Global South must reflect development Global South - Ambassador Aryasinha

In implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global South must continue to reflect on ‘how’ development is done, not just ‘what’ is done, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha told a joint consultation recently.

Chairman of the Personal Representatives of G-15(1), Aryasinha with Executive Director of the South Centre, Dr. Martin Khor, initiated a joint consultation by the South Centre and the Group of Fifteen (G-15) on ‘The state of play of the Post-2015 Development Agenda and potential opportunities for the Global South'.

Ambassador Aryasinha said that developing countries must remain engaged even more actively in this final phase of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, to prevent it from being imposed on them as a fait accompli.

He said, the G-15 believes all countries must adhere to the criteria agreed upon in Rio+20, that the operationalisation of the SDGs must be based on the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibility’, and should not place additional restrictions or burdens on developing countries.

He said that true development needs a genuine global partnership and called on developed countries to honour their international commitments, especially those related to financial resources, technology transfer and capacity.

Ambassador Aryasinha said the consultation would help the G-15 and the South Centre to consider various options to improve the Post-2015 Development Agenda process, which could be shared with G-15 capitals, and with like-minded countries which will be negotiating the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Dr. Khor outlined the state of play of the Development Agenda at the New York level. He said although there was much focus on New York, the ‘real development agenda’ was being negotiated in Geneva - within UNCTAD, WTO, WHO, ILO, WIPO and other institutions, given that the agreements they negotiate are legally enforced.

Dr. Khor said South-South cooperation is becoming even more important today and called on the G-15 to “reclaim its initial central role” by providing a non-UN platform where South-South dialogue can expand. He said that the G-15 was historically created as a counter Group to the G-7 to protest the unilateral decisions taken by developed countries and imposed on the rest of the globe.

He said as the Development Agenda is being negotiated, the G-15 should play a leading role.

However, Dr. Khor said that North-South cooperation must continue, as Western countries bore a post-colonial responsibility to developing countries.

Senior Program Officer, Global Governance for Development Program, Dr. Mariama Williams, Senior Advisor, Finance and Development, Dr. Montes Manuel and Head of Administration and Coordinator, Global Governance for Development Program, Vicente Paolo B. Yu III, delivered presentations on the topic.Permanent Representative of Egypt to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Amr Ahmed Ramadan and delegates from other G-15 countries were present.