25 September 2012: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-level Debate continued its discussion of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the post-2015 development agenda. Many speakers noted that peace and security are critical to sustainable development. Ivan Gašparovič, President of Slovakia, called for removing causes of conflicts through, inter alia, poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Several speakers indicated that their countries were not on track to meet the MDGs, including Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of Timor Leste, and Sprent Dabwido, President of Nauru. Dabwido said diminished development assistance hindered achievement of the MDGs. Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, expressed concern that Sub-Saharan Africa is unlikely to meet the MDGs and requested a focus on Africa in efforts to accelerate implementation of the MDGs.
Christopher Loeak, President of the Marshall Islands, stressed his country’s commitment to stronger progress on the MDGs, particularly on environmental sustainability and access to education. He called for integrating bilateral and regional development pathways with the MDGs to ensure targeted efforts towards common goals. Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister, Spain, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the MDGs, highlighting its support through the Spain-UNDP Fund for the MDGs.
Goodluck Jonathan, President of Nigeria, supported the development of a post-2105 development agenda and specific, action-oriented SDGs. Rajoy said Spain would participate in developing the SDGs and new institutional structures. Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, President of Switzerland, supported universal goals to ensure the well-being of future generations. She also called for coordination discussion on the SDGs and the post-2015 agenda. Stressing the need for an inclusive, multilateral system, Gašparovič recommended against creating new parallel or duplicate structures while expressing commitment to economic, environmental and social sustainable development. Gusmão stressed the need to incorporate lessons learned from the MDG process and address structural factors that had hindered tangible results.
On the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), Dabwido noted that the conference outcome captured the Pacific small island developing State (SIDS) vision of a “Blue Economy,” which recognizes the importance of healthy marine ecosystems for sustainable development and sustainable livelihoods. Loeak described the Parties to the Nauru Agreement’s Marine Stewardship Council certification as an example of the Pacific’s commitment to implement a sustainable development agenda. Both Loeak and Dabwido highlighted the 2014 global conference on sustainable development for small island States, with Dabwido describing it as an opportunity to set goals and mobilize resources, and Loeak noting the opportunity to showcase Pacific progress. [UN Website on UNGA 67 High-level Debate] [Statement: Ivan Gašparovič, President, Slovakia] [Statement: Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister, Timor Leste] [Statement: Sprent Dabwido, President, Nauru] [Statement: Christopher Loeak, President, Marshall Islands] [Statement: Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister, Spain] [Statement: Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President, Nigeria] [Statement: Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, President, Switzerland] [Statement: Jacob Zuma, President, South Africa]