UN General Assembly Special Event on Millennium Development Goals

On September 22, there was a meeting between Civil Society or world citizens (representatives of non-governmental organizations) and UN Representatives to discuss recommendations on post-2015 development goals, which was presented in last week's blog, "developing constructive relationships between the UN and "We the Peoples.""  How wonderful to have UN Representatives recognizing and listening to and working with Civil Society like never before.

The outcome report of that meeting, synthesizing the contributions made, was presented at a UN General Assembly Special Event on Millenium Development Goals on 25 September and served as a substantive input to building connections between "We the Peoples" and the General Assembly.  Again, we want to draw attention to how the relationship being forged between the UN and "We the Peoples" seems to be unusually charged with a spirit of goodwill.

Two of the civil society speakers at the Special Event, Ziad Abdel Samad of the Arab NGO Network for Development and Chee Yoke Ling of Third World Network participated in both the UN-NGLS consultation and in the 22 September dialogue. 

Ziad Abdel Samad of the Arab NGO Nework for Development contributed two main notes that were quite powerful.  

First, "The new development framework that enhances public private partnerships should bring private sector, including transnational corporations’ activities, under strict United Nations supervision within a binding framework and standards to ensure their respect for human rights and social justice." 

And secondly, "It was highly recommended that the international community under the UN should be committed to building Peace and security as well as ending militarization and foreign occupation. These should be perceived in the context of human rights and fair distribution of natural resources."

Chee Yoke Ling from Third World Network struck a powerful note of:  

"For universality to be real, there must be specific goals and targets for developed countries to enable transformational shifts in consumption and lifestyle.." calling for  "profound economic transformations."  She also called for a "new global partnership" in the context of "a renewed multilateralism that is open, transparent, participatory and accountable."  
  

 Eamon Gilmore, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Ireland, recognized that "we have reached a pivotal moment that we are all challenged to transform our thinking about development.” ... “If we do so, if we put the lives and experiences of real people at the heart of our efforts, we have an opportunity now to end extreme poverty and hunger in a generation. Let us take up that challenge, and act on it.”