‘Beyond 2015 Conference’ in Copenhagen Opportunity to Take Stock of Efforts to Define Inspiring New Development Agenda, Says Deputy Secretary-General

Following is Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson’s video message to the “Beyond 2015” Civil Society Organization Conference, in Copenhagen today:

I send warm greetings to all the partners of the United Nations who are in Copenhagen for this important gathering.  I thank you for your engagement and for your commitment to a life in dignity for all.

The Beyond 2015 Conference is a timely opportunity to take stock of our efforts to define an inspiring post-2015 development agenda by September next year.  I especially appreciate that your discussions relate to the social, economic and environmental aspects of inequality — a huge challenge both between and within nations.

Progress has been made.  The sustainable development goals proposed by the Open Working Group are ground-breaking, ambitious and transformational in nature.  They capture the key elements of sustainable development.  At the same time, the goals maintain a strong focus on eradicating poverty and on finishing our work towards the Millennium Development Goals.

I am encouraged that the proposed sustainable development goals include the challenges of inequality, universality, peaceful societies, rule of law and human rights, along with the core development tasks and climate change.  Also, a universal and meaningful climate agreement in Paris next year will be critical for the post 2015 agenda.

The preparatory work for these two processes continues to benefit from the voice and contributions of civil society and other stakeholders, in line with the standard of engagement set by the Rio+20 conference.

As we develop “the what” of the new agenda, we must not lose sight of “the how”. How do public and private actors work together to avoid further social, economic and environmental erosion? How can we make the best use of each sector’s and actor’s comparative advantages?

These are key questions and challenges.  Intergovernmental negotiations on the sustainable development goals are likely to start at the beginning of next year.   The third Conference on Financing for Development, which will take place in Addis Ababa in July 2015, will be an important moment for the credibility of what we are jointly striving to achieve.

Official development assistance (ODA) remains a necessary — but not by itself sufficient — element of financing.  We will need to mobilize financing from all sources — private, public, national and international.

If the new goals are to make a real difference in people’s lives, monitoring, evaluation and accountability will be essential.  Civil society partners will continue to play a crucial role in this, including by helping spearhead the data revolution.

As we focus our attention on success in September 2015, let me also stress that strong partnerships will be crucial not only in shaping but also in implementing the new agenda.

Much is at stake and much work needs to be done.  The world is in turmoil. Inequality is rising.  The Ebola crisis casts a dark cloud over West Africa.  The impact of climate change is increasingly clear.  The coming year will be of vital importance for the future well-being of people and the planet.

We at the United Nations look forward to working with you to build a more peaceful, sustainable and equitable world.  We must ensure that no one is left behind.  Let us remember the first three words of the UN Charter:  “We the Peoples”.

In that spirit, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and I offer you our best wishes for a successful conference.