6 December 2012
UNGA President Addresses Civil Society Questions on Post-2015 Development Agenda
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Vuk Jeremić, UNGA President, held a dialogue with members of civil society focused development and sustainability.

He made remarks on the acceleration of efforts on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the creation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the High-Level Political Forum for sustainable development (HLPF).

26 November 2012: UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Vuk Jeremić held a dialogue with members of civil society on 26 November 2012, in New York, US. Jeremić answered questions on priorities for the UNGA’s 67th Session, including development and sustainability, and addressed the inclusion of civil society.

Jeremić highlighted a special event on achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to be held at UNGA 68 in 2013, as an important point of civil society consultation, and suggested that this event could serve to unite the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and post-2015 development processes into a “common track.”

He suggested that a precedent for civil society inclusion and participation had been set at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and encouraged attendees to provide “constructive criticism” in Rio+20 follow-up processes.

In regard to the Open Working Group (OWG) called for in the Rio+20 outcome, to create a set of SDGs, Jeremić expressed disappointment that the Group has not yet been created or started working, but declared that it must be formed by the end of 2012 to begin work in January 2013. Stakeholder engagement in the OWG has not yet been considered, but Jeremić suggested that he will encourage the Group to consult the Major Groups in its work. Jeremić also said he will soon appoint facilitators tasked with creating the organization of work for the High-Level Political Forum for sustainable development (HLPF), and encouraged civil society dialogue with this process, as well.

Questions from civil society participants focused on the need to address climate change internationally, and to include marginalized and gendered perspectives in UN negotiations. [UN-NGLS Press Release] [Webcast of Dialogue]

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