16 January 2015: The President of the UN General Assembly, Sam Kutesa, held an interactive dialogue with civil society representatives regarding the high-level thematic events that he will host in 2015 as a contribution to delivering on and implementing a transformative post-2015 development agenda. During a question-and-answer session, participants called for the post-2015 process to: provide a space to hear the views of local communities; make reference to “families”; better involve women at the various phases of the process including negotiation and implementation; and strongly reflect nutrition and disability, as well as youth employment.

Kutesa said the co-facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda, which are launching with a stocktaking session on 19-21 January 2015, intend to ensure participation of all stakeholders, building on the practices of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also encouraged stakeholders to participate in the Third Financing for Development Conference (FfD 3) and its preparatory process, and drew attention to informal interactive hearings with civil society and the business sector which will convene on 4-5 March 2015.

He asked participants to “go beyond business as usual” and create a development cooperation partnership that promotes global governance and national accountability. He introduced six high-level thematic events: the High-Level Thematic Debate on Means of Implementation for a Transformative Post-2015 development agenda (9-10 February 2015); the High-Level Thematic Debate on Advancing Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women in the Post-2015 development agenda (6 March 2015); the High-Level Thematic Debate on Promoting Tolerance and Reconciliation (April 2015); the High-Level Thematic Debate on Strengthening Cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations (15 May 2015); the High-Level Event on The Demographic Dividend and Youth Employment (June 2015); and the High-Level Event on Climate Change (29 June 2015). He noted collaboration between his office and the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) to ensure participation of civil society in these meetings, and said coordination also will be ensured with the UN Secretary-General’s post-2015 team, the UN Millennium Campaign, the MY World team, the UN Foundation and other stakeholders to promote engagement through visual and social media networks. He added that a President’s summary will be prepared for each event, and will be shared with co-facilitators of the above-mentioned processes.

This interactive dialogue follows a briefing provided by Kutesa to the UN General Assembly on 14 January, on the Assembly’s work so far during the 69th session, and the President’s priorities for the rest of the session. [Meeting Webpage] [UNGA President’s Calendar of Events] [UNGA President’s Statement] [IISD RS Story on 14 January Briefing] [IISD RS Sources]