Commission for Social Development

Forty-seventh Session

11^th Meeting (AM)

draft resolutions on New Partnership for Africa’s Development, youth-related

policies submitted in commission for social development

 

Two draft resolutions ‑- one on the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and the other relating to policies and programmes involving youth ‑- were introduced in the Commission for Social Development this morning as that body continued its forty-seventh session.

By the terms of the NEPAD draft, introduced by the Sudan’s representative on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, the Commission would emphasize the critical role of the African Union and regional communities in implementing the Partnership, and encourage African countries and development partners alike to work together to enhance institutions and promote regional and continental integration.  The Commission would also emphasize that Africa’s rising poverty and social exclusion required a comprehensive approach to development and the implementation of social and economic policies.

Further by that text, the Commission would urge continuous support for poverty reduction and sustainable development measures such as debt relief, improved market access, support for the private sector and entrepreneurship, enhanced official development assistance (ODA), increased foreign direct investment (FDI), technology transfer and a successful conclusion to the Doha Round of World Trade Organization trade negotiations.  It would encourage all development partners to ensure aid effectiveness by implementing the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development, the outcome document emanating from the recent follow-up conference on financing for development adopted on 2 December and subsequently endorsed by the General Assembly.

According to the draft on policies and programmes involving youth, tabled by the representative of the Republic of Moldova, the Commission would call upon Member States to consider using the goals and targets proposed in the Secretary-General’s report on implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth at the national level to monitor progress in fostering the well‑being of young people and their engagement with civil society.  The Commission would request that the Secretary-General step up efforts to further develop and propose possible indicators to help States assess the situation of their youth, and urge Member States to work with youth-led organizations and other stakeholders to implement the Programme of Action.

Also by that text, the Commission would call upon Member States to promote, with United Nations assistance, the well‑being of young people through national youth policies, create effective channels of cooperation and information exchange among youth, Governments and decision makers, and support the creation of independent national youth councils or equivalent bodies.  Further, the Commission would urge Member States to consider including youth representatives in relevant discussions of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday, 13 February, to take action on all draft resolutions and agree on the provisional agenda and documentation for its forty-eighth session.

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For information media • not an official record