Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2014
450. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of Ireland's election as co-chair of UN negotiations on the next stage, post-2015, development strategy, his plans to use this position; and if he will continue to support equality and hunger eradication in the final agreement on the post-2015 framework. [44057/14]
View answerOn 17 October, the President of the UN General Assembly appointed Ireland's Permanent Representative to the United Nations to co-facilitate the major international negotiations to agree a new set of global development goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals. The Permanent Representative of Kenya was also appointed. The new goals, which will take effect after 2015, will be known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and should be adopted at a summit of world leaders in New York next September.
The appointment is a great honour for Ireland, and a great responsibility. The challenge for the two co-facilitators will be to build consensus among the 193 Member States on a very broad and comprehensive agenda. The new development goals will entail responsibilities and actions for all countries, and will aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 and achieve sustainable development at a global level by addressing challenges in areas such as energy, food, water, climate, urbanisation, peaceful societies and effective governance.
Ireland and Kenya are currently co-facilitating consultations at the United Nations on how the inter-governmental negotiations will be carried out. We are also working with our colleagues in the EU to ensure that the process will culminate in a successful outcome at next years' high-level summit, and that the new SDGs, which will have a profound impact on the lives of the world's poor, will reflect our priorities. These include equality and the eradication of poverty and hunger.
