5 September 2013: The co-facilitators for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Special Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) issued a revised draft text for the outcome document of the Event, on which consultations are continuing until 16 September.

The 4 September draft aims to take account of comments made at the consultations held on 25 July 2013 and subsequently. It includes sections on: Accelerating Progress, Global Partnership for Development, and Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The outstanding issues, which are hoped to be resolved by consultations convening on 16 September, are: listing the countries facing special challenges, including references to foreign occupation; and whether to invoke the Rio principles, including Common but Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR).

In a letter of 5 September, the co-facilitators share their assessment that agreement on the text is “very close and within reach.”

The co-facilitators are Kingsley Mamabolo, Permanent Representative of South Africa, and David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland, who replaces his predecessor Anne Anderson as of 3 September 2013. [Letters of UNGA President and Co-Chairs, Revised Draft Text] [Letter on New Co-Facilitator]