A/69/PV.101 General Assembly

Members will recall that the General Assembly held a debate on agenda item 13 and its sub-item (a), jointly with agenda item 115, and adopted resolution 69/15, at its 51st plenary meeting, on 14 November 2014. Members will also recall that, under sub-item (a) of agenda item 13 and agenda item 115, the Assembly adopted resolution 69/108, at its 65th plenary meeting, on 8 December 2014, and adopted resolution 69/244 and decision 69/550, at its 77th plenary meeting, held on 29 December 2014. Members will further recall that, under the same items, the General Assembly adopted decision 69/555, at its 78th plenary meeting, on 16 January 2015, and decision 69/557, at its 81st plenary meeting, on 5 March 2015. I am pleased to address this plenary meeting convened to take action on draft resolution A/69/L.85, by which the Assembly would transmit the draft *1526926* 15-26926 (E) outcome document of the summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda to the seventieth session for adoption during the summit. The successful conclusion of the negotiations, on 2 August, was a fitting culmination to the nearly two years of intensive, inclusive preparations and negotiations. It took a considerable amount of effort, flexibility and a spirit of compromise by all to arrive at this point. We should all be proud of what we have attained together. The draft outcome document, entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, which world leaders will adopt later this month in New York, is a historic achievement. The spirit with which the draft outcome document was formulated and agreed by consensus is a triumph for multilateralism. We have proved that the global community can work together to address pressing issues facing humankind, while making the necessary commitments for the benefit of all. I would like to take this opportunity to convey my sincere appreciation to Member States, observers and all stakeholders for their active and constructive engagement throughout the process. I wish to pay special tribute to the co-facilitators, Ambassador David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland, and Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya, for their steadfast commitment in steering the negotiations to a successful conclusion. I highly commend His Excellency Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon for his personal commitment and the continuous support provided by the Secretariat and by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs in particular. I also thank Ms. Amina Mohammed, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning, for her tireless efforts. And I thank civil society, non-governmental organizations, major groups, parliamentarians, the private sector, youth, local authorities, academia, philanthropic organizations and all stakeholders who provided valuable inputs. By putting the eradication of poverty, improving livelihoods for all, transforming economies and protecting our planet among its core objectives, the new agenda is ambitious, inclusive and transformative. It seeks to leave no one behind. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — the main component of the new development framework — are comprehensive and address the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in an integrated way. While the SDGs will be universally applicable, there is also recognition of national circumstances, different levels of development and the needs of countries in special situations, particularly least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and Africa. As I have underscored before, the task ahead will be to ensure the successful implementation of the new development agenda, once adopted. In that context, integrating it into our respective national development plans, mobilizing adequate financial resources, technology development and transfer and capacity- building and ensuring effective follow-up and review will be critical. Taken together with the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the third International Conference on Financing for Development, we now have a comprehensive framework that will support the implementation of the new agenda. We have to ensure that the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals, which have been incorporated into the Sustainable Development Goals, is carried forward. In that regard, greater attention will be needed in the areas of education, health, water and sanitation, advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, and the creation of employment, among other things. Furthermore, greater investments will be required in many areas, such as infrastructure development, the promotion of inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development, the improvement of productive capacities, and the creation of more opportunities for employment, especially for youth. The international community and citizens around the world have waited for this moment with anticipation and great expectations. By adopting the draft resolution before us today and transmitting the draft outcome document to the summit for adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, we will have taken an important step towards putting our world on a more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable path. As we embark upon this collective journey, we have to uphold the pledge that no one will be left behind. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General.

Today is the start of a new era. We have travelled a long way together to reach this turning point. For 15 years, our pursuit of development has been inspired by the eight Millennium Development Goals, which embodied our ambition to eradicate extreme poverty and appalling social ills. Five years ago, members asked me to initiate thinking on a post-2015 development agenda. Two years later, at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the General Assembly embarked upon a process to craft a set of sustainable development goals — the SDGs — to be at the centre of that agenda. The General Assembly set in motion unprecedented international reflection, consultation and negotiations. All Member States joined in. We asked countless people what they wanted the world to be like in 2030. The General Assembly listened to civil society organizations, academia, the private sector and many others, establishing a new standard for the inclusion of stakeholders in United Nations policy-shaping. Member States spoke to each other and carried on a constructive dialogue. The Assembly overcame differences in the interest of the common good, and after three years of negotiations it reached an agreement, in early August, on a bold vision for transforming our world. I commend the President of the General Assembly, as well as the co-Chairs of the Open Working Group and the co-facilitators of the post-2015 negotiations, for their extraordinary leadership. Today we are ready to hand over this Agenda to world leaders for endorsement at the summit later this month. Agenda 2030 aims high. It puts people at the centre of development. It aims to foster human well-being, prosperity, peace and justice on a healthy planet. It pursues respect for the human rights of all people and gender equality. It speaks to all people in all countries and calls for action from everyone everywhere. It aims to inspire and create genuine partnerships among all countries and actors. This Agenda marks a paradigm shift. It completes the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals, lifts the level of ambition and tackles emerging issues and challenges. It recognizes the close interdependence of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. It breaks new ground in the way it links peace and security to sustainable development, while highlighting the centrality of the rule of law, accountable institutions and access to justice. It presents solutions to deal with root causes of the complex problems in our world today, from migration and conflict to exclusion, violence against women and humanitarian crises. And it prioritizes the vulnerable and marginalized, vowing to leave no one behind. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an agreement of which the General Assembly can be proud. Its implementation will require all stakeholders to continue to champion this cause. Reliable data and indicators will be essential for measuring progress and making sure our efforts reach everyone. The year 2015 is a watershed year for putting the world on a sustainable pathway. The financing for development agreement reached in Addis Ababa in July and the efforts to forge a new path forward on climate change in Paris in December are critical elements for the success of our endeavours. Together, they are foundational steps to begin implementing the 2030 Agenda. They will be followed next year by further crucial steps, including the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May, the Habitat III Conference in Quito in October and the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem in April. I urge the Assembly to continue showing the same strong commitment, flexibility and vision it has demonstrated in adopting the new development agenda. At this month’s summit, we expect Heads of State and Government not to only endorse the new Agenda but also to affirm their strong political commitment to its timely implementation. I am delighted that more than 150 world leaders, as well as His Holiness Pope Francis, will join us to start this new era for sustainable development. We must all now act with the utmost ambition and mobilize the maximum political will. Seventy years ago, the United Nations was born from the experiences and convictions of great men and women who had seen the horrors of war. With the adoption today of draft resolution A/69/L.85, the United Nations will bring the international community to the cusp of decisions that can help realize the founders’ dream of a world of peace and dignity for all. I thank the General Assembly for having taken the world so far on our collective journey towards a better world for all the world’s peoples. Let us all now work with determination to reach that destination.

I thank the Secretary-General of the United Nations for his statement. Before proceeding further, I should like to make an oral revision of a technical nature to the annex of draft resolution A/69/L.85. In the footnote on page 13 of the document, a reference should be added to addendum 2 of the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (document A/68/970), which includes a compilation of statements submitted by some Member States following the issuance of the compilation contained in addendum 1. The footnote would now read as follows: “Contained in the report of the Open Working Group of the General Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals (A/68/970 and Corr.1; see also A/68/970/Add.1 and Add. 2).” If there is no objection, we shall continue to consider the draft proposal as orally revised.

We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/69/L.85, as orally revised. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/69/L.85, entitled “Draft outcome document of the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda”, as orally revised. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/69/L.85, as orally revised?

Before giving the floor to the speakers in explanation of position, may I remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Group welcomes the successful conclusion of the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda and the draft outcome document, entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, which was agreed by consensus on 2 August. The Group notes that this is not a perfect document, but it represents a political balance that delivers a meaningful and ambitious post-2015 development agenda that builds on the Millennium Development Goals in order to adequately and predictably address the development interests of all States Members of the United Nations in the true spirit of an enduring global partnership for development. Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is recognized as the greatest global challenge there is, and as an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. Importantly, the agenda also recognizes our different national realities, capacities and levels of development, and respects our national policies and priorities. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, we would once again like to express our gratitude to the co-facilitators, to you personally, Mr. President, and to the Secretary-General and the entire Secretariat. We are particularly grateful to the co-facilitators for guiding us through this intergovernmental process in an open and transparent way that has given all Member States an opportunity to ensure that their interests and concerns are reflected. We would also like to convey our gratitude to the major groups, including civil society organizations, that have supported our work through this constructive process. I would like to conclude by welcoming the adoption of today’s resolution 69/315, which transmits the draft outcome document of the negotations on the post-2015 development agenda to the General Assembly for action at its seventieth session. Miss Richards (Jamaica): I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the 14 States members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). We align our statement with the statement just delivered by the representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and with the one to be delivered by the representative of Maldives on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States. The draft outcome document of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda — entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (resolution 69/315, annex) — is the culmination of months of intense negotiations that sought to ensure that the final document provided a clear and transformative road map to sustainable development in which economic, social and environmental issues would be carefully integrated in a balanced manner. Importantly, the document reflects our strong desire to ensure that no one is left behind. CARICOM wishes to thank all Member States for the spirit of cooperation they displayed, which contributed significantly to the timely finalization of the draft outcome document. We also wish to put on record our commendation of the co-facilitators of the preparatory process, Ambassadors Macharia Kamau and David Donoghue, the Permanent Representatives of Kenya and Ireland, respectively, for their committed leadership and fortitude in guiding us to the conclusion of the intergovernmental negotiations, on 2 August. We have before us a new development agenda that is truly unprecedented in scope. For the next 15 years, both developed and developing countries will be guided by an inclusive and implementable blueprint that not only reflects the three dimensions of sustainable development but is people-centred above all, with provisions that ensure a whole-of-society engagement as well as the contribution of all stakeholders in a manner consistent with their respective roles, capacities and existing obligations. That sustainable development agenda, together with the recently adopted Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the accord to be adopted in December at the end of the 2015 Paris Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, represents a pivotal step forward for humankind that will, if fully implemented, yield the future we want. Accordingly, CARICOM commits to contributing to a robust, systematic and effective follow-up and review process. In conclusion, we wish to use this occasion to reaffirm our commitment to this transformational agenda aimed at delivering sustainable development for present and future generations. The CARICOM member States therefore recommend the document under consideration today to their Heads of State for their adoption and endorsement at the summit to be held later this month.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the 32 States members of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). At the outset, I would like to congratulate the General Assembly on the progress that has been made so far on the long road we have travelled in our quest for a new development agenda to guide our countries and communities for the next 15 years. We joined others in recommending the adoption of this important draft outcome document (resolution 69/315, annex). On behalf of the LLDCs, I would like to express our appreciation for the excellent leadership of the negotiation process by the two co-facilitators, Ambassadors Macharia Kamau of Kenya and David Donoghue of Ireland. I furthermore commend member countries for their hard work, and civil society for its active participation and valuable input into the process. The consultations and negotiations were conducted in an inclusive and transparent manner, including all the preparatory work done after the holding of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro. Being landlocked continues to be a major contributing factor to the high incidence in our countries of extreme poverty, as well as a source of our structural constraints. LLDC economies are vulnerable to external shocks, systemic weaknesses in global trade and its financial and economic architecture and to volatility and contractions in key global indicators. In view of the seriousness and complexity of the challenges we face, I believe it is important to emphasize that landlocked developing countries fully endorse the ambitious and transformational vision set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and recognize that eradicating poverty in all its dimensions is the greatest challenge of our time and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. We share the objectives of promoting a world free of poverty, hunger and disease and one in which human habitats are safe, resilient and sustainable. We reaffirm our commitment to achieving a better world in which every country enjoys sustained, inclusive economic growth and can provide decent work for all. We appreciate the fact that the new agenda acknowledges that each country faces specific challenges in its pursuit of sustainable development and that the most vulnerable deserve special attention, including those dealing with the unique and special challenges related to being landlocked. We are therefore grateful for the collective commitment that the international community makes in the draft document with regard to ensuring the full implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024. We would like to underscore the complementarity between the goals and targets set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the six priority areas of the Vienna Programme of Action, and to emphasize that the successful and timely implementation of both blueprints will be essential to local, national, regional and global efforts to spur social and economic progress in our countries. Lastly, the LLDCs reiterate the importance of a renewed and strengthened global partnership for sustainable development that includes South-South and triangular cooperation, as well as cooperation between and among the relevant international and regional organizations, and between public- and private-sector actors. We emphasize the importance of meeting, by all and in a timely fashion, of the commitments spelled out in this draft document. We stress that effective partnership will be crucial in mobilizing and sharing the knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources needed to implement the various goals and targets of the 2030 development agenda and of the Vienna Programme of Action.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the 12 Pacific small island developing States at the United Nations. We associate ourselves with the statement to be delivered by the representative of Maldives as Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, and for those of us who are members, with the remarks delivered earlier by the representative of South Africa as Chair of the Group of 77 and China. We join others in expressing our sincere congratulations to you, Mr. President, and to the co-facilitators — His Excellency Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya, and His Excellency Mr. David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland — for their remarkable and stellar leadership, commitment and passion in steering a transparent, open, fair, balanced and inclusive process that truly has the potential to live up to its promise to banish the scourge of poverty from our midst and leave no one behind. The Pacific small island developing States are pleased to play an integral part in setting the historic legacy of a truly universal and sustainable development agenda process, as we saw the potential for the agenda to meet the specific needs and vulnerabilities of our small island developing States and those in our Pacific islands region. We well know that the road was not easy, and we applaud the spirit of flexibility, compromise and multilateralism that paved the way to where we are today. The dual promises from the agenda, both universal and transformative, set a very high bar. The response of all who took part in the creation of the agenda, both inside and outside the Hall, has been admirable and commendable. We are pleased to take another positive step towards the realization of the agenda today by taking action to transmit the draft outcome document — entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — to the seventieth session of the General Assembly for consideration during the summit for the adoption of the agenda. We reaffirm our strong commitment to the draft outcome document, whose universality reflects our deepest concerns about the changing climate, which threatens not only our prospects for sustainable development but also our very survival, as well as an ocean under threat on which we rely for livelihoods. The international community must continue to maintain high ambition in the negotiation process of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, so as to achieve a legally binding climate agreement for adoption at the twenty-first United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held in Paris, as part of a global effort to heal the health of our planet and to eradicate poverty by 2030. The commitment we displayed in negotiating this draft document must now be directed towards its full, speedy and effective implementation. We recognize the imperative of national ownership and leadership of the universal development agenda. We must also work, through the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and the United Nations fit-for-purpose system, so as to ensure that the needed programmes, mechanisms and actions on the ground are taken so that truly no one is left behind.

I speak on behalf of the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, namely, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting to ensure follow-up to the intergovernmental negotiations that led to the draft outcome document contained in the annex to resolution 69/315, on the post-2015 development agenda, to be adopted during the upcoming United Nations summit to be held from 25 to 27 September. We would also like to thank the Permanent Representative of Ireland and the Permanent Representative of Kenya for their effors to facilitate the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda — negotiations that lasted for more than two years. The Gulf Cooperation Council engaged with all partners throughout the negotiations. We would like to express our gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of the dialogue and negotiations. We would also like to thank those who devoted time to share their experiences and knowledge with us. The negotiations demonstrated the importance of dialogue and compromise in narrowing differences. In that context, our countries would like to state their position with regard to certain points of the draft outcome document. With regard to Goal 5 — “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” — we have reservations about the use of the term “early” marriage. Child marriage is banned by our respective legislations. With regard to Goal 8, we would also like to state that we have the sovereign right to implement all decisions pertaining to migrant workers. We also have reservations with regard to all points on reproductive health that might run counter to sharia law. With regard to inheritance, our legislation respects women’s rights. Often, women’s share is greater than that of men. We are currently undertaking efforts to safeguard women’s rights pertaining to inheritance in line with our national legislation. We are committed to respecting internationally recognized human rights. With regard to the use of the word “gender”, it can refer both to men and women. With regard to “families”, we understand that to mean a husband, a wife and children. We regret the absence of any direct mention of families in the draft outcome document and their role in implementing and achieving sustainable development. In referring to those reservations, I also wish to point out that they were also indicated during proceedings of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development.

I have the great privilege and honour to speak on behalf of the States members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). We align our statement with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. First, let me take a moment to extend our condolences for the lives lost in Dominica, as well as our concern for all those affected by Tropical Storm Erika, and by Hurricane Danny before it. With Hurricane Fred now developing near Cabo Verde, these are stark reminders of the ever-present vulnerabilities of small island developing States (SIDS) to the effects of extreme weather events exacerbated by the effects of climate change. I wish to congratulate you, Mr. President, and your appointed co-facilitators — His Excellency Mr. Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya, and His Excellency Mr. David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland — for their tireless efforts and the superb job that they have done to map a pathway towards achieving not only a concise and robust agenda, but one that is comprehensive, inclusive and implementable. AOSIS worked diligently on this agenda because we desire the creation of a world where poverty and hunger no longer exist; where due diligence is paid to our planet and environment; and where our countries and peoples are resilient and prosperous. Following several months of intense negotiations and three years of hard work, it was a very fulfilling experience to finally, on 2 August, informally agree on the draft outcome document entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. We were encouraged by the flexibility shown by all, and enthused by the commitment we saw. On behalf of AOSIS, I would like to take a moment to thank all the negotiators and participants in the process, including our partners, the United Nations system and the impassioned members of civil society. Today, we have taken action to transmit the draft outcome document to the seventieth session for consideration during the summit for the adoption of this robust agenda for our peoples. We again pledge our fullest commitment to making this world a better place where no one is left behind. Implementation is the key to its success. Therefore, we call on the United Nations, our developed partners, civil society, the private sector and all citizens to do their part in ensuring that by 2030 we can realize the true purpose and intent of our agenda. We wish to take this opportunity to highlight that, for this agenda to be accomplished, we must work together in unity. We must put in place mechanisms that best assist the ones furthest behind, the ones most in need. We have to work in a coherent and cohesive way. That is where we believe that the High-level Political Forum, with the support of the United Nations and the relevant regional commissions, can play an integral part. For SIDS and other countries in special situations, there should be increased support for strengthening data collection and capacity-building, as well as developing national and global baselines, so that we are better able to identify and respond to this agenda, while also transparently and accurately tracking our progress. We join the call by the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, Ms. Amina Mohammed, for developed countries to assist with technology and financing, which represent an investment in our future that will eventually realize the collective interests of the global community. As we all know, delaying action comes at a very high price, so let us not waste this opportunity to change the course of history. In conclusion, we reaffirm our commitment to realizing the dream of Agenda 2030, to eradicating poverty and to conserving and sustainably using our environment, including our oceans and seas, to truly transform our world.

I have the honour to deliver this joint statement on behalf of the following countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines and my own country, Indonesia. First, we would like especially to recognize and thank the co-facilitators for the relentless efforts and hard work that led to the successful conclusion of the negotiations on the draft outcome document on the post- 2015 development agenda, as set out in the annex to resolution 69/315, adopted earlier. We likewise extend our sincere appreciation to the outstanding team that supported the co-facilitators’ work. The draft outcome document was carefully crafted through a long, inclusive process. We now have before us a document that comprehensively incorporates the necessary elements and measures for eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, as well as achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions — economic, social and environmental — in a balanced and integrated manner. However, with regard to the amendments on targets 2.5 and 15.6, related to access to genetic resources, which were introduced during the last phase of the negotiations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our countries want to convey the following concerns and considerations. Targets 2.5 and 15.6 should, and could, have been addressed without making substantive changes to such targets, taking into consideration the fact they had been extensively discussed and agreed by consensus at the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and endorsed by resolution 68/309. In that respect, the 2030 agenda states: “We encourage ongoing efforts by States in other forums to address key issues which pose potential challenges to the implementation of our Agenda, and we respect the independent mandates of those processes.” (resolution 69/315, para. 58) Therefore, we reiterate that the amended targets should not undermine the level of ambition of other international agreements. Targets 2.5 and 15.6 should be interpreted and applied in accordance with the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol, in which the international community agreed, first, on “the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies”; and, secondly, to “take measures, as appropriate, with the aim of ensuring that traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources that is held by indigenous and local communities is accessed with the prior and informed consent or approval and involvement of these indigenous and local communities”. Fulfilling targets 2.5 and 15.6 is crucial to achieving food security and nutrition, health and the sustainable management of biodiversity. The achievement of the Goals and targets on these issues is essential if we are to fulfil the overarching goal of poverty eradication in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Finally, I would kindly ask you, Mr. President, to ensure that this statement and our understanding on these targets are formally noted in the General Assembly records.

On behalf of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, I would like to reiterate our deep gratitude to the co-facilitators, Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya, and Ambassador David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland, as well as to the Secretariat, for their tireless efforts to produce this draft outcome document (resolution 69/315, annex), which was the result of many hours of work and intergovernmental negotiations. We must also express our thanks for the coordination, conciliation and cohesion work undertaken by South Africa in its capacity as the Chair of the Group of 77 and China. We align ourselves with the statement that was just made by the representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of African States. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in voting to transmit to the upcoming summit the document entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, would like to express its reservations and clarifications of position on specific aspects and elements in the draft document. Specifically, we would note the following. First, we have a reservation on the preamble in connection with each instance where it reflects primarily a single vision of sustainable development that is fundamentally aligned with the interests of the Western world, given that the preamble, the first part of a document of such importance, is intended to project a vision of how it wants the sustainable future for humankind to be — even if it contains many positive elements, such as the recognition of combating poverty and inequality as objectives key to sustainable development. On the other hand, the preamble eclipses the recognition of different views, models, strategies and policies that make great contributions to sustainable development. Secondly, we reiterate our reservations on specific targets set out when the final document (A/68/970/Add.1) of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals was adopted. In that context, when our country explained its positions and reservations on the report, we expressed a reservation on the concept of “modern energy for all”, as reflected in Goal 7 and in targets 7.1 and 7.b. We expressed those reservations on the concept, as we had previously with regard to the outcome document of the Rio+20 Conference, The Future We Want” (A/66/288, annex), on account of the lack of clarity regarding the concept of “modern energy”, including, inter alia, the possible use of new technologies and the necessary assessment of their use in the national context in the light of the national priorities for sustainable development and the relevant legal frameworks and policies. In addition, Venezuela expresses reservations with regard to target 12.c, as also pointed out at the Rio+20 Conference. For Venezuela, on the basis of its 1999 Constitution, the reference to the removal of subsidies for fossil fuels has an interventionist character in States’ public policies. We therefore we do not accept its relationship with any of the Sustainable Development Goals. Venezuela will not accept any kind of evaluation, monitoring, reporting or reviewing of our national energy policies and measures that involve an effect on our national sovereignty. That paragraph, in addition, distances itself from and substantially modifies the lines agreed upon in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of 2002. Furthermore, we express reservations with regard target 14.c. It is necessary to recall once again that Venezuela is not part of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Our country would have preferred that the text agreed by the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals be retained, as this is a highly sensitive matter for our country that touches upon aspects related to our sovereignty. Thirdly, and finally, in the section entitled, “Means of implementation and the Global Partnership”, we reiterate the reservations and comments made at the time of the adoption of the document entitled “Addis Ababa Agenda for Action”, outcome of the third Conference on Financing for Development, and relating to paragraphs 31, 49, 60 and 69 of that document, referring to the removal of subsidies for fossil fuels, modern energy, low-carbon economies and mechanisms for establishing the carbon price, respectively, which are reflected in the current draft outcome document.

At the outset, let me thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of the General Assembly Sam Kutesa and the Secretariat for their tireless efforts to draft what will be the historic outcome document of the United Nations summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda (resolution 69/315, annex). I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the co-facilitators, Ambassador Kamau of Kenya and Ambassador Donoghue of Ireland, as well as former Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary, for their outstanding and visionary leadership of the negotiation process. Under their eminent and capable stewardship, unprecedented open and inclusive intergovernmental negotiations with all stakeholders led to an agreed draft outcome document. The processes whereby the Sustainable Development Goals and the post- 2015 development agenda were defined have finally coherently converged into a unified 2030 strategy for sustainable development, with poverty eradication, sustainable development and human rights at its core. We hope that the success on the first two key 2015 decision points, the third International Conference on Financing for Development and the post-2015 summit later this month, will add to the positive outcome of the third key event — the climate change negotiations — thus paving the way for a new climate change agreement in Paris. We are confident that the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Sustainable Development Agenda and the new global agreement on climate change will provide a strong foundation for action at the national, regional and global levels for poverty eradication and economic, social and environmental sustainability. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that must be seized, with our highest political commitment. Kazakhstan stands ready to offer the best of itself to the joint international effort to realize a new vision for a transformative era that has a significant impact on humankind by facilitating a transition to a truly sustainable, just and equitable future.

At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the General Assembly, for convening today’s meeting to adopt resolution 69/315. My delegation wishes to join others in welcoming the imminent adoption of the historic document entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. I would like to commend the strong and able leadership of the co-facilitators, Ambassadors David Donoghue of Ireland and Macharia Kamau of Kenya, who brought our many different positions together and guided us to consensus. I also commend the strong leadership of the co-facilitator of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, Ambassador Kőrösi of Hungary. Without their tireless and selfless efforts we would not have arrived at this moment here today. I would also like to express our deep appreciation to all the delegations, observers and various other stakeholders engaged in the process for their constructiveness and flexibility. This has been a long-running process that dates back both to the Millennium Declaration and “The future we want” (resolution 66/288). Japan has been actively engaged in the whole process, and contributed earnestly to the negotiations. The text of the draft outcome document (resolution 69/315, annex) is not a perfect one, since it still includes the points I referred to in Japan’s explanation of position at the end of the deliberations of the Open Working Group last year. But overall, my delegation believes we have a good, forward-looking agenda that we can be proud of before future generations. In particular, we are very pleased with the sharp focus on people-centredness, as well as the references to the importance of preparedness for natural disasters, universal health coverage and quality infrastructure, all of which Japan emphasized throughout the negotiation process. We are also satisfied with the document’s consistency with the outcome of the third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Sendai in March. The implementation of this universal, transformative and people-centred agenda will be crucial and very difficult. Japan will make every effort to implement its goals and targets, in cooperation with other Member States, stakeholders and international organizations, so that we can eradicate poverty and transform our world into a sustainable planet where no one is left behind.

I would like to express Colombia’s satisfaction with today’s adoption of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development (resolution 69/315, annex). This is a historic event and the beginning of a new era, as the Secretary-General said. I would like to congratulate President Kutesa and the Assembly for fulfilling their mandate, and to thank the presidency for its leadership in concluding the negotiations and arriving at a consensus agreement on the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. I would also to join my colleagues in expressing our gratitude to Ambassadors Macharia Kamau and David Donoghue, as well as to Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi, who was there for the earlier part of the process, for their untiring efforts to ensure that the agenda would become the reality that it has now achieved today with the decision to transmit it to the seventieth session for adoption. I would like to thank all who worked day and night on the text before us today. It happened not just through our consensus but also through the participation of thousands of people. I would like to thank the Secretary-General’s team, led by Ms. Amina Mohammed, Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, to whom we owe special thanks. The agenda is the result of the work of three years, beginning in June 2012, starting with a proposal made by Colombia, at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, that we establish goals and targets to address the outstanding issues of the Millennium Development Goals and help to put our planet and its resources on a path to sustainability. To do that, we agreed to create a working group. It began with 30 representatives and eventually became a fully multilateral negotiation process in which all Member States were able to participate, along with representatives of civil society and academia. The United Nations was open to everyone. Today, for the first time, we are looking at a universal agenda that includes the three dimensions of sustainable development in its 169 interrelated goals, which have the potential to change our societies’ direction. Our commitment is primarily to eradicating poverty and hunger; it is strengthened by the commitments in the agenda on protecting the environment by, among other things, transitioning to sustainable patterns of consumption and production. Its implementation includes everyone — indigenous minorities; people of African descent; vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, young people and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons; migrants, regardless of their migration status, and people with disabilities, among many other groups, including the various forms of the family. Our efforts should focus on the implementation of the agenda, and we know that will be no easy task. Nationally, regionally and globally, we must find ways to ensure that our institutions can work in a coordinated fashion to design and implement public policies, plans and programmes aimed at achieving the agenda’s goals, and that we have coordinated follow-up that can ensure the goals’ effectiveness and efficiency over the next 15 years. We also need to establish successful partnerships between the public and private sectors and civil society in every country, and to define the best regional strategies for supporting the agenda’s implementation and, of course, the presentation of data in accordance with each region’s characteristics and needs. Thanks to our work in the dialogues in the Economic and Social Council, my delegation is also anxious to see how the United Nations development system will support the implementation of the agenda. As it states, we will need planning, strategic implementation and systematic data and information. We are prepared to continue to work on the process and to be part of this positive effort with the support of all.

I would first like to welcome today’s adoption of resolution 69/315, concerning the historic 2030 agenda for sustainable development. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the co-facilitators for their tireless efforts during the intergovernmental negotiation process, and the Secretary-General and the Secretariat for their enormous support. I also commend the active participation and contributions of all the stakeholders involved, especially civil-society organizations. Next September, we will adopt a people-centred development agenda that encompasses the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and aims to ensure that no one is left behind. This unprecedented agenda is ambitious and transformative in that it includes the goals that all humankind should strive to achieve together by 2030. The universal nature of the agenda makes it very different from anything we have attempted in the entire history of the United Nations. All countries will have to implement our joint commitment to goals and targets through their national development strategies. Success in achieving the 2030 agenda will not come from a business-as-usual approach; a changed mindset will be necessary for that to happen. Bearing that in mind, we must contemplate how to successfully achieve the new set of goals. I am confident that we will be able to build on the mutual understanding reached among Member States and all stakeholders during the negotiation process to determine the final details of implementation. The Republic of Korea, especially in its capacity as President of Economic and Social Council, will fully commit to building a robust follow-up and reporting mechanism, including the modality of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, and spare no efforts for the successful implementation of the 2030 agenda. We will also make use of our unique development experience in sharing how national motivation and passion for change can transform a society from hopelessness to hope, and from poverty to prosperity, which will contribute to the successful implementation of the 2030 agenda. The 15 years ahead will be a long journey for humankind towards sustainable prosperity, and it will not be an easy one. But as we have learned from the Millennium Development Goals process and the intergovernmental negotiations, it is certain that, with universal efforts by all Member States and stakeholders, we can all achieve our ambitious goals. I would like to assure the General Assembly of the strong commitment of the Republic of Korea to support the realization of our joint vision.

I thank the President for convening this meeting. We align ourselves with the statements delivered earlier today by the Ambassador of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and by the Ambassador of Indonesia on behalf of the group of like-minded countries, which includes India. The draft outcome document that we transmit via resolution 69/315 to the seventieth session of the General Assembly for adoption by the leaders who will attend the summit to be held later this month is the culmination of intense work undertaken by the entire membership of the General Assembly over a period of nearly two years. The adoption of the document will be a tribute to the leadership that the President provided and to the most able facilitation provided by Ambassador Macharia Kamau of Kenya and Ambassador David Donoghue of Ireland. Broadly speaking, we are satisfied with the document. For India and for many developing countries, the vision of the future cannot but have the eradication of poverty as its overarching goal. We are gratified that is in fact the case and that there has been no compromise on the ambition of the agenda either. Its fulfilment, in our view, can allow poverty to be eradicated within the span of a single generation. We are also satisfied with the holistic approach and balanced emphasis on all the dimensions of sustainable development. Our own experience has shown that inclusive economic growth, industrialization, infrastructure development, skill development and innovation are all essential for the eradication of hunger and poverty. We are pleased with the emphasis that has received in the new agenda. It is also a matter of satisfaction that the agenda, while being universal, does not confuse universality with uniformity. It is therefore important that “common but differentiated responsibilities” be recognized as the guiding principle of international cooperation on sustainable development. I would like to draw particular attention to a matter that has been of prime preoccupation for my delegation. We are very pleased that the technology facilitation mechanism, an important gain from the third Conference on Financing for Development, is mentioned in the draft outcome document. Progress on that matter has been much awaited since efforts were initiated at the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. The technology facilitation mechanism, to be based at the United Nations, has the potential to make it possible for the international community to leverage the incredible and transformative power of technology in the task of poverty eradication. The Sustainable Development Goals, which are at the heart of the 2030 agenda, relate closely to India’s own vision of development and speak to the priorities that our Prime Ministers has outlined in our domestic context as well. In conclusion, we thank the President for the direction provided to the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly. By taking to their logical conclusion the remaining priorities of his presidency, the President will bequeath to the future a legacy as rich, substantive and meaningful — if not more — than that of any of his predecessors.

The African Group would like to express its sincere congratulations to the President for the outstanding manner in which he successfully conducted the long process that has led us today to an outcome of which we can be proud, namely, the 2030 sustainable development agenda. I would also commend the co-facilitators, our colleagues from Kenya and Ireland, whose tireless efforts greatly contributed to this positive result. I also commend all the negotiators and the staff of the United Nations, beginning with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon himself. Africa fully endorses this agenda and will spare no effort to implement it effectively, with the great ambition of ensuring that no human being, no people, no group of people or peoples will be left behind. In order to do that, we need to work resolutely to set up an adapted, appropriate and global partnership that will enable us to coherently and seamlessly implement the 17 goals and 169 targets that we have set for ourselves. The agenda is fully in line with the outcome document of the third International Conference on Financing for Development, held recently in Addis Ababa, and with the holding of the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to take place in Paris in December. The African Group is preparing to actively participate and make a positive contribution as we embark upon the long path that the international community has charted to ensure we achieve the world we all want. In that regard, the African Group would like to make the following observations. The African Group underscores that the contents of the 2030 sustainable development agenda should be interpreted in conformity with national legislation and States’ development priorities, cultural and ethnic values, religious contexts and universally recognized human rights, which are crucial. With regard to paragraph 19 and target 10.2 of the annex to resolution 69/315, we do not consider the phrase “other status” as applicable to the concept of sexual orientation, sexual identity and groups of the same sex, or to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. With regard to information and education in the context of sexual and reproductive health services, as referred to under Goal 3 and target 3.7, they must be age-appropriate. The African Group does not think that comprehensive sexual education should be included as part of it. First and foremost, parents have the right to choose the type of education to give to their children — a right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which must be respected. The use of the phrase “information and education” in the context of sexual and reproductive health-care services must not give rise to a right whereby young children and adolescents have access to any and all services, in disregard for the responsibility of their parents. Nor must it result in an obligation to provide them information or services that are neither lawful nor acceptable at the international level. With regard to target 5.4, the African Group considers that the phrase “within the household” can refer only to the family. The family, based on a marriage between a man and a woman, is the natural and fundamental unit of society. Furthermore, with regard to target 5.6, on ensuring that everyone can exercise their right to sexual and reproductive health — as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of the various review conferences — the African Group would like to note that, when it comes to interpretations as to how the provisions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are to be implemented and to any that may run counter to national legislation, the African Group would like to state that they must in no way refer explicitly to the idea of sexual orientation, identity and so forth. The African Group understands that the word “gender”, used in different parts of the text, means only sex, that is, masculine or feminine. The use of the phrase “sexual and reproductive health services” and all related concepts in the Agenda should not be construed to be establishing a right to abortion. Therefore, the African Group cannot accept any policy, follow-up, evaluation or reporting of data concerning such a provision in the Agenda that would implicitly or explicitly include the concept of sexual orientation. Along the same lines, the African Group underscores that the indicators for monitoring the progress made on the agreed goals and targets should in no way undermine, including in the concepts identified, the right of States to formulate their own national policies in accordance with Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations. The African Group considers that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as all international instruments in the area of human rights and international law, do not aim at standardizing the cultural values of world’s peoples. Therefore, the African Group shall implement the Agenda strictly in accordance with its domestic realities and universally recognized human rights, and with full respect for the ethical, cultural and religious values of its societies. I would be grateful if the text of my statement could be issued as a document of the General Assembly under sub-item (a) of the agenda, entitled “Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields”, and agenda item 115, entitled “Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit”. In conclusion, the African Group associates itself with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Permanent Representatives of Ireland and Kenya, co-facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda, for their tireless efforts. We believe that the Agenda for Sustainable Development is a historic and universal document. Its strong commitment throughout the text to eradicating poverty, as the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, will play an important role in achieving all the goals and targets of the Agenda. We highlight the consensus achieved on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, as well as national ownership and leadership, as solid foundations to facilitate the implementation of the Agenda at all levels — national, regional and international. We re-emphasize the central role of the High- level Political Forum. A solid and strong Forum that is visionary but practical would be in a unique position to support the advancement of the agenda. It should demonstrate the high level of political leadership and guide the agenda in its implementation. The Islamic Republic of Iran would like to put on record its observations on the following issues. We reiterate our previous explanation of position and reservations on the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals contained in document A/68/970/Add.1. In our understanding, there should be a single voluntary reporting system, and only by the national governance, based on the principle of national ownership and leadership. As appropriate, input should be sought from national non-State actors, United Nations country offices and the Secretariat. We would like to emphasize the need for compatibility between the Agenda and the operational acitivities of the United Nations, in the context of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review, so as to enable Member States to implement the Agenda. We reiterate that any reporting template and reporting mechanism and their indicators should be agreed and adopted through an intergovernmental process. Nothing in this document shall be construed to run counter, in any way, to the national legislation, development priorities or the cultural, social and religious backgrounds of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This applies, inter alia, to terms such as “other status”, “other groups”, “sex education”, “gender”, “sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights” and “the family”. Finally, we reiterate our willingness and our full engagement in the implementation of the Agenda.

On behalf of the Government of Mexico, I want to put on record how pleased we are that today we are transmitting to the seventieth session of the General Assembly the document entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (resolution 69/315, annex) for adoption at the United Nations summit to be held at the end of the month of September. My country welcomes the open and inclusive process by which we have all been able to contribute our experience and our vision. The 2030 Agenda belongs to us all. The process included the useful contact group in which some countries and other stakeholders participated with Japan in 2011. It was shaped by wide-ranging thematic consultations with international civil society, such as that held by my country in Guadalajara in 2013, by the work of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and by the excellent report that they produced, and by the inter-Secretariat group that produced the synthesis report (A/69/700) of the Secretary-General. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development also gave us an important basis for the formal negotiation process of the Agenda. For Mexico, the adoption of Agenda 2030, after a negotiating process of over three years, will be a historic decision in which the international community is desisting from old paradigms: we have agreed to focus the efforts of all countries on the welfare and fulfilment of all peoples. We are addressing the third pillar of the United Nations as never before. Agenda 2030 is an action plan for achieving sustainable development and the eradication of poverty in all its dimensions and for attaining a more just and equitable world through social inclusion. The Sustainable Development Goals and their indivisible and interconnected nature are our action plan. For the next 15 years, we will devote our efforts to achieving sustainable and inclusive development, which could not be attained without respecting the rule of law. This Agenda is a great step towards ensuring that every person in every country can live his or her life under the rule of law in which human rights are respected, giving everyone the same opportunities for development. In that regard, as my delegation has emphasized for over 30 years, the protection of the human rights of migrants, regardless of immigration status, is crucial. The document makes clear that the goals and targets apply to all people, which obligates us to commit to continuing to work to secure, promote and realize their rights regardless of their immigration status. In addition, Mexico stresses that the right approach to addressing the issue of migration is through the human rights of migrants and their families. With regard to follow-up and review of the Agenda, we expect it to be carried out on the basis of the mandates set out in resolutions 68/1 and 67/290. We fully support an inclusive and participatory agenda and a revitalized global alliance. The Declaration is the result of an effort in which Governments, parliamentarians, experts, civil society organizations, the private sector and others have put together a coherent transformative agenda. Between now and 2030, this Declaration, the Sustainable Development Goals and its targets will guide our policy development. Mexico is fully committed to the implementation of this Agenda and will orient its national development and international cooperation programmes to achieve full compliance.

Brazil aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and wishes to make the following remarks in its national capacity. We have come to the successful conclusion of a journey that, building on the legacy of the Millennium Development Goals and Rio+20, has been considered the most transparent and inclusive negotiating process in the history of the Organization. The resulting outcome (resolution 69/351, annex) constitutes a truly transformative set of commitments that are universal in nature and of global application in the light of common but differentiated responsibilities. I wish to commend the President of the General Assembly, who, together with Ambassadors Macharia Kamau of Kenya and David Donoghue of Ireland, whose work as co-facilitators was outstanding, will have led Member States to adopt by consensus a historic document. Brazil also expresses its appreciation for the recognition of the Rio+20 Conference by the co-facilitators and Member States in their extensive use of its outcome document entitled “The Future We Want” (resolution 66/288, annex), throughout the negotiations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. My delegation joined the consensus on the preamble of the Agenda. For us, the preamble and the “Ps” neither reinterpret nor redefine the sustainable development goals and the three dimensions of sustainable development. The preamble serves the purposes of communicating the Agenda. The delicate balance that we worked so hard to achieve in the Open Working Group remains intact. We would have preferred more ambitious and progressive language with respect to human rights. Nevertheless, in our view, this is a people-centred Agenda, even if the text has not encompassed in language all elements of the human rights edifice. We commit to implementing this Agenda for all social and economic groups, including for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, whether or not these groups and their concerns are specifically stated. We would encourage all members to proceed in the same fashion, so that the principle of leaving no one behind can find real meaning. Universality is a breakthrough, making differentiation even more relevant, in particular the recognition of our common but differentiated responsibilities. This is a cherished principle for developing countries and an integral part of the United Nations framework for sustainable development agreements to which we are all committed. The Agenda’s paragraphs 30 and 31, on climate change, reflect a reasonable balance based on the possible consensus that could be achieved during negotiations. It encourages political commitment towards an ambitious agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, but does not prejudge the outcome of the twenty- first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, to be held in Paris. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals lie at the heart of our Agenda. The SDGs include means of implementation in an integrated and indivisible framework for action. Brazil aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Indonesia on behalf of a group of highly diverse countries dissatisfied with changes in targets 2.5 and 15.6, on the sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as per the Nagoya Protocol. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda is supportive of, and complementary to, goal 17 and the goal-specific means of implementation of the SDGs. The Action Agenda is mentioned in Agenda 2030 in a manner that undergirds their mutual supportiveness while recognizing that each is independent, including in their follow-up. We believe that Agenda 2030 contributes to contextualizing the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. Official development assistance (ODA) is still critically relevant for the implementation of this Agenda. Although we could not agree on a paragraph on ODA, we note that paragraph 43 of the Political Declaration makes an important statement in that regard. The revitalized global partnership for sustainable development should be democratic, inclusive and participatory and should engage all the relevant stakeholders, including civil society and the private business sector, under conditions of openness, transparency and accountability. The United Nations system must heed the call for greater system- wide cohesiveness and better interfacing with, and accountability to, the membership, while aligning agencies, funds and programmes and the Secretariat with this Agenda, in particular its framework for implementation. We have recognized the central role of the High-level Political Forum in the follow-up and review, and we should commit to improving it, making sure that its resources and support match the ambition of the workload assigned to it. We are very pleased with the progress on the technology facilitation mechanism. It is a small breakthrough in and of itself, a promising initiative for the United Nations that should be nurtured and adequately supported. Brazil is confident that we have produced a draft document that is worthy of the consideration of our Heads of State and Government at the upcoming summit.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Ecuador. I would first like to express my appreciation to the co-facilitators of the negotiation process and to all those who participated in the working groups and to the Secretariat for their commitment and efforts, which resulted in a draft outcome document for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to be adopted by our Heads of State. The document (resolution 69/315, annex), which is the result of a long consultation process, reflects our common perspectives on the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty as the greatest challenge that we face and whose elimination is a sine qua non for achieving sustainable development. It is now our job to work together to implement the actions that will enable us to achieve those goals. Ecuador would like to express a reservation about target 12.c, in line with the statement made last year regarding the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (A/68/970), and paragraph 225 of the outcome document of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (resolution 66/288), since they run counter to provisions in Ecuador’s Constitution. I would also like to reiterate the position we expressed on 19 July 2014 when we approved the report of the Open Working Group, namely, that Ecuador interprets target 5.6 in accordance with what has been established by the International Conference on Population and Development, as well as with our Constitution and our national legislation. The Constitution of Ecuador guarantees the reproductive rights of working people, including the elimination of occupational hazards that affect reproductive health, ensuring of access to jobs and job security without limitations related to pregnancy or number of children, maternity and nursing rights and the right to paternity leave. The State of Ecuador prohibits firing working women either because they are pregnant or on maternity leave, as well as discrimination linked to reproductive roles. Our Constitution also guarantees children and adolescents’ enjoyment of the shared rights of individuals in addition to those specific to their age. The State recognizes and guarantees life, including care and protection, starting at conception. I would be grateful if this statement and our interpretation of targets 5.6 and 12.c could be formally included in the record of today’s meeting.

China welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly today of resolution 69/315 transmitting the draft outcome document on the post-2015 development agenda to the United Nations summit for its consideration and adoption. As an agenda to guide international cooperation for development for the next 15 years, the post- 2015 development agenda is of profound historic significance. The document reaffirms the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, among other basic principles guiding international cooperation for development. While placing continued focus on poverty eradication and other development issues, the document places greater emphasis on the concept of sustainability, stresses the need for balanced development for the economic, social and environmental pillars, provides comprehensive means of implementation and creates a sound mechanism for follow-up and review. As a continuation and upgrade of the Millennium Development Goals, the post-2015 Agenda gives new impetus to international cooperation for development and lays a solid foundation for a successful United Nations summit for its adoption. The President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session, Mr. Kutesa, has personally devoted a great deal of efforts to the intergovernmental negotiations on the agenda, as has the Secretary-General, who has worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the negotiations. It is the most important achievement of this session, and it will go down in history, for which we congratulate the President and the Secretary-General. The co-facilitators also displayed great patience and wisdom during the negotiations, and China is grateful for their work. We look forward to the adoption of the Agenda at the United Nations summit, so that the international community can sharpen its focus on development issues, guide global development through a new development approach and, in a spirit of win-win cooperation, build a comprehensive and balanced framework for international cooperation for development, improve global partnerships for development and create a better environment for developing countries, with a view to achieving a shared level of development around the world. China is ready to join others in working tirelessly to implement the post-2015 development agenda and international cooperation for development.

My delegation is particularly pleased with the adoption of today’s resolution 69/315. We welcome the ambitious consensus that we have arrived at in order to ensure that our Heads of State and Government will be able to adopt this draft document during the seventieth session of the General Assembly, later this month. We would like to thank the co-facilitators of the process, Ambassadors Macharia Kamau of Kenya and David Donoghue of Ireland, as well as Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary. Our thanks also go to the Secretary-General, the Secretariat and the President of the Assembly, as well as to the representatives of civil society, the private sector and academia, for their valuable contributions. Peru is a country that has worked to meet the Millennium Development Goals, but we are aware that the emphasis they place on the eradication of poverty is not sufficient to bring about the future we want. There are various factors that go beyond the capability of primarily national policies, such as climate change and fluctuations in commodity prices, and that have the effect of making poverty tought to tackle. In many countries such as ours there are still various structural gaps that make it difficult to implement the sustainable development that our citizens deserve and ask for. That is why we are particularly pleased to see social inclusion included as a cross-cutting element throughout the Agenda, and that poverty is understood as a multidimensional phenomenon. The global challenges that we face today require that we be up to the task through a renewed global alliance for sustainable development on the theme “Transforming our world without leaving anyone behind”. That necessarily entails the implementation of a person-focused agenda that incorporates the three dimensions of sustainable development so as not leave anyone behind. Peru was one of the first countries to propose the idea of a new set of sustainable development goals with universal application to be drafted by the international community in an open, participatory way. We are happy to see that the goal has been achieved; however, we believe that the final goal will be to bequeath to our children and grandchildren a poverty-free and sustainable future. Today the international community can begin to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations with the hope that it will soon have, for the first time in its history, an instrument at the ambitious level of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Finally, Peru wishes to associate itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Indonesia on the topic of food security and genetic resources. Peru is decisively committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. We will continue to work constructively at all levels to ensure that the different future we want becomes a reality.

Hungary welcomes the draft outcome document for the United Nations summit to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 69/315, annex). We greatly value the consensus achieved to transmit it to the summit. The ambitious and transformative package before us represents the best chance to build a people- and planet-centred future with hope, including for future generations, of not only survival but prosperity and general well-being. Important milestones led to this consensus, such as the formulation of goals and targets in the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development. Hungary was honoured to guide that process together with Kenya. I sincerely thank all Member States and all stakeholders for the ideas, collaboration and trust that my delegation enjoyed. As a result of the successful Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa and of the intergovernmental negotiations under the stellar stewardship of the Ambassadors of Kenya and Ireland, everything is ready for the adoption of the Agenda to put our world on a sustainable path. Our first and foremost task is to strengthen the authority of the Agenda by adopting it with resounding unity and in its entirety, with a common pledge to jointly turn our words into deeds. Development is action, not words. Our common future is at stake now. Hungary is determined to take on its share of responsibility for ending poverty and hunger, ensuring prosperity for all and freeing the world from fear and want. We believe in creating virtuous cycles by meeting responsibilities and bringing to the common table what we can each offer. Development is partnership. Implementation should be built on a true global partnership that involves all stakeholders — Governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academia, all walks of life, the North and the South — with a fit-for-purpose United Nations at its centre. First and foremost, development means human development, of the people, by the people and for the people. Only that development in which the people are both the drivers and recipients of development, and where the interests of future generations are safeguarded, can be sustainable. Governments, parliaments and national implementation plans may go a long way towards charting the path, but accomplishing what has to be done will require true involvement and ownership on the part of people, communities and humankind in general. As I always say, however, to do that we need effective communication at all levels. And we need to translate a complex system of development goals into programmes that people can relate to and be mobilized by. People must believe in this Agenda. Furthermore, they must believe that they are the ones who can achieve it. To that end, we the peoples of the United Nations and we the Member States must start now to translate the abstract vision in an inspiring way in order to mirror the true will and interests of people. At the end, we can achieve only the future that people truly believe in.

At the outset, I would like to express the appreciation of my delegation for the efforts of the President of the General Assembly in support of successfully concluding the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. I would also like to congratulate the two co-facilitators of the process, Ambassador Macharia Kamau of Kenya and Ambassador David Donoghue of Ireland, and to commend their commitment and outstanding hard work throughout the process. My delegation actively engaged in the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda since its inception. We did so out of our firm belief that transforming our lives and ensuring the sustainability of the planet can be achieved only by eradicating poverty, addressing inequalities, ensuring sustainable economic growth, respecting human rights, including the right to development, and empowering women and girls. All those objectives can be achieved only through collective efforts, which we believe the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development embodied (resolution 69/315, annex). We trust that this collective global effort, which builds on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, will never fade. My delegation joined the international consensus in support of the Agenda. In that context, I would like to provide the following explanation concerning our views on some of the issues addressed in the Agenda. With regard to paragraph 18, my delegation believes that the right of every State to freely exercise full, permanent sovereignty over all its wealth, natural resources and economic activity must be in line with principle 2 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which stipulates that such a right must be exercised in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law and that States bear the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. My country underscores as well that the provisions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must be implemented in a manner consistent with our national legislation and development priorities, as well as cultural and ethical values and religious background, in line with internationally recognized human rights instruments. All terms in the document should be interpreted according to each country’s national laws and policies. Follow-up, evaluation and reporting on any its provisions will be implemented according to national specificities. According to Egyptian law, information and education should be age-appropriate and provided with the prior consent of parents and in line with their right to choose the kind of education given to their children, as recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The use of the terms “information and education” in relation to universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services does not imply any right for young children or adolescents to access any service without parental consent, or an obligation to provide them with information and services that are neither lawful nor acceptable at the national level. Furthermore, the Egyptian Constitution fully observes all internationally recognized human rights instruments, specificaly defining the family as the natural and fundamental group unit of society, composed of a father, a mother and children. This Agenda calls for leaving no one behind. It is regrettable that Goal 16 omits the issue of ending all forms of foreign occupation and colonial domination. My delegation also believes that both target 16.1 and target 16.3 apply to the situation in the occupied territories in Palestine and other Arab occupied territories, with the full implementation of all the General Assembly, Security Council and Economic and Social Council resolutions on ending foreign occupation and colonial domination in the occupied territories in Palestine and other Arab occupied territories, as well as the application of the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law, including the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, in connection with the Arab occupied territories. My delegation would also like to highlight its support for paragraph 70, with regard to the launch of the technology facilitation mechanism. We request concrete steps to be taken during the seventieth session of the General Assembly to operationalize the mechanism. With regard to the part of the Agenda on follow-up and review, my delegation would like to emphasize the voluntary nature of the follow-up and review process and the role of national Governments as the parties primarily responsible for following up. Any conclusions reached at the upcoming meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council on the modalities of the follow-up and review process must build upon the principles set in resolution 67/290. In conclusion, I would like to thank the President for holding this meeting and to commend his efforts in support of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. The contents of this statement will be provided officially to the Secretariat.

We associate ourselves with the statement delivered earlier by the representative of Senegal on behalf of the African Group and with the statement delivered by the representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. I would like to thank the President for his outstanding counsel, guidance and oversight of the work on the post-2015 development agenda. All his efforts have led to the success of our efforts. I would also like to thank the co-facilitators, Ambassador Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland, and Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya. We appreciate their ongoing efforts and the transparency they displayed in leading the negotiations. I also thank the Secretary-General and his representative Ms. Amina Mohammed. Their efforts have been sincere and have enabled us to reach this historic moment. We will soon adopt the agenda that will constitute the international, regional and national road map for economic and social development over the next 15 years. My delegation is delighted to participate in these efforts. We are eager to implement the agenda by ensuring that our national agencies are involved in this effort within the framework of our national plan to eradicate poverty and hunger and to provide lives of dignity for our people. We hope that international cooperation and the United Nations system will play a key role in the implementation of the agenda. My delegation has some reservations with regard to target 5.6, which were stated at the time of the adoption of the report (A/68/970) of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals. We renew here our reservations on that target and on any references to it, including at the end of paragraph 19. We will set out these reservations in writing and send them to the appropriate offices of the Secretariat. Moving away from those standards would be counter to international law in its broadest sense, so we are not in favour of such initiatives. We expect the upcoming summit will be a historic event. We are proud of what we have done over the past 15 years and we pledge to cooperate constructively.

At the outset, allow me to thank Ambassador Kamau of Kenya and Ambassador Donoghue of Ireland, as well as the delegation of Hungary, for the sound management of the processes that have resulted in this historic draft outcome document (resolution 69/315, annex). Under their excellent leadership, we have managed to finalize our work well ahead of the summit. Iceland is also grateful for the invaluable contributions of the major groups, as well as of individuals such as Ms. Amina Mohammed. Since the preparatory stages of the documents of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20), Iceland has focused on contributing to the substantive areas of gender equality and the sustainable management of natural resources. Today’s draft document includes some good language on natural-resource management and the importance of sustainable fisheries for food security. Science-based management of marine resources is fundamental to food security and economic and social development. The management of natural resources has become even more important given the seriousness of land and soil degradation. The Rio+20 outcome document (resolution 66/288) is one of the key parent documents to the one we have now transmitted to the summit. It has fuller text and will need to be taken into consideration when interpreting the Sustainable Development Goals and their targets. The Goals and targets were written with the aim of being concise and easily understandable to the public. This is positive, but it has resulted in a text that in some places is a mix of previously agreed language and new text. Therefore, with regard to the connection of this document to other processes, Iceland sees paragraph 58 of the post-2015 outcome document as crucial, as well as paragraph 55. With regard to gender equality and human rights, Iceland is pleased with the many positive aspects of this document. However, with regard to target 5.a, Iceland has consistently pointed out that conditioning certain women’s rights on national law is inconsistent with our commitments from the Beijing Platform for Action and the overall spirit of the post-2015 agenda. We also believe it falls well below other existing international agreements and commitments with regard to women’s economic empowerment. Furthermore, this target is inconsistent with target 1.4, according to which everyone, including both men and women, is to enjoy those rights. It is therefore our understanding that target 1.4 prevails. Similarly, we are disappointed with the phrase “as nationally appropriate” in target 5.4, as we believe that recognizing and valuing unpaid care and domestic work is a universal challenge and addressing it will underpin the achievement of the goal on gender equality. Finally, Iceland regrets that the proposed date for reaching target 3.6, on road traffic accidents, was not amended to become 2030, as in other targets. We have explained our worries that this potentially unrealistic target year could result in lack of enthusiasm if not reached in time. Whatever happens, we urge the international community to keep working towards this target until we reach it.

First of all, we endorse the statements made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the African Group and the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries. On behalf of my delegation, I would like to congratulate the President of the General Assembly on the conclusion of our work headed up by the outstanding co-facilitators, Ambassador Kamau and Ambassador Donoghue. Their professionalism and dedication have enabled us to harmonize positions so that we could adopt by consensus resolution 69/315, on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. That adoption was also possible thanks to the collective commitment of Member States and the contribution of stakeholders, the private sector, civil society and the United Nations, who, aware of the shared economic, social, environmental challenges, came together to eradicate poverty and implement sustainable development. For our part, we note with satisfaction that the Agenda contains a number of principles, including shared but differentiated responsibility, respect for the policies defined by Member States and national ownership. We welcome in particular the support shown for the African Union’s Agenda 2063, its 10-year plan of action and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, and the taking into account of the priorities of the least developed countries and landlocked developing countries. By the same token, we particularly welcome the recognition of the intrinsic link between peace, security and development, which will allow us to have an inclusive and multidimensional approach to development in conflict and post-conflict countries. We also commend the pursuit of aims and objectives in the Millennium Development Goals that have not been achieved, which remain high on our agenda. Important goals linked to economic development have been borne in mind, in particular the crucial need for our countries to sustainably invest in infrastructure, agriculture and pastoralism, thus contributing to improving the lives of people. For our delegation, the reference to industry in the goals is one of the main challenges for the African continent, which needs to transform its huge potential in natural resources on the ground to help its development and better meet the needs of the more than 2 billion Africans that we expect to have by the year 2050. Recognizing the energy gap that needs to be bridged, we consider that the goals in the Agenda will undoubtedly contribute to providing energy coverage for our countries. While making the link between the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, adopted at the third International Conference on Financing for Development, we note in particular the important recommendations set out in the report of the Secretary-General entitled “United Nations Decade of Sustainable Energy for All”, which focuses on investment in the various renewable energy sources in order to reduce the burden of climate change (A/69/395). With a view to concluding an ambitious agreement at the Paris Conference on climate change in December, our Agenda notes the need to assist vulnerable countries through initiatives to adapt to and mitigate climate change. While we recognize the important progress that has been made, we would once again like to emphasize our consistent position on some issues that do not seem to be in line with universally recognized international law. We would like to point out that there is a footnote in paragraph 54 of the Agenda that refers to the proposal of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, which contains, inter alia, reservations expressed by Member States, including those made by my delegation. I would recall that, through a note verbale dated 24 July 2014, my country stressed that it was not bound by the provisions of target 5.6, on certain review conferences. Underscoring that the responsibility in the education of children belongs to the parents, we noted that the reference in the target 3.7 to sexual and reproductive health-care services should not be interpreted as a systematic recourse to abortion. With respect to target 5.4, we noted that marriage leading to a family is a sacred union between a man and a woman as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Reiterating the tenor of our note verbale, we would add that paragraph 19 of the Universal Declaration and target 10.2 of the Agenda 2030 do not, in our view, apply to the concepts of sexual orientation or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) sexual identity. We will not accept under any circumstances that implementation of these or other paragraphs and targets or their interpretation or any related communication exercise that would give implicit or explicit recognition to notions of sexual orientation, LGBT or otherwise. In that connection, my country will implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in strict accordance with its domestic law and universally recognized human rights and in the spirit of full respect for the ethical, cultural and religious values ​and beliefs of our societies. As for the rest of the Agenda, we will take the necessary steps to incorporate it into our national development strategy, while ensuring an appropriate implementation and follow-up. I would be grateful, Sir, if you could enter the text of this statement in the record of the General Assembly under sub-item (a) of agenda item 13 and item 115.

The Russian delegation supports today’s adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 69/315, on the draft post-2015 development agenda up to 2030. We trust that this document will be adopted by the leaders of Member States at the United Nations summit in September. We consider that the draft agenda provides a sufficiently full picture of the problem areas of sustainable development, which most States consider a priority and which they intend to resolutely tackle over the next 15 years. We are pleased to note that the new draft agenda is a balanced mix of economic, social and ecological aspects of sustainable development. We deem it right to place ending poverty, including extreme poverty, as the number-one goal that needs to be met swiftly. The strength of the draft document we adopted today for transmission to the upcoming summit lies in its inclusion of ways of implementing each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the agenda as a whole. Its harmonization of the basic principles and outlines of the follow-up mechanism and review is also very significant. However, despite the document’s complex nature, we are regrettably obliged to conclude that some important topics related to sustainable development are not reflected in it. In particular, the drug issue is considered only through the prism of drug addiction prevention and treatment. The new agenda’s coverage does not extend to the continued issues we face relating to combating the illegal production and trafficking of drugs. Unless those are addressed, preventing drug addiction will be impossible. Nor does the document reflect the notion of alternative development as an effective measure for dealing with the global drug problem. Another important aspect is improving our management of the Internet as one of the most promising ways we have of increasing access to knowledge, experience and advanced technology. In our opinion, the agenda errs in not paying attention to the General Assembly’s high-level meeting to be held in December on the review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on Information Society. We believe the new agenda should help to unite our efforts rather than divide them in combating our shared challenges. In that regard, we urge all participants to abide strictly by the principles of national leadership and freedom in policymaking and to refrain from imposing unsuitable development priorities and strategies on others. We would like to take this opportunity to clarify a number of important points in the new draft agenda. First, we assume that in paragraph 4 of the declaration, which cites our desire to see the sustainable development goals and targets met for all nations, peoples and segments of society, “segments of society” refers to social groups and other communities of people united by any meaningful social feature, whatever it may be. We believe the new Sustainable Development Goals should contribute to a mutually respectful dialogue among all States, without adding to the differences that divide people or creating artificial new categories and groups among them. Secondly, concerning paragraph 11, in reaffirming the outcomes of all the major United Nations conferences and summits, our delegation has in mind only those processes that the Russian Federation has been directly involved with and whose results it has expressed formal agreement with. Thirdly, with regard to paragraph 19, I would like to note that we consider ourselves bound only by human- rights obligations based on international treaties and documents to which the Russian Federation is party. The aforementioned positions of the new agenda should not be interpreted as a change in the Russian Federation’s legal and political position on those issues, and I ask that that be reflected in the record of today’s meeting. In supporting today’s approval of the draft agenda, the Russian delegation has also supported a compromise that opens up opportunities for working together even in areas where our positions differ. After the draft agenda’s adoption at this month’s summit we will be ready to work on its implementation, in accordance with national priorities and within the framework of the relevant international obligations to which the Russian Federation is party.

Argentina would like to associate itself with the statement delivered earlier by the representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We would also like to make the following comments in our national capacity. Argentina welcomes today’s unanimous adoption of resolution 69/315 and the agreement to transmit the draft 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that our Heads of State and Government will adopt at the summit to be held later this month. We believe this is an important opportunity and one that is an essential ethical, political and social responsibility, for building a just, inclusive, equal and peaceful world. Our draft agenda for 2030 is the result of a long and inclusive intergovernmental negotiation process, with broad participation by civil society, academia, regional organizations and the United Nations system. It reflects the consensus we have been able to build by bringing together some very different positions in order to overcome the challenges we are facing with regard to sustainable development in all three of its dimensions. The draft agenda will be universally applicable and is unquestionably very ambitious. We have set ourselves the goal of eradicating poverty and hunger in all their forms throughout the world, and the international community has set itself clear priorities, ways of implementing them and mechanisms for following up on the progress to be made. Once the draft 2030 agenda is adopted, it is our countries that will be responsible for implementing it and reaching its goals, with each country’s varying levels of development being taken into account. Argentina believes that comprehensive sustainable development can be possible only with a cooperative approach of solidarity that respects diversity and the individual paths to development that each country chooses for itself. We should work in close cooperation, not just between countries but also together with the United Nations system, regional and subregional organizations and those of civil society. We also believe in the importance of achieving genuine political commitment within the international community, particularly among developed countries, in order to ensure that we can create the means of implementation necessary to achieve our goals and create a world in which universal, unhampered human rights and dignity are truly respected. Bearing in mind the role that the United Nations development system will be called on to play, we will have to strengthen its institutions in order to ensure improvement in its alignment with the mandates and targets established by the Organization and in accordance with local development priorities. Finally, I would like to stress that the agreement that has now been reached concludes a three-year process of intergovernmental negotiations, and to highlight the leadership shown in that process by Ambassadors Macharia Kamau and David Donoghue of Kenya and Ireland, respectively. Now we begin the difficult task of making this vision for our future a reality. We hope that this commitment can be translated into reality in order to ensure that the draft agenda is fully implemented in such a way that future generations can look back and celebrate our commitment.

The year 2015 has been one of historic significance for sustainable development. In July, we succeeded in finalizing and adopting the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. At the beginning of August, we completed negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda and its draft outcome document (resolution 69/315, annex), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In Paris in December, the international community is expected to adopt a legally binding agreement that will determine how we can collectively address the challenges of climate change beyond 2020. And today, we have taken another important step in establishing a framework for the global development agenda for the next 15 years. We would like to take this opportunity to once again express our appreciation to the co-facilitators of the post-2015 intergovernmental negotiations, the Permanent Representatives of Kenya and Ireland, for their leadership and efforts, as well as for the dedication and constructiveness they displayed during the negotiations. In conclusion, I would like to note that the reference in the draft outcome document to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which Turkey is not party to, cannot be construed as a change in the established legal and political position of Turkey with regard to that instrument.

I want to begin by applauding all delegations for enabling us to take this step forward today. Achieving consensus on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 69/315, annex) in advance of the summit is a remarkable success, and one that all of us should be proud of. It is a testament to the purpose and the promise of multilateralism and to what is possible when we come together and push each other to go further. The Agenda offers all our countries a common vision for what we can and will work collectively to achieve over the next 15 years, and helps us focus our efforts on the most critical challenges and actions. We appreciate the goodwill, cooperative spirit, hard work and passion demonstrated by all Member States, as well as the stakeholders who stayed around the clock throughout our negotiations and gave us ideas and evidence to craft a better Agenda. Their commitment ensured that we kept our focus when it was needed most. We must also thank the co-facilitators once more, Ambassadors Kamau and Donoghue, for their leadership and vision throughout the process. We also want to thank President Kutesa for his leadership as we head into the post-2015 summit, a critical moment not only to celebrate our achievements thus far but to spur action for the successful implementation of the Agenda. The United States strongly supports the vision and ambition of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. We are committed to their implementation. The Agenda is global and aspirational and provides for taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities. That balanced approach does not diminish our collective resolve or will to reach its milestones; it strengthens our potential to achieve them. We would like to take this opportunity to make important points of clarification on the text, with the understanding that none of the provisions of the Agenda, including those characterized as having been agreed, create or affect rights or obligations under international law, as recognized in paragraph 18. The United States understands that the language regarding the “permanent sovereignty” of each State over “its wealth, natural resources and economic activity” must be read consistent with States’ obligations under international human rights treaties to which they are a party, as well as other obligations of States under international law. Similarly, the Agenda does not affect potential constraints under international law or agreements that apply to policy space. Nor does the Agenda, including paragraph 30, affect the rights of States to take trade measures. Finally, target 6.5 must be read consistent with existing transboundary agreements. We also highlight our mutual recognition, in paragraph 58, that the implementation of the Agenda must respect and be without prejudice to the independent mandates of other processes and institutions, including negotiations. It does not prejudge or serve as a precedent for decisions and actions under way in other forums. For example, the United States continues to view the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the appropriate forum for the negotiation of trade issues. The Agenda does not represent agreement on WTO Doha-round related issues, nor does it represent a commitment to provide new market access for goods or services. The Agenda also does not interpret or alter any WTO agreement or decision, including the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Similarly, indicators, governance proposals and language developed through the process have no precedential value for the international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group. In supporting the draft document, we reaffirm our long-standing commitment both to international development and to the promotion of human rights. However, we must reiterate the concerns of the United States with regard to the topic of the right to development, which are long-standing and well known. It does not have an agreed international meeting, and any related discussion needs to focus on aspects of development related to human rights, which are universal rights held and enjoyed by all individuals and which every individual may demand from his or her own Government. As we have said many times, the United States remains as committed as ever to assisting the most vulnerable on a path towards the achievement of the Agenda. At the same time, we collectively recognize that it is a universal Agenda that requires action by all. We underscore that, by its terms, paragraph 12 reaffirms the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as it was originally set out in principle 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, where it was explicitly limited to certain types of global environmental degradation. The reaffirmation of principle 7 in that limited context does not imply, and the United States does not accept, that the principle has relevance or application to the broad range of issues addressed in the Agenda, or to sustainable development as a whole. With respect to paragraph 28 and targets 8.4 and 12.1, the United States views “resource efficiency” to be at the core of “sustainable consumption and production”. We interpret those provisions to speak to the need to enhance national policies aimed at fostering resource sufficiency and sustainability in a manner appropriate to each country’s national circumstances. We further understand the provisions to reaffirm the universal approach to sustainable consumption and production that recognize some flexibility is needed in implementation. The provisions highlight the special leadership role of developed countries in promoting the exchange of best practices on sustainable consumption and production implementation, based on our experience with environmental protection policies and actions and our technical expertise and capability. The United States firmly considers strong protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights as providing critical incentives needed to produce innovation that will enable us to address the health, environment and development challenges of today and tomorrow. In that respect, the United States understands that references to the transfer of, or access to, technology refer to voluntary technology transfer on mutually agreed terms and conditions and that all references to “access to information” or knowledge are to information or knowledge that is made available with the authorization of the legitimate holder. I would now like to make some additional points on specific language or targets in our Agenda. With respect to paragraph 44 and targets 10.6 and 16.8, the United States interprets the language to refer to the effectiveness of developing country representation and voice under current United Nations institutional models, not to governance or other changes within the international financial institutions, including the IMF and the World Bank Group. We note that the term “equitable” is used in multiple contexts in the Agenda, including in Goal 4 and target 6.2. While the United States fully endorses the importance of universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation and education, for example, we must collectively avoid any unintended interpretations of the term “equitable” that implies a subjective assessment of fairness that, among other things, may lead to discriminatory practices. Concerning the reference to “equal rights to economic resources” in target 1.4, the United States understands that to mean that laws regarding ownership, inheritance and other property rights should be non-discriminatory and that those rights should be protected in a non-discriminatory manner. We understand target 8.7 to refer to the unlawful “recruitment and use of child soldiers”, which can also be a form of human trafficking. With respect to target 15.3, the United States recognizes the concept of land degradation neutrality at the national and sub-national levels only and understands that efforts in furthering that target would be composed of efforts at the national level, which would not entail any international administration under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or otherwise. With regard to the references to access and benefits sharing in targets 2.5 and 15.6, the United States understands “as internationally agreed” to mean as agreed in international instruments for parties to those instruments. The implementation of those targets should take into consideration the important role of stakeholders and be conducted on mutually agreed terms. We do not read those targets to suggest any relationship between intellectual property protection and access and benefit-sharing policy. Regarding the reference to “foreign occupation” in paragraph 35, we reaffirm our abiding commitment to a comprehensive and lasting peace based on a two- State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We remain committed to supporting the Palestinian people in practical and effective ways, including through sustainable development. We will continue to work with the Palestinian Authority, Israel and international partners to improve the lives of ordinary people towards a more sustainable future. In that spirit we, alongside so many in the Hall, look ahead with anticipation to the implementation of the Agenda. Adopting the Agenda at this early stage is a remarkable accomplishment, and one that we have used to motivate tangible and powerful actions to match our ambitions. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda, adopted at the third International Conference on Financing for Development, in July, is a strong starting point for our efforts. The Action Agenda provides us with an ambitious, comprehensive and modern framework for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes more than 100 concrete measures and takes us collectively further than we have gone before on the full range of the means of implementation topic. We note that the 2030 Agenda recognizes that the Action Agenda provides the context for both the interpretation and implementation of the means of implementation targets and underscores that the targets can be achieved through the implementation of the Action Agenda. In the context of implementation, we particularly welcome the emphasis the 2030 Agenda places on a few central, cross-cutting themes and drivers of progress. While some may have Goals associated with them, we note them here for the power inherent in their underlying and cross-cutting quality. With regard to inequality, we all know well the history. Despite stimulating remarkable progress, the Millennium Development Goals let large pockets of key populations, and even whole countries, slip through the cracks. This Agenda’s emphasis on leaving no one behind and on ensuring progress for the most vulnerable is a notable and critical change. We are pleased to see it. We welcome its specific emphasis on the inclusion of all groups and all people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is integral to achieving success with this Agenda. To that end, the particular recognition of women’s sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights and its importance to development is crucial. Science, technology, innovation and data — each will be critical to accelerating progress in order to achieve the SDGs. New approaches and innovations will increase the impact and decrease the cost of interventions across this Agenda. With regard to good governance and the rule of law, to achieve our ambitions, we will need institutions at all levels that are effective, transparent, accountable and democratic. In terms of sustainability, the SDGs ensure focus on long-term development, locking in progress by integrating sustainability in all three dimensions: the environmental, social and economic. Well-crafted Goals and targets in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, healthy oceans, natural resource management and disaster risk reduction within these Goal areas will help protect against the reversal of development gains. Sustainable development relies on preventing and mitigating conflict and violent extremism; promoting open, resilient and democratic societies and local ownership; and advancing inclusive economic growth. We look ahead now to the September summit for a great many opportunities to build these out further and to put on display their promise and our collective commitment to it. We also look forward to the process of developing practical and informative indicators for each of our Goals and targets. These will add clarity and precision to our efforts here. We thank all members once again for their work until now. Onward!

Israel welcomes the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and believes that it ushers in a new era of sustainable development that is unprecedented both in scope and ambition. Israel reiterates its full commitment to the 2030 Agenda and stands ready to actively contribute to the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We would like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the President of the General Assembly and to co-facilitators Ambassador Donoghue and Ambassador Kamau, without forgetting Ambassador Kőrösi. We also would like to thank Assistant Secretary- General Amina Mohammed and the Secretariat for their steadfast determination and support. We would also like to acknowledge the significant contribution and valuable inputs of all Member States and stakeholders, including civil society organizations, to the process. The Agenda, if implemented in full, has the power to once and for all free the world from hunger, disease and poverty. This can be achieved only if we work together in the spirit of cooperation and partnership and if each of us makes an honest commitment to the future well-being of their own people. Israel joined the consensus on the outcome document (resolution 69/315, annex) due to its unwavering commitment to sustainable development and the successful conclusion of the process. However, our position on the inclusion of politicized language in paragraph 35, as well as elsewhere, remains unchanged. Using the development agenda to score insignificant political points is counterproductive, pollutes the discussion and moves us further away from working towards the worthy development goals that we all aspire to. As we stated throughout the negotiations, the road to peace — the peace that we all desire — runs through Jerusalem and Ramallah and is not found in development resolutions. All outstanding issues between Israel and the Palestinians can be resolved only through direct negotiations.

I would like to thank the President for convening this meeting and for providing an opportunity to further reflect on our ambitious collective journey that led the membership towards the formulation of the post-2015 development agenda. I extend my words of appreciation to all delegations that have been involved in this process and thank the co-facilitators and their teams for their outstanding leadership, passion and dedication. The environment of an inclusive and interactive negotiation maintained and cultivated throughout the process was a source of inspiration to all and allowed a large number of Member States and civil society to voice their interests and concerns and to engage in a constructive exchange. As we highlighted previously, the power of the new development agenda lies in the consideration of the long- term sustainability impact of inclusive development whereby diversity should be viewed as a source of strength. Policies of exclusion and discrimination undermine the sustainability of economic and social development. Coherent steps should be taken to eradicate such practices in the post-2015 world. In that regard, we welcome the commitment to a revitalized global partnership that will help ensure the continuous improvement of an enabling environment through enhanced international cooperation, regional integration and connectivity. We welcome the reference to the specific needs of landlocked developing countries in this Agenda, as well as the integration of the Vienna Programme of Action in the text. As a landlocked country facing structural constraints, it is only natural that we are fully committed to the idea of eliminating barriers to international trade and development, including those stemming from unilateral coercive measures, policies of blockade and unduly discriminating trade regimes and other forms of unilateral coercion. Commitment to global solidarity is what lies at the heart of the exceptional power of multilateralism. The formulation of an ambitious plan of action was an important test of multilateralism up until the very end of the intergovernmental process. However, we regret that the last major amendment to the text — namely, paragraph 38, which was introduced without prior discussion — failed to fully and properly reflect the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. With due respect for the Charter, we must quote its Article 1, paragraph 2: “To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace”. We look forward to the successful implementation of the new international commitments, which we are sure will benefit millions of people and lead to a better and more sustainable future. We stand ready to contribute to this global endeavour to the best of our capacities.

Our delegation would like to reflect upon the fundamental document (resolution 69/315, annex), the post-2015 development agenda, which will guide the entire world towards shaping a better tomorrow for future generations. In this vein, the delegation of Azerbaijan expresses its thanks to the co-facilitators of this complex process, Ambassador Macharia Kamau of Kenya and Ambassador David Donoghue of Ireland, for their leadership and outstanding input in steering the intergovernmental negotiations. The post-2015 development agenda, which was the culmination of three years of intensive negotiations and great efforts, is a clear road map that highlights a number of prime and complex objectives, which we shall strive to reach collectively, just as this document was drafted collectively, in order to leave no one behind. As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has highlighted, it is truly the people’s agenda. We should do all we can to transfer this agenda from paper to real-life action. We therefore think that the targets reflected in the document, especially those concerning regional integration, have to be pursued by concrete actions implemented by the international community, since the development of regions results in the greater success of the economic and social facets of our countries. In the meantime, regional integration cannot be achieved unless regional conflicts are resolved. It is crystal-clear that there can be no regional integration and cooperation if one Member State occupies the territory of another Member State. Azerbaijan suffers from such regional conflict, and, despite General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, our neighbouring State Member of the United Nations continues its illegal occupation. In that regard, it is evident that the Republic of Azerbaijan will act based on its highest national interest.

Norway is pleased to join in welcoming the adoption of resolution 69/315, on the historic 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I would like to join colleagues in thanking the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary- General for all the support that has been given to the process. I want to commend in particular the two facilitators, Ambassadors Kamau and Donoghue, for their outstanding leadership and stamina in guiding us through the process. I would also like to commend Ambassador Kőrösi of Hungary who, together with Ambassador Kamau, guided us skilfully through the work of the Open Working Group. This has been a long journey and a unique one. Never before have so many different actors — Governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and others — come together to design such a truly global and transformative agenda. We would like to them all for their contributions and spirit of cooperation and for making this journey such an unprecedented learning experience. The 2030 Agenda is not perfect, but it gives us the vision and the tools to eradicate poverty within the next 15 years, while safeguarding the planet, respecting all human rights and ensuring gender equality. This ambitious set of goals and targets is an expression of our common experience and determination. Reaching this historic milestone is just the start. Norway is fully committed to this joint Agenda and is eager to start implementing it. The spirit of compromise that we saw during the negotiations is very encouraging as we start the follow-up process.

Panama aligns itself with the statement made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. In our national capacity, we would like to make a few final timely comments. We are very happy to see what is happening today. After an participatory intergovernmental process lasting several years, Member States now by consensus have agreed on a new development agenda for the next 15 years. We would like to express our thanks to Ambassadors Donaghue and Kamau for the excellent work of facilitation in this process. They were able to inspire confidence, reconcile difficult positions and bring enthusiasm and sense of humour to the process. Panama welcomes the new agenda and the commitments. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a transformative and ambitious agenda for a world in turmoil that demands of us a paradigm shift that will only be possible if each of us individually understands the implications and makes profound transformations. This will involve changing the practices, habits and customs received from our families, societies and Governments. It means that we will have to take ethical decisions and not act out of self-interest; in other words, we cannot continue to do business as usual. Today’s adoption is a historic milestone, as several speakers have mentioned, and the culminaiton of a multilateral approach. The path forward will be a great challenge in which the capacities, genuine commitment and leadership of Member States at the national level will be put into play. We trust and we hope that the decisions we make today will truly manifest this change of mind in our individual leaders and above all in ourselves that must be our contribution to inspiring the transformations that future generations deserve.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of position. We will now hear statements after the adoption of the resolution. I give the floor to the Observer of the European Union.

On behalf of the European Union and its member States, I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to Ambassadors Kamau and Donoghue and their teams for their tireless work and guidance as co-facilitators of the post-2015 process. It has been a long journey and, we can say today, a very successful one. Without their leadership and the constructive engagement by all Member States and stakeholders, and the crucial support of the Secretary-General and the Secretariat, we would not be where we are today. We would also like to recognize the key contribution of Ambassador Kőrösi, who was a Chair of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals and who helped us reach agreement on a crucial component of the 2030 Agenda. Finally, we would like to thank the President of the General Assembly and his team for supporting this process. The European Union and its member States now look forward to the post-2015 summit, where the Heads of State and Government and high representatives will adopt the 2030 Agenda and the timely start of its implementation. We trust the success achieved in agreeing on the 2030 Agenda will generate additional momentum towards a very successful Paris meeting in December.

I now give the floor to the Observer of the Holy See. Monsignor Grech (Holy See): At the outset, my delegation expresses its gratitude to Ambassadors Macharia Kamau and David Donoghue for their leadership and commitment in guiding the intergovernmental process that led to the agreement on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Their tireless efforts and perseverance provided for an inclusive and transparent process that produced the universal Agenda we have before us today. This Agenda is a clear sign that, in spite of differences in some areas, the international community has come together and affirmed its commitment to eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions and to ensuring that all children, women and men throughout the world will have the conditions necessary to live in both freedom and dignity. The Agenda rightly puts the centrality of the human person as the subject primarily responsible for development. The Holy See remains confident that the related pledge that no one will be left behind will serve as the perspective through which the entire Agenda will be read to protect the right to life of the person, from conception until natural death. My delegation believes that a renewed global partnership will be crucial to the Agenda’s success. Also, by valuing the enormous potential of youth, by empowering women and girls, and by recognizing the role of the family in integral development, we will ensure the centrality of the human person as the primary subject responsible for development, while holding Governments accountable. As Pope Francis reminds us in his encyclical letter of 24 May, Laudato Si’, “environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of human, family, work-related and urban contexts, nor from how individuals relate to themselves, which leads in turn to how they relate to others and to the environment.” A more integrated approach to development will make us see better that “[w]e are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis that is both social and environmental.” Therefore, “[s]trategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.” The Holy See agrees that the draft agenda is an ambitious plan of action, with many proper and laudable aspirations that can be described as a great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge. We take the position that for any development plan to succeed, its underlying efforts must be directed towards an integral ecology open to categories that transcend the language of mathematics and biology and take us to the heart of what is human. We must cultivate a greater awareness of a human ecology, including appreciation of our common origin and mutual belonging, and of a future to be shared with everyone. While agreeing with most of the goals and targets enumerated in the draft agenda, the Holy See, in conformity with its nature and particular mission, wishes to express the following reservations on some of the concepts it uses. The Holy See considers that the terms “sexual and reproductive health” and “reproductive rights” apply to a holistic concept of health, each in its own way embracing a person in the entirety of his or her personality, mind and body and fostering the achievement of personal maturity in sexuality and in the mutual love and decision-making that characterize the conjugal relationship between a man and a woman in accordance with moral norms. The Holy See does not consider abortion or access to abortion or abortifacients as an aspect of those terms. With reference to the terms “contraception”, “family planning”, “sexual and reproductive health”, “sexual and reproductive rights”, “reproductive rights” and any other terms regarding family-planning services and regulation of fertility concepts in the document, the Holy See reaffirms its well-known position concerning the family-planning methods that the Catholic Church considers morally acceptable as against those family- planning services that do not respect spouses’ liberty or the human dignity and human rights of those concerned. With reference to gender, the Holy See understands that term to be grounded in a biological sexual identity that is either male or female. With regard to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this statement of position, the Holy See also reaffirms its reservations about the outcome documents of the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women. With respect to education or information on sexuality, the Holy See stresses the primary responsibility and prior rights of parents, including their right to religious freedom, when it comes to the education and upbringing of their children, as enshrined in, among other things, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In that sense, the Holy See wishes to underline the centrality of the family, the natural and fundamental group unit of society, as well as the role and rights and duties of parents in educating their children. The Holy See places its reservations on paragraph 27 of the Declaration and targets 3.7 and 5.6. The Holy See emphasizes that the draft agenda should be read in line with the properly interpreted purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including full respect for international law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights treaties. With regard to the non-binding instruments that are also mentioned, the Holy See emphasizes the important distinction that must be maintained between treaties that have been formally negotiated and adopted by States with the intention of creating legal obligations and other international documents that do not have the same authority. The Holy See does not endorse principles in any international or regional non-binding instruments that differ from those set out here and articulated in its teachings. My delegation requests that this statement be included in the official record of today’s meeting.

We have heard the last speaker on this item. On behalf of the President, I should like to express my sincere thanks to Ambassador David Donoghue of Ireland and Ambassador Macharia Kamau of Kenya, who demonstrated great political acumen in their conduct of the complex discussions in the intergovernmental negotiations. I also thank all Member States for their valuable contributions to reaching an agreement on today’s resolution 69/315. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 13 and of agenda item 115.