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October 22, 2015

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The 2030 Agenda: leaving no one behind

EDITOR’S Note:

THE article is adapted from Mr Haoliang Xu’s speech at Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on October 5, 2015 in Washington DC. The author is UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.

I am delighted to join you today at this important seminar on the Future of Development Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific aimed at implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — also known as the Global Goals.

In my presentation, I will touch upon three issues: 1. Key development challenges in Asia and the Pacific. 2. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 3. Implementation of the agenda and UNDP’s role in Asia and the Pacific

Key challenges in Asia and the Pacific

The economic boom in Asia and the Pacific may seem to be a modern phenomenon, but it is in fact a re-emergence. Through millennia, up to the early part of the 19th century, Asia and the Pacific dominated the global economy. Until 1820 Asia generated more than half of the world’s GDP, with China and India accounting for one-quarter each. It is clear that the 21st century will see the re-emergence of Asia.

As it develops, the region is also going through an extraordinary transition. In 2000, 15 out of 36 Asia- Pacific developing countries were low income countries. Now, there are only four: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Nepal.

Some argue that the sharp reduction in the number of low income countries in the last decade should be trumpeted as a success for development. But we should not forget a disturbing fact that there are still 314 million people living in poverty in Asia and the Pacific.

Looking back at human development in the last three decades, the East Asia and Pacific region has made the fastest progress in the Human Development Index (HDI), followed by South Asia. But both of these sub-regions still lag behind Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia. And South Asia also lags behind the Arab States.

HDI values in most countries in Asia and the Pacific were below the global average in 2013, underscoring that while the region may have achieved an “economic miracle,” it has not yet attained a “human development miracle.”

The 2030 Agenda

Let me turn now to the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by world leaders on September 25 as the global blueprint for addressing the challenges.

The UN Secretary-General called Agenda 2030 “a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world.” It builds on the Millennium Declaration signed 15 years ago, which launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Since then, those MDGs have guided global development.

The MDGs helped achieve much progress. The world has made significant headway in lifting more than a billion people out of poverty; getting millions of children who lacked education into school; we have reduced infant, child, and maternal deaths; and dramatically reduced the incidence of HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and TB.

But the MDGs did not achieve all they set out to do. While the target of halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 was met by 2010, there are still the so-called “bottom billion” — people for whom life has scarcely changed.

The 2030 Agenda calls for a paradigm shift. It is very different from the MDGs.

1. The new agenda applies to all countries. 2.  It is an inclusive agenda designed to “leave no one behind.” 3. It focuses on both ends and means. 4. Since it covers social, economic, environmental and governance issues, it is much more ambitious and broader than the MDGs agenda. 5. And the new agenda has been formulated following one of the most inclusive and participatory processes in UN history.

UNDP’s role in Asia and the Pacific

When it comes to implementing the 2030 Agenda, countries have high expectations of support from the UN development system. And we are ready to provide that help through:

1. Mainstreaming, acceleration and policy Support. 2. Development solutions and thought leadership. 3. Mobilizing new financing for development. 4. Trilateral and South-South Cooperation. 5.  And Coordination.

UNDP expects to be at the forefront of the UN Development Group’s common approach to support countries on implementing the 2030 Agenda: “Mainstreaming, Acceleration, and Policy Support” — also known as MAPS.

Mainstreaming refers to the support we give governments to incorporate the SDGs into national and local strategies, plans, and budgets.

For acceleration, we can help identify the obstacles in the way of making progress, and to identify actions which could speed up progress on multiple targets at the same time.

MAPS is so versatile that it can be applied to any development context or challenge in any country, including those in transition or crisis.

When it comes to development solutions and thought leadership, there is a demand from governments for high quality advice to design policies and systems that can tackle emerging challenges and bring about transformational change. UNDP continues to strengthen its advisory capacity to meet this demand in the region. We even underwent a restructuring process, moving advisors from headquarters in New York to our Regional Hub in Bangkok, to place expertise within the region.

In addition, we have been supporting cutting edge research and innovation. For instance, the award-winning UNDP-Baidu Recycle app helps users recycle electronic products by connecting them to certified waste recycling and dismantling agencies, across major cities in China. The app also seeks to integrate the informal e-waste recycling sector into the legitimate e-waste processing industry.

Another vital area where UNDP can make a difference is our ability to mobilize financing for development. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has forecast that to achieve the SDGs worldwide by 2030 — in key sectors such as food and nutrition, water and sanitation, and health — will require an investment of about US$3.3 to US$4.5 trillion a year. To put that sum in perspective, Official Development Assistance (ODA) last year amounted to around US$135 billion.

According to our regional report on SDG implementation “Making It Happen,” ODA reached US$27 billion dollars in Asia and the Pacific in 2012. While that is a significant figure, remittances reached US$212 billion, and foreign direct investment US$626 billion.

Previously, the work of agencies like UNDP was financed by donors. Now however, that donor aid is being overtaken by other financing such as domestic financing.

As a result, middle-income countries are hiring development agencies, and using domestic resources instead of ODA to pursue their development goals.

The demand for UNDP’s services by governments in Asia and the Pacific nearly doubled over the past five years.

With regards to climate finance, UNDP is one of the world’s largest brokers of climate change grants for developing countries.

When it comes to South-South and Trilateral Cooperation, UNDP has provided ample support to countries in Asia and the Pacific to design and execute such activities.

For example, UNDP and China recently concluded the first trilateral cooperation project with Cambodia, and at present we are engaged in other trilateral projects with Ghana, Zambia, Burundi, Malawi, Nepal and Bangladesh. These projects are funded by the UK Department for International Development, Denmark and the government of China.

Conclusion

While we support the achievement of all 17 SDGs, UNDP has decided to especially focus on poverty, inequality and governance.

As UNDP Administrator Helen Clark said: “Ours is the last generation which can head off the worst effects of climate change. Ours is the first generation with the know how to eradicate extreme poverty, and secure a more hopeful future for all.” But governments and organizations such as the UNDP cannot do this alone. We must all step up to realize the opportunities the new development agenda offers.




 

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