14 January 2014: The Office of the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has released a concept note on ‘Ensuring Stable and Peaceful Societies’, ahead of a thematic debate on this topic. The note recognizes the potential of conflict and violence to undermine development progress and peace, and emphasizes building stable, peaceful societies as essential in achieving sustainable development.
The debate will be part of a series of three high-level events and three thematic debates that President John Ashe will host to encourage consensus building and concrete action on implementation of the post-2015 development agenda.
This event, convening on 24-25 April 2014, will provide a platform for Member States to discuss four questions on building peaceful and stable societies for sustainable development, including on: identifying linkages between sustainable development, peace and stability, integrating them into national development strategies and measuring progress; strengthening economic, political and social institutions to support an inclusive, people-centered order of relations; reflecting development challenges for stable, peaceful societies in the post-2015 agenda; and identifying required capacities and partnerships, including donors.
Restoring trust, reconstructing social cohesion and removing marginality, alienation and other economic and social inequalities are critical in rebuilding societies that have experienced conflict and violence, and in ensuring such societies benefit from the post-2015 agenda, according to the note. It also recognizes that external stressors, such as illegal trade in wildlife, hinder progress towards development and peace.
The concept note includes a background section, debate objectives and information on the format, expected outcome and participants in the debate. The President will issue a summary at the conclusion of the debate that will be shared with the UNGA’s Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICSDF).
Ashe chose ‘The Post-215 Development Agenda: Setting the Stage!’ as the theme for the 68th Session of the UNGA. [UNGA President’s Website on Post-2015 Development Agenda and Related Events] [Publication: Thematic Debate of the General Assembly: Ensuring Stable and Peaceful Societies]