability challenges, which should be taken into account in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda; recognize the role of the UN and the contribution of UNIDO to South-South cooperation; recognize knowledge networks in sustainability need to be action-oriented and responsive to emerging development challenges; recognize that industrial transformation of economies of MICs as an important tool to achieve internationally agreed development goals; recognize that MICs need models of cooperation that suit their development priorities and enhance productive capacities, including through support to SMEs, better access to financing, environmentally-friendly technology and capacity building; reiterate the importance of linking finance, technology, capacity-building and national needs for sustainable development; request the UN development system, in particular funds and programmes, to consider the San José Declaration in future programme decisions, including in the context of the post-2015 development agenda; and call for a comprehensive resource-oriented UN Action Plan on cooperation of MICs. [IISD RS Coverage of the Conference] [UNIDO Press Release]