The global COVID-19 pandemic is plunging the world into a socio-economic and financial crisis of an unprecedented scale, in addition to the acute health crisis. Many of the gains achieved under the banner of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are under threat. The crisis has exposed and exacerbated vulnerabilities and inequalities in both developing and developed countries, deepening poverty and exclusion and pushing the most vulnerable even further behind. This is a watershed moment. A sustainable, equitable and peaceful future hinges on the right national and international policy decisions. This policy note assembles analysis by members of the United Nations Committee for…
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In this Policy Note, the CDP analyses how intergovernmental cooperation could be strengthened to better manage the increasing interdependence among countries, reduce large inequalities among and within countries and contribute to the implementation of the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, while preserving the necessary policy space for government action at the country level. The Committee proposes five main principles to guide the reforms: common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities; subsidiarity; inclusiveness, transparency and accountability; coherence, and responsible sovereignty. It illustrates how these principles could be applied in reforming global…
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In the present Policy Note, the Committee for Development Policy proposes principles and policy alternatives for a post-2015 development agenda, in the light of consideration of lessons learnt from the Millennium Development Goals experience and the key development challenges that have emerged in recent years. It suggests a general contour of a transformative framework with a broader, more nuanced and context-specific development strategies which are required to make the vision expressed in the Millennium Declaration to be fully realized. The Note will contribute to efforts by the international community to find the effective solutions to move the international development agenda forward.
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New approaches for international cooperation such as global health partnerships have contributed to the strides developing countries have made in achieving health-related Millennium Development Goals. But health inequalities still persist between rich and poor countries and within countries among different socio-economic, ethnic, racial and cultural groups. Tackling health inequalities requires an integrated approach, that is to say, giving priority to primary health care and the strengthening of the institutional and technical capacities of the health system in developing countries. While vertical approaches have a role to play in some circumstances, these interventions need to take into…
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Adapting to climate change is critical for sustainable development. Steps must be taken to strengthen the adaptive capacity of all stakeholders and to mainstream adaptation into sectoral and national planning processes. Achieving the aims reflected in the international sustainable development agenda also requires mitigation efforts in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Whereas among industrialized countries the approach to mitigation has focused on a cap-and-trade system, for developing countries such a strategy may not be ideal. For those countries, an investment-based approach encouraging the use of renewable energy alternatives appears to be the…
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Important progress has been made towards developing a global partnership in support of national poverty reduction strategies. Nonetheless, the existing framework of that global partnership, the use of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers as its main instrument, appears to be neither adequate nor effective. Aid recipient countries need to gain more ownership of their poverty reduction strategies. Aid and other international support should be provided under conditions which enhance, rather than restrict, domestic policy space in recipient countries. Multilateral trade negotiations need to be consistent with poverty reduction objectives and should not conflict with the development assistance…
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Focusing international cooperation on climate change solely on the establishment of emission targets is not adequate: the latter does not adequately address developmental challenges or help achieve internationally agreed goals. The international development agenda needs to specify the actions and approaches required for ensuring economic behaviour that is compatible with environmental constraints in a way that minimizes aggregate costs, protects the vulnerable and maximizes economic growth. The integration of climate-change and development goals will require a fundamental reorientation of the current developmental trajectory so that the carbon intensity of production is reduced while…
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The publication addresses two themes. The first is unemployment in developing countries. Tackling this problem requires a more balanced and coordinated international strategy for sustainable global growth. At the national level, economic growth is important, but the quality of such growth also matters. It is also necessary to create fiscal space to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce that can meet the technological challenges posed by globalization. The second theme is that of economic vulnerability and instability. Required domestic policy measures include the promotion of good governance, sound fiscal and financial management and enhanced human and social development. The…
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Sub-Saharan Africa lags behind other regions in achieving the development goals. Success largely depends on countries themselves owning, planning and executing the necessary policies and programmes. Government's capacity needs to be enhanced, and support from the international community is required. Both the quantity and the quality of aid need to be improved. Countries recovering from conflict face additional challenges. The Committee proposes that a monitoring unit be established within the United Nations to identify those countries most at risk from conflict and that a UN post-conflict reconstruction facility be created to serve as a prompt-response instrument for donor coordination.
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The attainment of international development goals requires addressing rural poverty. Rural development must reflect the multi-dimensional nature of poverty and must thus be multi-targeted. Policy measures include the expansion of education and health services, and the provision of incentives to rural populations to make use of such services. Also important is an increase in agricultural productivity and the removal of distortions and barriers to trade. Adequate provision of global public goods can contribute to effective poverty reduction by mitigating global risks and reducing public "bads". New institutional and financial arrangements need to be developed to help ensure the provision of…
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