UN President of the 69th General Assembly holds a National Consultation on Post 2015 Development Agenda
“In the spirit of leaving no one behind the agenda should focus on eradicating poverty and hunger, through sustained growth and employment” Hon. Sam Kutesa, the incoming president of the General Assembly and Minister of Foreign Affairs
On 8th August 2014 at the Government Complex Building, the Government of Uganda in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organized a National Consultative Workshop on the Post 2015 Development Agenda under the theme Delivering and Implementing a Transformative Post 2015 Development Agenda in Uganda. The workshop attracted over 160 participants from Government Ministries and Agencies, Local Government, Development Partners, the Private Sector, Civil Society, academia, youth and the Media Fraternity.
In his opening remarks, Hon. Sam Kutesa, the incoming President of the General Assembly and Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the post 2015 agenda should be holistic, transformative, action oriented and universally applicable to all countries.,
In his key note address, Hon. Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere, Minister for General Duties, Office of the Prime Minister congratulated Hon. Kutesa upon his election as President of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly noting that it is a great opportunity for Uganda to steer the negotiations on the post 2015 development agenda
In an inspiring and captivating speech, , H.E Amina Mohammad, Special Advisor of the UN Secretary General on the Post 2015 Development Agenda observed that the current MDG framework does not fully meet the current complex challenges such as governance, climate change, rising inequalities, ageing, infrastructure among others. Thus she challenged member states to adopt a more integrated and comprehensive approach.
Ms. Maria Kiwanuaka, Minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development proposed the following options on financing; increase in domestic resource mobilization through elimination of tax administration inefficiencies and integration of the informal sector; blended financing through Public Private Partnership; foreign borrowing and issuing of sovereign bonds among others.
Representing the Development Partners, Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochi the UNDP Resident Representative was optimistic that strong partnerships at all levels will ensure effective implementation of the Post 2015 Development Agenda.
Other speakers such as Mr. Gideon Badagawa, the Executive Director Private Sector Foundation Uganda, emphasized the need to redirect investments to areas that create change in the lives of people while the Executive Director of Uganda National NGO Forum represented by the Head of Programmes, Mr. Alfred Nuamanya observed that National Development Plan II presents an opportune moment to shape how the Post 2015 development agenda will be implemented in the country and called upon Government to ensure that the Post 2015 Agenda is integrated in national plans.
Key emerging issues from the plenary were; youth and gender issues should be given greater attention in the post 2015 development agenda with specific focus on addressing the structural causes of gender inequality and need to re-tool youth to have the right set of skills for the current challenges. Further the need to involve parliamentarian and ordinarily citizens was highlighted. Lastly the need to strengthen institutions to enhance delivery of agreed commitments and localizing of the post 2015 development agenda to enhance ownership.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Sam Kutesa called upon participants to rally behind him during his tenure as president of the UN General Assembly and support his efforts in advancing the agenda of United Nations. He stressed the need to accelerate progress on the MDGs and also ensure that the “unfinished business” in the MDGs is clarified in the post 2015 development agenda.