Programme

Panel discussion 5 on specific actions in the first draft of the outcome document on ‘II.C. International development cooperation’

Introductory remarks and moderation

H.E. Ms. Alicia Buenrostro Massieu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations

H. E. Mr. Lok Bahadur Thapa, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations

Panelists

Mr. Sergio Vinocour-Fornieri, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica

Mr. Markus Dürst, MFA, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Switzerland

Ms. Karolina Krywulak, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Development Cooperation, Poland

Discussants

Ms. Hassatou Diop N’Sele, Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, African Development Bank Group

Ms. Mary Beth Goodman, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD

Mr. Matias Bendersky, Manager of Global Partnerships of the Inter-American Development Bank

Interactive discussion (2-minute time limit)

Background and Guiding Questions

International development cooperation represents a critical source of financing in many developing countries. However, rapidly rising demands, coupled with recent reductions in ODA programmed at the country level and announcements of significant further aid cuts are putting scarce resources under increasing stress. Growing fragmentation is also increasing transaction costs and runs counter to long-standing effectiveness principles. There is an urgent need for the entire development cooperation ecosystem to work better as a system with a focus on poverty eradication and on catalysing other sources of finance, both public and private, for long-term sustainable development outcomes in developing countries.

Actions on international development cooperation in the draft outcome include commitments to reverse the decline in ODA, work towards meeting respective commitments and increasing its quality, as well as more and better south-south and triangular cooperation and MDB financing. The draft also contains commitments to update the development cooperation architecture at the country level, strengthening country-led plans and strategies and putting in place inclusive coordination platforms to support these, and at the global level.

Panelists in this session are invited to pay particular attention in their interventions on the proposals on enhancing contributions of multilateral development banks, including scaling up local currency lending, strengthening the development cooperation architecture at the national level, and on strengthening accountability and follow up on international development cooperation as part of the FFD process. They are invited to address the following questions:

• How can concessional financing by MDBs be further increased over the next ten years? What steps could be taken to enhance provision of local currency products? (action 31 n)
• How can international development cooperation, including ODA, more effectively respond to the needs and priorities of developing countries? What are conducive arrangements at the country level for effective provision of development cooperation, and for ensuring alignment of development cooperation with national priorities and needs? (action 33 a)
• How can we make the most of existing platforms and fora to enhance inclusive monitoring, accountability and follow up on international development cooperation at the global level? Would the roles, scope and functions of existing platforms and fora need to evolve? How can they support a strengthened the Development Cooperation Forum? (action 33 c)