UN Post 2015 Development Agenda: briefing by Department on International Relations and Cooperation, with Deputy Minister in attendance

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International Relations

26 August 2015
Chairperson: Mr B Radebe (ANC) (Acting)
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Meeting Summary

The Committee met to hear a presentation on the new post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the light of the upcoming meeting of the 70th United Nations (UN) General Assembly in September.

The Department of Internation Relations and Cooperation explained the need for more specific goals to finish the work started by the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) set in 2000. While some MDGs had been met, not all were. The new SDGs aimed to end poverty, hunger, and address climate change, as well as to promote gender equality, well-being, education, and generally aid sustainable development.

South Africa and Ireland had led the process of beginning negotiations on formulating the 17 SDGs and had ensured that the negotiations would be member-state driven. These goals coincided with South Africa’s National Development Plan. The Department explained that the implementation of the SDGs would be subject to review by the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This time, developed countries would be far more involved and it was hoped they would fulfil their previous promise to contribute 0.7% of their budgets to international development.

The Committee questioned some of the specific goals, the funding and review mechanisms, and the involvement of developed countries in the SDGs. They also felt it was very wrong that the report on South Africa’s fulfilment of MDGs would not be released in time for the Committee to exercise its oversight role before the UN General Assembly, thus denying the Committee the opportunity to contribute to the preparations for the General Assembly. The Committee asked about South Africa’s policy on UN reform, and the likelihood of it happening.

The Department replied that measures to combat specific issues such as HIV/AIDS and infant mortality were still strong in the SDGs. The language in the SDGs was broader so as to allow the goals to address concerns in both developed and developing countries. The ECOSOC reviews would be annual, and funding would come from domestic sources and private industry, as well as from developed nations. The Department believed, due to the dire nature of the problems facing the globe, exacerbated by rapid population growth, that developed countries would be motivated to participate. While UN reform was necessary, the Department’s policy had not changed.

Meeting report

Election of Acting Chairperson and Apologies

The Committee Secretary moved to nominate an acting Chairperson. Ms D Raphuti (ANC) nominated Mr B Radebe (ANC), and Ms S Kalyan (DA) seconded. Mr Radebe accepted the nomination.

After welcoming the delegation and accepting apologies from Mr M Masango (ANC, Chairperson of the Committee), Mr D Bergman (DA) and Dr B Holomisa (UDM), the Chairperson called on Members to give thought on how to improve the UN in light of its upcoming anniversary.

Briefing by Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)

Mr Luwellyn Landers, Deputy Minister, DIRCO, noted that this year was also the 70th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War, the 70th anniversary of the use of the nuclear bomb, the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the 15th anniversary of Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and the 20th anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development, and the target date for the attainment of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

Ambassador Peter Goosen, Chief Director:  Economic and Social Affairs, DIRCO, agreed that this upcoming session of the UN General Assembly would be a very important one. This year included inter-governmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. The original 2000 MDGs were supposed to be achieved by 2015. This session would also include the Third International Conference on Financing for Development and the Paris Climate Change Meeting. Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark would be the President of the General Assembly. The theme for the Assembly should be “The UN at 70: the Road ahead for Peace, Security, and Human Rights”.

In 2000, eight Millennium Development Goals had been chosen to drive development. Not all targets had been reached, and too often it had been those most marginalised who had seen the least progress. Economic crises, food prices, climate change, and inequality had made the achievement of MDGs difficult.

The final report on South Africa’s fulfilment of the MDG’s would be released in September. As for MDG 1, absolute poverty had declined thanks to economic growth and government efforts. As for MDG 2, South Africa had achieved universal primary education. As for MDG 3, South Africa had met gender equality goals. As for MDG 4, South Africa had significantly increased the number of children vaccinated and provided care. MDG 5 and MDG 6 had been difficult -- maternal childbirth death rates and infectious disease rates remained high. MDG 7 and 8 had to do with environmental sustainability and global development, where again further work was necessary.

In September 2013, South Africa and Ireland had facilitated a member-state driven post-2015 developmental agenda. Actual negotiations had begun in January of this year. The outcome document had been adopted on 2 August by member states and would be presented to the General Assembly in September. The outcome document sets 17 goals, with 169 targets to be met by 2030. These goals had come in part from a report endorsed at the UN General Assembly in September 2014, and were far more detailed than the eight MDGs.

The agenda was a political commitment to:

  1. End poverty and hunger everywhere
  2. Combat inequality
  3. Build peaceful and just societies
  4. Protect human rights and promote gender equity
  5. Protect the planet and natural resources

The commitment recognised that countries had different abilities to achieve these goals. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) would support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); however, unlike the AAAA, the SDGs were liable to a review mechanism to ensure implementation. The UN’s Economic and Social Council

(ECOSOC) would play a key role in this oversight. South Africa had ensured that the negotiations were member state driven, rather than led by the Secretariat, and had also worked to nominate the Ambassador from Kenya as the co-facilitator of the negotiations. As Chairperson of the G77, South Africa represented the interests of developing countries with significant power.

Now these objectives had to be achieved. Both the National Development Plan (NDP) at the national level, and Agenda 2063 at the continental level, would help this effort. Agreements had been reached on financing from developed countries, as well as a re-commitment from developed countries to give 0.7% of their budget to international development.

Ambassador Jerry Matjila, Director General, DIRCO, reminded the Committee that all UN member states were obligated to fulfill the SDGs, poor and rich alike. Therefore, the process had evolved from 2000. This being said, poverty and hunger were still hugely prevalent issues everywhere. Though 169 targets seemed like a lot, the targets would help specify and achieve these very complex goals. He noted that it would be a long process for government to consider, and adopt these goals.

As for financing, he said that developed countries had a historic obligation to support development -- something that they sometimes trie to avoid. The new goals would come into force in January 2016. Therefore, between now and the next Parliament, South Africa must achieve adoption and find funding for this programme. The achievement of these goals would make South Africa fundamentally better; as they were very similar to the country’s NDP and other plans.

Discussion

Ms Kalyan expressed concern that the report for the UN was not yet available. Due to the upcoming recess, the Committee would not be able to debate the report. Therefore, decisions would be made at the UN without Committee oversight. Was DIRCO the lead ministry here? She referred to MDGs 7 and 8 -- what legislation had been enacted to solve environmental issues? She expressed concern that the health concerns from the MDGs were now designated as “well-being” in the SDGs. Infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria should have their own category, or else the battle would be lost. How many ECOSOC reviews would happen in 15 years? She expressed concern about how vague the information on funding was. What amount of the budget would South Africa have to contribute?

Mr S Mokgalapa (DA) welcomed the report and lauded the all-inclusiveness of the new SDGs. He sdaid that for the MDGs, Africa had created an African peer review mechanism for itself that had ended up being ineffective and not all states had participated in the review. What would the SDGs learn from this? What was South Africa’s stance on UN reform? Which states would represent Africa in the UN Security Council?

Ms T Kenye (ANC) also expressed concern about the new wording on health issues. What will be done in the new SDGs to protect maternal health? Problems addressed in the MDGs were still prevalent -- infant mortality was still high. She requested a document comparing 2000 to 2015 in order to assess progress on these issues. How would the gap between the developing and developed countries actually be bridged by the SDGs?

Mr L Mpumlwana (ANC) wanted to point out how similar these goals were to the NDP. He asked whether the funding contributions of smaller countries would be proportional.

Mr M Maila (ANC) commented that the UN General Assembly had to be reformed for these goals to be achievable. Developed countries must come to the table to address development issues. How was the current economic situation going to affect South Africa?

Ms D Raphuti (ANC) applauded the theme of peace, security, and human rights. South Africa was led by people who knew what they wanted. She asked that the report make it clear to the people what would be done about poverty and what it would cost the country. She hoped it would make it clear how the SDGs would solve the issues that the MDGs had failed to solve. She agreed on the health language issue.

The Chairperson lauded the Department’s efforts to help create the SDGs. He commented that it had not been a workshop or think tank, but rather an interaction between member states that had created these goals. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) had damaged Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, and these countries had thus been unable to achieve the MDG goals. What was the Department doing to improve trade practices for developing countries?

Mr Landers said that DIRCO was not responsible for the release of the report, but rather Stats South Africa. He agreed that the report should have been released three months sooner, or more, in order to allow for debate in Parliament. It was important for Parliament to express itself, and it could not on this report. ECOSOC would review implementation annually. DIRCO had already expressed its views on UN reform.

In response to Mr Maila’s question, he said the economy would have a negative effect, but hopefully these things were cyclical. He admitted that the achievement of MDGs had been uneven and unfair to developing countries. DIRCO had conceded in the presentation that South Africa still saw a very unequal society, as well as chronic unemployment. As for health issues, the presentation still contained steps to combat HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria. These goals were still serious about combating these diseases.

Ambassador Matjila said that the new SDGs were a compromise between countries, and involved at least 11 governmental departments. These departments would consider how to integrate these goals into their NDP work and other programmes. While some of these goals exceeded South Africa’s ability to solve, working towards them would benefit the people. The goals from the MDGs were being carried forward into the SDGs at the behest of developing countries.

Ambassador Matjila repeated that, in the past, developed countries had committed 0.7% of their budgets, but not all countries -- the USA and Japan, for example -- had fulfilled their commitments. The world’s population had increased by two billion in the last 15 years, and this population increase would grab the attention of developed countries and show the importance of development. Migrant issues would also encourage action. He agreed that a peer review mechanism for the continent was a good idea, and pointed out the Tripartite Free Trade Alliance (TFTA) as an example of a more integrated continent.

He expressed the belief that all member states would adopt and pursue the SDGs. Some of the goals by 2030 would only be minimum measures to combat, for example, poverty. He believed that all countries had the goal of eradicating poverty. South Africa should strongly pursue these goals as its own goals, and Parliament must be asked to support these efforts through the budget in order to reach these goals well before 2030. He also proposed that South Africa should assist the continent to achieve the goals.

The achievement of these goals would be judged, at the end of the day, by whether poverty had been eradicated. People in Japan had grown in height due to the health and well-being practices of the country. Life expectancy in Asia had also increased. To achieve this, health goals had to be broad.

Ambassador Matjila said he wished that development would be included in the theme of the UN General Assembly. Some members of the UN were more equal than South Africa because of their greater voting power. The debate for UN reform had been long, and had taken place both here on the African continent, and within BRICS. The world had changed much since 1945, from decolonisation to development, and yet over time the decision-making power had shifted from the General Assembly to the Security Council.

Ambassador Goosen said that reporting on the MDGs was voluntary. South Africa had compiled three reports -- in 2005, 2010, and 2013 -- on the progress of implementation. The final report would be published in September and would include information on progress made this year. The SDGs would have an annual compulsory review. The reports on the MDGs had done a good job of cataloguing South Africa’s work. The SDGs better encompassed goals that included both developed and developing countries. The new SDG health goals included maternal health and communicable diseases, as well as the health concerns of developed countries. Another sub-goal of Goal 3 of the SDGs included HIV/AIDS, TB, hepatitis, and others.

As for financing, the 0.7% contribution was only one aspect of funding. Taxes, domestic spending, and private funding would all be utilised. The DIRCO wanted to ensure compatibility between the NDP and the UN’s SDGs. The Ministerial Council of the WTO was meeting in Kenya this year to address developmental aspects of trade. The DIRCO had consulted extensively within the government, both before and after negotiations on these goals, in order to put forward a national position. He noted the extensive length of these negotiations.

The Chairperson said that Mr Landers had to leave for another meeting, and called for further questions from the Committee.  

Mr Mpumlwana asked what the chances were of Security Council countries negotiating themselves out of power.

Ms Kenye asked about gender equality goals, in reference to both the MDG 3 and SDG 5. She acknowledged that some improvements had been made. Before departing for the UN General Assembly, delegates should check the result of the Beijing Conference. What resources had been given to women, and where had those resources gone? She expressed concern at the increase in maternal mortality -- why was this happening? These issues should be discussed in September.

Mr Mokgalapa asked who was leading the coordination of the government’s approach to the UN? What was the African position on UN Security Council reform?

Ms Kalyan said that she understood that it was not DIRCO’s fault that the report had not been released. She asked for at least a draft of the report. She commented that the whole process was very much at the last minute. What was South Africa’s contribution from the budget to the SDGs?

Ms Raphuti said that these UN issues were exciting, but only for the chosen few. How could the DIRCO make the results from the UN accessible to the people of South Africa? Could it at least educate local government officials on the issues? She requested action on this. She pointed out that youths did not know the name of the Minister of International Relations.

Mr Maila asked what the problem of obesity told one about development, in light of the Ambassador’s story about Japan.

Ambassador Matjila replied that communications efforts would be made. In the next inter-governmental meeting, the DIRCO would discuss how to make these matters more accessible. As for obesity, this was an issue of lifestyle. In developing, the country must also educate people on a proper lifestyle. He was not able to answer Ms Kalyan’s question on the budget, but said that the money would not come from one fund alone. The DIRCO would ask for a draft of the report.

He said that development funds existed in all Departments. Africa had not changed its position on UN reform; the debate was on how to accomplish the goal of better African representation. Perhaps more information would be available after September because there would be debate about it. He was not able to speculate on the intentions of Security Council countries. He described the team that would represent South Africa at the General Assembly.

Ambassador Goosen explained that there was no set contribution for funding for the SDGs. The 0.7% mark for developed countries had originally been created in the 1950’s and formalised in 1970. Historically, only Scandinavian countries had met the mark. The UK had recently legislated that they had to contribute this amount. As mentioned earlier, other sources of revenue could also be used. As for the role of the UK and Japan, both had participated actively in the negotiations.

The Chairperson called for the DIRCO to report on the results of the UN General Assembly. He agreed that the report should have been released far sooner to include Parliament, which controlled the budget. The report must be made available as soon as possible, so the Committee could better serve its respective constituencies. Committee members would have loved to attend the 70th anniversary of the UN General Assembly, and he commented that in some ways it seemed as though only one year had passed due to the lack of progress. However, the work of the Committee lay in Parliament, unless they were invited.

The meeting was adjourned.

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