Globe Turns Attention to SDGs as 132nd IPU Assembly Closes Curtains in Hanoi

The curtain has closed on the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly and related meetings in Hanoi, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with a sustained call on legislators to take more ownership on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

More than 700 MPs and over 50 Speakers from 127 countries met in the Vietnamese capital on March 28th, 2015-April 1, 2015, under the theme: "The Sustainable Development Goals: Turning words into action".

Addressing the congress, the Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Daniel F Kidega urged Parliaments (and Parliamentarians) to focus on a number of priorities for the post 2015 development agenda including fighting inequalities, ending poverty, as well as a variety of social, economic and environmental development issues.

He noted that the globe could have fared better had legislators turned their guns on monitoring MDGs.

"One of the reasons the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were not fully realized, is pointed to ineffective Parliamentary action", Rt. Hon Kidega said.

"I can guarantee you that the fate of the SDGs will be equally sealed if Parliaments do not enact their own action plans by which they should ensure that relevant laws are enacted to compel the Executive to act", he added.

The EALA Speaker assured the delegates of the Assembly’s commitment in ensuring SDGs are arrived at.

"On our part, at regional level, we commit to hold Partner States accountable as well. We commit to enhancing our oversight role in this dispensation.  For example, on legislation, we shall ascertain the level of enactment of laws in the areas on SDGs by the Partner States as well as sensitisation and allocation of budgets for the effective implementation of laws", Rt Hon Kidega said.

He added that EALA would also undertake keen research and advocacy on the status of preparedness of the region with regards to implementing SDGs.

"We are keen and want the region to allocate and appropriate more resources in the area of the SDGs for the East African Community. Let me assure you that EALA shall monitor the uptake of SDGs closely through relevant committees which shall be tasked to report back to the Assembly regularly", he added.

The 132nd Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly and related meetings was inaugurated at the Parliament House in Hanoi, on March 28th, 2015. Welcoming the delegates, H.E. President Truong Tan Sang highlighted his nation’s solidarity with other IPU members in striving for common goals in the areas of sustainable development, promotion of the ideals of human rights, democracy, children’s rights, gender equality and other fundamental rights.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, was represented by his Special Adviser, Ms. Anina J. Mohammed.  The UN chief asked the Parliaments to work with the Executive to see the effective implementation of SDGs.  He remarked that SDGs “must not leave anyone behind” and that National Assemblies needed to support and facilitate discussions on how each country sees its future sustainable development.

The IPU Meeting was attended by Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt. Hon Rebecca Kadaga and the Speaker of the Senate, Kenya, Rt. Hon Ekwe Ethuro. Parliament of Tanzania was represented by Hon Hamad Rashid Mohamed, Hon Suzan Lyimo, Hon Dr Pudensiana Kikwembe and Hon Faustine Ndgulile.

The Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt. Hon Rebecca Kadaga rooted for effective implementation of SDGs and tasked national Parliaments to develop targets, norms, benchmarks and indicators to be used to assess the performance of government. The Speaker reiterated the need for continuous capacity building within the Parliaments, both for the MPs and the staff so as to stay the course.

Meanwhile, the legislators at the IPU are also keen to see the development of new ways to fight and contain terrorism. Acknowledging that terrorism was not limited to any one religion, nationality or ethnic group, the MPs expressed concern at the on-going threat terrorism poses to international peace and security.

They highlighted the need for attention to be paid to civilians, in particular women and girls, in countries where militia organizations such as Boko Haram and the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), were active.

The IPU resolution thus called for inter-State cooperation between intelligence and security forces to be developed so as to facilitate the exchange of information. Emergency measures similarly needed to be adopted by United Nations entities to support West and Central African countries that are fighting the Boko Haram.

NOTES TO EDITORS
Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a proposed set of targets relating to future international development. They are to replace the Millennium Development Goals once they expire at the end of 2015. The SDGs were first formally discussed at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 (Rio+20).

On 19 July 2014, the UN General Assembly's Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG) forwarded a proposal for the SDGs to the Assembly. The proposal contained 17 goals with 169 targets covering a broad range of sustainable development issues. These included ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education, making cities more sustainable, combating climate change, and protecting oceans and forests.[1] On 4 December 2014, the UN General Assembly accepted the Secretary-General's Synthesis Report which stated that the agenda for the post-2015 SDG process would be based on the OWG proposals.[2]

LIST OF PROPOSED SDGs by 2030

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact
14. Conserve and sustainability use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that were established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. All 189 United Nations member states at the time (there are 193 currently), and at least 23 international organizations, committed to help achieve the following Millennium Development Goals by 2015:

1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. To achieve universal primary education
3. To promote gender equality and empower women
4. To reduce child mortality
5. To improve maternal health
6. To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7. To ensure environmental sustainability[1]
8. To develop a global partnership for development[2]

Each goal has specific targets, and dates for achieving those targets. To accelerate progress, the G8 finance ministers agreed in June 2005 to provide enough funds to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to cancel $40 to $55 billion in debt owed by members of the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) to allow them to redirect resources to programs for improving health and education and for alleviating poverty.

-Ends-
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