President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, and Prime Minister David Cameron of the UK have confirmed they will co-chair the panel, said Ban Ki-moon in a briefing to the UN General Assembly.
In addition, he soon will appoint a new Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for post-2015 development planning, who will be responsible for coordinating “constituencies and work streams."
9 May 2012: In a briefing to the UN General Assembly (UNGA), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that he had appointed three Co-Chairs for a high-level panel of eminent persons to advise on the post-2015 development agenda. He said that he plans to announce the full panel following the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, and Prime Minister David Cameron of the UK have confirmed they will co-chair the panel. Ban said he will conduct further consultations regarding the rest of the panel’s composition.
In addition, Ban said, he soon will appoint a new Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for post-2015 development planning who will be responsible for coordinating “constituencies and work streams” inside and outside the UN system.
Ban underscored that work on the sustainable development agenda would accelerate after Rio+20, to bring together its outcomes and the process outlined at the 2010 Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Ban also commented on preparations for the UNCSD, and said it was crucial to confront “100% of the issues” now, so that an ambitious outcome document could be finalized before the Conference. This would ensure, in turn, high-level political participation in Rio. High-level participation depends on the level of ambition of the outcome document they would be endorsing, he explained.
He said the Rio+20 outcome should offer concrete results, and highlighted in particular: support for sustainable energy for all; action to improve management and protection of oceans; a framework for more sustainable consumption and production; agreement to meet the zero hunger challenge; new initiatives to ensure universal access to water; and a focused effort to improve urban life.
He also said there should be agreement to launch a process to establish sustainable development goals (SDGs) that “build on the Millennium Development Goals, find better ways to measure progress that goes beyond gross domestic product (GDP), and advance action to improve people’s lives through decent work, social protection and the empowerment of women and young people.” [Statement of UN Secretary-General] [UN Press Release]