Statement by Head of Delegation of The Republic of Indonesia at Special Event: Implementing Sustainable Development Goals: A Global Action Plan to Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Leave No One Behind

NEW YORK, 27 SEPTEMBER, 2015

Your Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,

Your Excellency Prime Minister David Cameron,

Excellencies,

Distinguished participants,

I wish to begin by commending Prime Minister Cameron for his initiative in convening this meeting.

Three years ago, the first meeting of the high level panel was held in New York on 25 September 2012.

A year later, on 30 May 2013, the President of Indonesia, on behalf of the HLP’s Co-Chairs, handed over the final report of the Panel’s work to the UN SG.

Today, we gather again here at the margin of an important event of the UN Summit on the adoption of the 2030 development agenda.

It is an honour for Indonesia to be among the Co-Chairs of the Panel and distinguished delegates, to show our commitment to work together on achieving the sustainable development agenda.

Excellencies,

Distinguished participants,

This year we have formulated a global development agenda that will shape and frame our global development strategy for the next fifteen years.

The Panel has an enormous role in shaping the agenda. It has produced substantial insights on how to eradicate extreme poverty and ensure no one will be left behind.

The Panel has also concluded that the universal agenda needs to be driven by five transformative shifts that aim to end poverty, implement sustainable development and achieve global partnership. These paradigm-shifts have been well captured in the 17 goals of the SDGs.

Today’s meeting is important to renew our commitment to establishing a shared, effective, practical, and inclusive implementation.

Based on the Panel’s report and the Outcome Document of the SDGs, allow me to underline several points for the implementation of the agenda for the next 15 years:

First, poverty remains a global challenge.

MDGs have achieved several notable results. Globally, the number of people living in extreme poverty has declined from 1.9 billion in 1990 to 836 million in 2015.

Despite this achievement, 1.2 billion people are still living in poverty. Income inequality between and among countries still exists and even continues to grow.

These conditions are exacerbated by slowing global economic growth, financial crisis and more frequent occurrences of natural disaster.

Thus, eradication of poverty must remain our top priority.

Efforts need to be intensified to complete the agenda of ending poverty and to provide a solid foundation for the new agenda.

Second, sustainable development is the core of the global agenda.

 

To solve the global problems, economic growth alone is not enough. It must be sustained by equal income distribution, access to basic needs for all, while at the same time preserves and protect the environment.

The new development agenda strikes the balance and integrates the three dimensions of sustainable development. It also applies to all countries, developed and developing countries.

Some countries have been elevated from the low income developing countries to the middle income status. Nevertheless, the MICs are not immune to global challenges. The recent economic turmoil, for example, has exposed the vulnerability of the MICs.

Third, international communities should act together.

Implementing the agenda requires global commitment and partnership for action.

Our endeavours to achieve these ambitious goals will be more feasible if supported by a strong commitment to a global partnership aimed at promoting equitable development and sustainable growth.

The solid global partnership for the successful implementation of the post-2015 development agenda should be based upon the principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and equity. It must be sufficiently robust to make the necessary transformation of the world.

To conclude, Excellencies, allow me to reiterate that the outcome document of the post-2015 development agenda has comprehensively captured and is in line with the deliberations of the High Level Panel of the Eminent Persons of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

We have now laid a solid foundation for a better future. I hope that by 2030, all girls and boys will attain higher education, healthy life becomes a reality for all, and we will see a world free from poverty and hunger.

I thank you.