European Commission - Directorate-General for Deve : Commissioner Piebalgs participates in the UN panel on post-2015 development agenda

European Commission

Press release

Brussels, 30 January 2013

Commissioner Piebalgs participates in the UN panel on post-2015 development agenda

Today EU Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, will take part in the second UN High Level Meeting on the post-Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agenda beyond 2015, which takes place in Monrovia, Liberia. The meeting will be co-chaired by David Cameron, UK Prime Minister, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, President of Liberia and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia.

This meeting will focus on the lessons learnt from the implementation of the current set of MDGs and further elaborate on the principles and main elements of a post-2015 agenda. This will bring the panel one step closer to finalising the report, which is to be submitted to UN's Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon by the end of May 2013.

Commissioner Piebalgs said: "The Millennium Development Goals have been instrumental in mobilising the international community towards key targets to fight poverty. As the 2015 deadline is fast approaching, we need to propose a new vision for the world to address key challenges ahead such as poverty, inequality or sustainable development. The EU will remain at the forefront of this process and I hope to see post-2015 agenda more comprehensive and inclusive. This has to be an agenda that focuses on providing decent life for all people by 2030, irrespective of where they live." Commissioner Piebalgs added: "Fight against poverty and ensuring a sustainable future for the world remain guiding principles for me and I believe we can end extreme poverty within one generation. I trust that this new framework will pave the way to empowering people so that they can lift themselves out of poverty once and for all."

The High Level Panel was set up by UN Secretary General to advice on the nature of the post-2015 development framework - the successor to the MDGs - taking into consideration new global challenges and reflecting on the experience gained in implementing the MDGs so far.

Last year, EU Commissioner Piebalgs was appointed to be member of the UN High Level Panel.

The Panel is co-chaired by David Cameron, UK Prime Minister, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, President of Liberia, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia. The 26-member advisory panel includes representatives from the UN organisations, governments, private sector and civil society.

Background

The MDGs, globally agreed in 2000, set out a series of time-bound targets to reduce extreme poverty. After several stock takes throughout recent years, the United Nations will carry out a further in-depth review of progress towards the MDGs in 2013 and will start to look towards a development framework post-2015.

The European Commission is working to develop its contribution to this international process. The EU is the world's largest aid donor, providing more than half of all development aid. The Commission contributes a high share of total aid through programs promoting the MDGs.

To give further guidance on how to respond to the universal challenges on poverty eradication and sustainable development beyond 2015, the Commission is also currently preparing a new communication, for publication in early 2013.

For more information

For more information on the HLP, check the UN website:

http://www.un.org/en/

Commissioner Piebalgs appointed as a member of the High level Panel on post-2015 development agenda: IP/12/875

Website of the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/piebalgs/index_en.htm

The European Union and the Millennium Development Goals:

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/millenium-development-goals/index_en.htm

Contacts : Alexandre Polack([phone]) Wojtek Talko([phone])