President,
Let me start by thanking you and the co-facilitators for your efforts to put forward an Outcome Document for the FFD Forum.
Norway has participated constructively in the negotiations, putting forth proposals to strengthen the document’s focus on implementation of commitments agreed at the highest level at the FFD4-Conference. The adoption of the Sevilla Commitment was a hard-fought victory, after a year of comprehensive negotiations on what was intended to be a 10-year document.
We are therefore disappointed that we only 9 months later adopt a text that selectively re-opens, rewrites and reframes Sevilla. Certain commitments are highlighted above others. This downplays the importance of the commitments not mentioned, and reduces the impact and integrity of the entire Sevilla Commitment.
Our agreement from last year was a landmark moment for multilateralism. Now should have been the time for implementation of our agreement, not for reframing it.
President,
Let me highlight some examples:
For the action areas not under review, the document underlines the importance of implementation of all action points in the chapter on international development cooperation, and three of four action points in the debt chapter. But it does not underline the importance of implementation of the action points in the chapters on domestic public resources or science, technology and innovation. This is a very inconsistent approach.
Furthermore, the outcome document includes no reference to gender equality, which is highly problematic, as this is essential to ensure effective, inclusive, and sustainable development financing.
With the new biennial cycle, the focus should be on the chapters under review; Private Finance, Trade, International Financial Architecture and Data. We regret that the negotiations have been overly focused on the other chapters.
President,
Norway believes this document would have been much more impactful if it contained a few, but strong, paragraphs where we reaffirmed Sevilla, made a strong call for implementation, and called on all stakeholders to play their part in implementation, ultimately to ensure that finance flows to where it is needed, for sustainable development.
Norway continues to believe that the Sevilla Commitment is the baseline for our discussions, and we will continue to work for its implementation.
I thank you.