1 April 2015: Participants called for increased ambition, action and accountability in financing for development (FfD) at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) ‘Global Forum on Development: Post-2015 Financing for Sustainable Development.’ The Forum discussed, inter alia: monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and FfD; developing country perspectives on the post-2015 development agenda; and the role of non-state actors in implementing the SDGs.
To deliver a transformative sustainable development agenda, “the global community has to be equally ambitious on financing and means of implementation (MOI),” Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs Statement, said in a keynote address. He outlined three tasks that must be completed between now and July to ensure the success of the Third International Conference on FfD: formulating a comprehensive financing framework for sustainable development that is relevant to SDG implementation for all regions and income groups and maximizes synergies with other financing schemes; bringing concrete deliverables to the Conference, including reaffirming official development assistance (ODA) commitments and progress in tackling illicit financial flows and international tax cooperation; and ensuring that the outcome addresses effective monitoring and mutual accountability.
On FfD, participants discussed the global costs of SDG implementation, potential resources and national constraints and conditions that affect development finance policy and practice. Several participants stressed the need to hold governments and other actors accountable for commitments made at the Third International Conference on FfD, with some emphasizing the importance of clear, precise commitments and instruments to ensure implementation and accountability. Participants also called for increased ambition on mobilizing domestic revenue and enhanced international cooperation on tax matters. Underscoring the complexity of development, Raj Kumar, President, Devex, suggested that ODA “shouldn’t be pret-a-porter, it should be bespoke,” or tailored.
Several participants drew attention to the situation of middle-income countries (MICs), questioning how to design systems that allow countries to move up in development without losing access to financing. One participant highlighted the number of poor people in MICs and recommended targeting poor people where they live rather than targeting particular countries.
The Forum also discussed the importance of, inter alia: measurement and evaluation; disaggregated goals and targets; funding prioritization; and taxation. Sessions further addressed: the European Report on Development 2015; norm setting and policy advice; and climate finance.
The OECD Development Centre released a report, titled ‘Securing Livelihoods for All: Foresight for Action,’ at a technical session, which preceded the Forum on 31 March. The report presents five possible livelihood landscapes for the world in 2030 and suggests actions for securing future livelihoods. It highlights, inter alia: a high risk of falling back into extreme poverty; increasing inequality; environmental and natural resource challenges, including expected severe water stress; and a growing youth population in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with limited job possibilities.
The OECD Development Centre and Development Co-operation Directorate organized the Forum, which convened on 1 April 2015 at OECD headquarters in Paris, France. [Forum Website] [Forum Agenda] [Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs Statement] [OECD Press Release on Securing Livelihoods for All] [Securing Livelihoods for All] [IISD RS Sources]