25 March 2019: The co-facilitators for negotiations on the outcome document of the 2019 Forum on Financing for Development (FfD) Follow-up convened a session for initial comments on the zero draft. The next stage is paragraph-by-paragraph negotiations on the draft text, which were expected to begin on 27 March 2019.

Mariangela Zappia, Permanent Representative of Italy, and Lazarous Kapambwe, Permanent Representative of Zambia, release the zero draft on 22 March 2019. UN Member States were invited to offer their feedback on 25 March, in preparation for informal negotiations on the draft to be adopted during the FfD Forum, which will convene from 15-18 April 2019.

The co-facilitators highlighted that the draft benefited from the deliberations by the Group of Friends of Monterrey, which had held a retreat in Mexico the previous week. The co-facilitators cautioned against the temptation to rewrite the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), and said they had focused the zero draft on recommendations and implementable initiatives and actions.

Most speakers indicated a need for more time to consult with their respective capitals on the draft document. Many expressed support for a short, succinct document. Speakers also highlighted the co-facilitators’ efforts to distill the IATF report into the zero draft. Additional comments included calls to:

• Focus the outcome on the comparative advantages of the institution that it comes from, and the mandates of that organization;
• Include a reference to the role of the private sector in mobilizing resources, as well as a reference the technology bank for the least developed countries (LDCs), which is now operational;
• Pay attention to gender issues and countries in special situations, and note the urgency of their challenges; and
• Highlight the importance of good governance and institutions, with a focus on how policies can enhance the use of technologies for sustainable development.

Some speakers noted that it would be premature to include a paragraph on the possible need for a follow-up conference to the 2015 International Conference on Financing for Development (Addis Ababa).

A delegate also emphasized the importance of the FfD outcome in building momentum for meetings taking place later this year. [Zero Draft, 22 March] [SDG Knowledge Hub summary of zero draft] [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources]