2nd meeting - Monrovia - National Development

The panel focused on the conditions for national development.

Two-page PDF communique, copied below: 

Communiqué from the Meeting of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015  Development Agenda in Monrovia, Liberia

Monrovia, 1 February—Eminent persons of the Secretary General’s High-level Panel on the Post-2015
Development Agenda concluded meetings in Monrovia today and issued the following statement:

We, members of the High-Level Panel tasked by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to develop a framework
for a post-2015 development agenda, held our third meeting in Monrovia, Liberia from January 30
through February 1, 2013. We took stock of the progress we have achieved so far towards the fulfillment
of our mandate.

We participated in outreach sessions and discussed the national building blocks required for sustained
prosperity. We are committed to an open, inclusive and transparent process in the development of this
agenda. We have therefore consulted with a variety of stakeholders globally, including Parliamentarians,
people with disabilities, youth, children, women, the elderly, farmers, trade unions, the business
community and academics. We intend to continue broad consultations throughout the process.

All members of the panel share a passion for finding the right framework for sustainable development to
combat poverty and enable people to fulfill their potential. This is – first and last – about people; the lives
they are able to lead, the education they can benefit from, the families they can raise, the health they can
enjoy and the prospects they can look forward to as they live their lives and look to the future.

Our vision and our responsibility is to end extreme poverty in all its forms in the context of sustainable
development and to have in place the building blocks of sustained prosperity for all. We seek to make
gains in poverty eradication irreversible. This is a global, people-centered and planet-sensitive agenda to
address the universal challenges of the 21st century: promoting sustainable development, supporting jobcreating growth, protecting the environment and providing peace, security, justice, freedom and equity at all levels.

At this Monrovia meeting we agreed that we should make every effort to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015, while also framing a single and cohesive post 2015 development agenda
that integrates economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. Economic growth alone
is not sufficient to ensure social justice, equity and sustained prosperity for all people. The global
community must pursue economic and social transformation leading to sustained and inclusive  economic growth at the local, national and global levels. The protection and empowerment of people is crucial. This will require peace building and stronger domestic institutions -- including effective, accountable and transparent governments and peaceful, just and equitable societies that protect and promote human rights and eliminate all forms of violence.

This transformational agenda should create jobs, develop infrastructure, raise productivity, improve
competitiveness and promote sustainable production and consumption. It should tap into the potential
presented by a larger, more educated and better skilled workforce, new technologies and innovation, and
the expansion of national, regional and global markets. We should explore policy options for green
growth as one of the important tools available to promote sustainable development. Actions aimed at
strengthening international cooperation, particularly in the areas of finance, trade and technology
transfers, are also required to achieve the objectives of this transformational agenda.

Achieving structural transformations through a global development agenda will involve:
• Sustainable growth with equity: To foster long-term, sustainable growth and reduce volatility,
the global community must promote good governance, invest instable and accountable
institutions, fight corruption, ensure the rule of law, and build resilience to shocks in all countries.
We recognize the indispensability of economic and social justice, individual choice and
opportunity for all. This includes the empowerment of women and girls; investments in young
people’s development and expanding social protection schemes; and ensuring universal learning and access to health care -- including sexual and reproductive health.
• Creating wealth through sustainable and transparent management of natural resources: It
is imperative to change the current pattern of natural resource (both renewable and nonrenewable) exploitation, in order to diversify our economic base and use natural resources
sustainably. This must benefit local populations, whilst promoting sustainable development.
• Partnerships: Economic transformation will require partnerships with many actors, unified
behind a common agenda. It must encourage national and local governments to work with the
private sector and civil society to align their efforts behind sustainable development. Interactions
between countries and new partnerships through trade, foreign direct investment and cooperation
also have huge potential to bring about poverty eradication and prosperity for all. We look
forward to discussing these important issues, including the means of implementation, at the fourth meeting of the High Level Panel in Bali, Indonesia.

This week’s meeting in Monrovia is the midway point of a long consultative process. We will continue
our consultations both within and beyond the Panel, until we will meet again in Bali, Indonesia, 25-27
March 2013.

We thank the Government and people of Liberia for their warmth and hospitality.
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