Session 3: The Declaration
Co-Facilitators,
Maldives has the honour to speak on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, a coalition of 39 Small Island and coastal communities.
The Post-2015 development agenda is a source of hope for the billions of people around the world. It is envisioned to put people at the center of development, and to advance a world that is just, equitable and inclusive. We must not fail them. The declaration needs a vision of a world, where development is human-centric, and environmentally friendly.
Small Island Developing States are recognised as a special case for development by the UN system, and their inherent vulnerabilities, have been well documented. The need for special, targeted assistance is well established. SIDS remain constrained in meeting their sustainable development targets in all three dimensions of sustainable development.
Therefore, any agenda that purports to be universal must recognize and address the particular and unique vulnerabilities of SIDS, as recognised in the Barbados Programme of Action, the Mauritius Strategy for Further Implementation and most recently SAMOA Pathway. The declaration that precedes the development agenda must therefore, include specific references to these undeniable facts.
Co-Facilitators,
The Declaration must frame the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, as they are contained in the Report of the Open Working Group, and articulate the political commitment to achieve these Goals within a 15-year period.
AOSIS confirms the view that the SDGs should be integrated into the new agenda and further reiterate that it does not support any changes to the number and nature of goals that have already received wide political acceptance.
The new agenda must also clearly set out targets for the 17 SDGS. These targets must be realistic and backed by adequate, sufficient and predictable Means of Implementation. And to ensure the success of these goals, to strengthen monitoring and review of implementation at all levels; a robust framework for follow-up must also be articulated.
This is where we see a critical role for the High Level Political Forum. The HLPF must monitor and review the targets and indicators periodically, to ensure the success of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Thank you.
