Intervention by His Excellency Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh at the High-level Thematic Debate on Means of Implementation for a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda Plenary, 9 February 2015, Trusteeship Council, United Nations, New York
I thank you Mr. President for convening this very timely High-level Thematic Debate on MoI.
Given Bangladesh experience of MDGs, we strongly believe that if we need to accomplish and implement the post-2015 development agenda, adequate, predictable, and timely availability of resources both financing and technology transfer is critical. In this regard, we align ourselves with the statements of South Africa and Benin on behalf of the G-77 and China, and the LDCs respectively.
We would like to draw your attention five critical areas: (1) Role of international public finance, (2) Trade, (3) Capacity Building, (4) Remittance, (5) Reform of International Financing Institutions.
- Public Finance should in no way lose its importance. It is imperative that all development partners fulfill their commitment of 0.70% of their GNI as ODA, and at least 0.15 to 0.20 percent of their GNI as ODA to LDCs. ODA to LDCs should be focused on the areas highlighted in the Istanbul Programme of Action, and as prioritized by the national governments of the LDCs. The quality of aid also has to be monitored.
On domestic public finance reasonable spacing is essential. In addition, two critical issues are intrinsically related: (a) conducive international environment, such as addressing of the issue of tax avoidance and illicit transfer of money by or in connivance with external actors, including some major international conglomerates, and (b) the strengthening of the tax regimes of the developing countries, particularly LDCs and their revenue collection methods and practices.
- Trade can be an engine for growth and development only when the developed markets will allow this engine to function. Simple, transparent and easy to abide-by rules of origin are a key requirement for exports from developing countries to gain access to global markets. All products from all LDCs need to get duty-free quota-free market access to all developed countries, and the developing countries that are in a position to offer so, at the soonest, as per the commitment made to LDCs almost a decade ago.
- For attracting international especially private finance, the interlinked issues are capacity building, access to global markets, and more importantly, development of infrastructure both tangible like physical infrastructure — roads, highways, bridges, airports, etc. and intangible such as technology, skills, IT, rules, procedures development, and both regional infrastructure is vital especially for LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS and other vulnerable countries. The OWG report on SDGs have captured infrastructure development, however, it needs more emphasis and focused attention. Also, we must not ignore that private finance is mostly profit oriented, thus cannot be a substitute for public finance. In all these issues, country ownership, mutual trust, and accountability should be emphasized.
- The issue of reducing the cost of remittance transfer is of key importance. At the same time, rights of migrants deserve our serious scrutiny, as this issue plays a major role in the productivity and ability of migrants to remit. We should not also forget that remittance is by nature private money, which may assist a country’s foreign currency need, but cannot be used effectively as government resource for undertaking development activities.
- Reform of international financing and economic institutions are essential if we want to avoid recurrence of the global financial crises and finally, climate financing must be independent of ODA.
Mr. President,
We need rock-solid commitment to mobilize scaled-up and revitalized resources in addressing the post 2015 development agenda, comprising South-South and North-South, triangular cooperation to reach the overarching goal of the eradication of poverty.
I thank you