On 3 October 2012, a panel discussion on progress made so far on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the lessons learned for the post-2015 development agenda took place in Brussels.
Three panellists were interviewed at the event, i.e. Brice Lalonde, Executive Coordinator of Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development; Leo Williams, International Coordinator of the Beyond 2015 Campaign; and Peter Moors, Director General of the Belgian Development Cooperation.
Mr. Lalonde discussed the next steps and challenges in shaping the post-2015 development agenda. According to him, we should try to meet the MDGs as best as possible and follow them up with the, new, post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also stressed the importance of merging the two processes and working with civil society and local government.
Brice Lalonde: “2015 is going to be an incredible ‘rendez-vous’ for the whole of the international community. It’s very exciting but it’s going to be very difficult.”
Mr. Williams discussed the role and ambitions of civil society in the negotiation of the post-2015 development agenda. He stressed the importance of having only one process and one set of goals, and that the process be open, inclusive, transparent and consultative.
In his opinion, civil society will play a major role in ensuring that the voices of those most affected by poverty and injustice are included in international discussions, that the experiences of civil society organisations are taken into account during the UN-led thematic consultations, and that a global civil society position is reached in good time.
Leo Williams: “The post-2015 framework needs to connect environmental sustainability, human rights and the anti-poverty agenda.”
Peter Moors talked about negotiating the post-2015 development agenda amidst a global economic downturn. In his opinion, development cooperation should not be seen merely as a financial flow from the North to the South, and there isn’t an opposition between the current economic downturn and an ambitious development framework.
Peter Moors: “We should not limit ourselves to the ODA [official development assistance] element of development cooperation.”
For videos of the panel discussion, please visit the Millenium Documentary Film Festival’s Facebook page (videos under Conference “Do We Need MDGs Beyond 2015?”).
You can also watch short videos of interventions by the four panellists on the Millenium Festival’s Vimeo channel:
* Brice Lalonde, Executive Coordinator of Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
* Peter Moors, Director General of the Belgian Development Cooperation
* Leo Williams, International Coordinator of the Beyond 2012 Campaign
* Antonio Vigilante, Director of UN/UNDP Office in Brussels
