New York, January 14, 2019. “Inclusiveness, transparency, human development, youth, and innovation”, with these key words Ambassador Mariangela Zappia opened today’s meeting with representatives of civil society, in preparation of the Financing for Development Forum to be held in New York from 15 to 18 April 2019. The Forum will conclude with the adoption of an Outcome Document whose negotiations will be co-facilitated by Italy and Zambia.
Today’s consultaions at the UN Headquarters kicked off this process, which the Italian Permanent Representative to the UN stated being “an honor and a great responsibility to facilitate: the financing of development is a crucial tool for the implementation of Agenda 2030. Let’s think about the state of the planet: we can no longer afford postponements or hesitations, we must achieve the goals we have set ourselves in a rapid, effective and sustainable manner.”
“The Forum’s Outcome Document will provide a benchmark for intensifying these efforts at the global, national and local levels. Italy has been one of the first countries to align its economic and financial planning with the Sustainable Development Goals, including indicators calibrated to the human development of its citizens. We are proud to share our experience,” continued Ambassador Zappia.
“Civil society, the private sector, local authorities, the academic world – all these actors experienced first-hand the impact of the national policies. For this reason, it is essential that they are all consulted – involving, first and foremost, the youth – throughout the entire process, to understand their needs and maximize the resources and tools available to achieve a positive impact on people’s lives.” The Ambassador then announced that Italy will provide funds to facilitate the participation of representatives of civil society in the Forum, proving Italy’s attention to guaranteeing inclusiveness to the process.
“It is not only a question of the quantity of resources dedicated to development but also of the quality of the initiatives: to ensure this, we believe it necessary to embrace a broad concept of human development placing the individual at its core – also in terms of rights, opportunities, and participation. Innovation and new technologies open up unprecedented frontiers to this end: we must do more to put them at work for development.”
