20 March 2015: At a two-day meeting of countries from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the LAC Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) discussed the post-2015 development agenda and financing for development (FfD), among other issues. The LAC meeting was the first in the series of RFSDs taking place until May 2015 to discuss sustainable development and the post-2015 development agenda.

The meeting was organized by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in connection with the Commission’s 30th session of the Committee of the Whole. It convened from 19-20 March 2015, at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

In the opening session, Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Permanent Representative of Peru and Chair of the Committee of the Whole, emphasized poverty eradication and the global partnership for development as ECLAC’s overarching priorities for post-2015 development agenda.

In a session on the post-2015 development agenda and the synergies between regional and global processes, Antonio Prado, ECLAC Deputy Executive Secretary, reviewed the current economic and social environment of the ECLAC region in relation to the post-2015. He said the regional context, which has been one of economic downturn since 2010, must be acknowledged when considering the agenda’s implementation.

Nikhil Seth, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), stressed that the world is “on the cusp of a great transition of the consideration of development.” He highlighted the need to: involve all communities and interest groups; put technology in the service of the poor; and channel the energy of the preparatory process into the agenda’s implementation. He also noted the key role of the High-level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF) in reviewing progress related to the implementation of the agenda. Jessica Faieta, UN Development Programme (UNDP), said her agency and the entire UN system are dedicated to enabling governments to prepare for the post-2015 development agenda, and supporting successes in the region.

The RFSD also included the presentation of a report on the Regional Consultation on Financing for Development (FfD) held on 12-13 March 2015, in Santiago, Chile. Carlos Olguin, Permanent Mission of Chile, said the region’s perspective on FfD should be represented by taking into account the three dimensions of sustainable development. He added that: triangular cooperation is important for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as is South-South cooperation; there is a need for more transparency from the public and the private sector; more efforts should be made regarding corruption and procurement; there are challenges with respect to measuring sustainable development; and gender and climate change should be considered as cross-cutting issues in the post-2015 development agenda. Prado outlined: the need for a global multilateral system; the role of development banks at regional and other levels; the political and ethical issues related to remittances as well as their high costs; and the importance of including gender equality in financing.

In addition to these sessions, participants discussed: the role of the LAC RFSD and its linkages with the HLPF; sustainable development and its related challenges in the region; the need for regional and national indicators; technology transfer; the unique challenges facing Caribbean islands; and transparency in addressing climate change in the post-2015 intergovernmental process.

Some delegates stressed the importance of: partnerships; regulating tax heavens; financial inclusion; addressing debt issues; and distinguishing between private savings and actual development financing. Others called for: moving forward on governance architecture in order to strengthen financial stability at a global level; common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR), including regarding the implementation of the agenda; social inclusion; and accountability mechanisms at the regional level.

Delegates also approved the request of the Norway to be incorporated as a member of ECLAC, and responded positively to the Declaration of Santiago, which launches the negotiations for a regional instrument on access to information, participation and justice in environmental matters (Principle 10).

The Committee of the Whole is a subsidiary body of ECLAC that allows governments of member countries to meet in the periods between the Commission’s official sessions. [Meeting Webpage] [Preliminary Programme] [IISD RS Sources] [IISD RS Story on LAC Consultation on FfD] [ECLAC Press Release]