Whether you agree with the emerging post-2015 development agenda or not, it is likely to steer trillions of dollars of spending, as well as key areas of policy over the next 15 years. Its implementation will occupy the minds of governments, business and campaigners. So we need an agenda that is – to use UN jargon – “fit for purpose”.
The proposal on the table from the 70 governments of the Open Working Group (OWG) contains an expansive 17 goals and 169 targets. The goals encompass the traditional preoccupations of the donor world: poverty eradication, governance and peace. They also capture the demands of an increasingly vocal south: growth, jobs, infrastructure and, critically, better policy behaviour from richer countries on issues that go beyond official development assistance (ODA).
Some have criticised the OWG proposal as being everything to everyone and lacking focus. At the same time, the changes that people around the world have said they want to see are extremely complex. If we boil the issues down further, we risk missing the wood for the trees.
The next step in the journey is the synthesis report of the UN secretary-general, an advance version of which will be released later this week. This report will offer a vision for the new agenda and combine the various contributions to the debate so far.
So what should those people who care about getting a progressive and ambitious agenda do over the next 10 months?
Here are six suggestions:
Don’t let “perfect” be the enemy of “good”: By all means, continue to push for better targets and strong indicators. But if the framework of goals has to return to the negotiating table, the risks are bigger than the potential benefits. Some governments might be happier seeing the goals on governance, climate or sustainable consumption and production drop out completely.
Don’t focus solely on communications: Implementing such a broad agenda is a legitimate concern. It will be difficult for many countries, and we should be ready to offer support to those who want it. But surely we can solve the problem of communicating this complex, integrated and challenging agenda? If we can’t convince people that we need a safe planet with no one forced to live in poverty then we’re clearly not doing something right.
Don’t celebrate universality ... yet: The proposal on the table would cover all countries and people – possibly its single most transformative characteristic. This could help to shift us out of a period characterised by charity and solving problems in “other” countries. Instead, a universal agenda recognises, with a bit more modesty, that we face a lot of the same problems. We also have many problems to solve together, not least climate change. Some governments have internalised the full implications of this; others have not. Probably best to keep quiet for now.
Encourage rich and powerful countries to put their money on the table: The world will not be sustainable if we continue to have more than a billion people living in extreme poverty. This is the number one priority. But those countries with more poverty and fewer resources are looking for a signal in Addis next year, at the Financing for Development conference, that they will receive strong support. But meeting 0.7% on ODA is still problematic for most countries, and perhaps even a red herring. So press instead on areas of common interest for all governments: improving tax rules, combating illicit capital flight, investing in technologies, and easing global trade with safeguards and flexibilities for poor countries.
But don’t get hung up on ODA: Yes, aid will continue to be important for some countries, and for investments in some sectors. So donors need to meet existing commitments and improve aid allocation and ownership. But ODA will not be the main vehicle for delivering the post-2015 agenda. A lot could be taken forward leaps and bounds by policy change – nationally and globally. Steering private sector investment, with appropriate incentives and regulations, will also be critical. That doesn’t mean corporate social responsibility, just making sure that day-to-day investment decisions are aligned with the goals.
Work to strengthen accountability over time: The post-2015 agenda will be non-binding and voluntary, so there are limits on the architecture that can be put in place. But the principles of involving people and focusing on the local and national levels are paramount. The data revolution for public policy will be driven by those outside governments; with more data and more participation a more intense spotlight will be shone on the choices and behaviour of public and private sectors alike. A watertight accountability framework won’t be negotiated; it will have to be built and strengthened over time.
Paul Ladd is head of post-2015 development agenda at UNDP. Follow @pjladdpost2015 on Twitter
Coming Friday 5 December: Ban Ki Moon’s synthesis report explained
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