26 September 2012: On the second day of the 67th UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-level Debate, speakers recognized the need for accelerated progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) while supporting the development of a post-2015 development framework to address emerging challenges and the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development, in line with the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) agreements. Several speakers expressed support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Many speakers recognized the need to accelerate efforts on the MDGs, including Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, and Michael Chilufya Sata, President of Zambia. Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait, said it was imperative to continue working toward the MDGs. Anote Tong, President of Kiribati, said his country is off-track on many MDGs, in part because rising seas and storm surges pose challenges to public and private infrastructure and livelihoods. Joyce Banda, President of Malawi, said the country will achieve five of the eight MDGs and strive to achieve universal primary education, gender equality and women’s empowerment and improved maternal health.

Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico, and John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, emphasized their countries’ positive progress on the MDGs. While stating that Ghana is on track to achieve the MDGs, Mahama noted the irony of Ghana’s success, explaining that as Ghana has improved its statistics, financial support has decreased, making it difficult to maintain progress or achieve further gains. Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, warned that climate change has the potential to undo progress on the MDGs, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia, and Henri recognized global achievements on some MDGs while acknowledging failure to achieve other MDGs. Gillard said she would advocate for practical progress in the next three years in her capacity as the co-chair of the MDG Advocacy Group. She highlighted Australia’s commitment to and support of the UN Secretary-General’s Education First Initiative to help achieve education for all, and the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development gender equality initiative, as examples of such practical progress.

Mario Monti, Prime Minister of Italy, recognized the MDGs as a catalyst for changing development policies and practices. He said the development landscape has changed deeply since their creation, with new and emerging challenges that the post-2015 development agenda will have to consider. He supported harmonizing post-2015 MDGs with the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development and recommended including dimensions such as climate change, democracy, employment, governance, human rights, inequality and migration. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia, cautioned against characterizing unsuccessful MDG results in a positive light, while emphasizing that failure to achieve the MDGs is not an excuse to avoid setting new targets. Hinojosa proposed a second set of targets aligned with national realities. Yoshihiko Noda, Prime Minister of Japan, expressed Japan’s commitment to work toward establishing the next development framework.

Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine, Gillard and Sata all expressed support for the High-level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Sirleaf and David Cameron, Prime Minister of the UK, welcomed their roles as Panel co-Chairs. Sirleaf noted the Panel’s responsibility to propose a framework that builds upon, but goes beyond the MDGs to establish ambitious but achievable goals.

Speakers also expressed support for the establishment of the SDGs, including Nicolae Timofti, President of Moldova, Titus Corlatean, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Yanukovych and Ilves.

On Rio+20, Sata expressed concern that it did not achieve an international process for promoting sustainable development or commit implementation funds. He said such limited progress underscores a lack of ambition to address the environment, inequality and population growth. King Mswati III, Swaziland, called on developed countries to honor Rio+20 commitments.

Banda welcomed the Rio+20 outcome and stressed implementation of its agreements. Tong emphasized the need for urgent action to achieve the future we want. Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya, expressed appreciation for the achievements of Rio+20 while urging collective political will to ensure implementation of its decisions, particularly on strengthening the institutional framework for sustainable development and upgrading the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Yanukovych also welcomed the decision on UNEP and supported Rio+20 agreements on ensuring urban development, Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL), sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and eliminating hunger. Paul Biya, President of Cameroon, supported the Rio+20 outcome on the green economy to ensure development, preserve the environment and promote SCP. [Statements from UNGA 67 High-level Debate, 26 September]