On the 24th and 25th of October, the Steering Committee (SC) members of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation met in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to discuss the progress of the work plan 2017-2018 and other pressing issues, such as how to align to the monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the possible installation of a non-executive chair. The latter was indeed discussed but decisions have been postponed to the next Steering Committee (April 2018) since it remains unclear how the business sector’s positions would be integrated in this chair position.
Global Partnership as an instrument for achieving the SDGs
In the meeting, the three co-chairs – Bangladesh, Germany and Uganda, emphasized that the Global Partnership as such can be an important vehicle to achieve the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Uganda’s State Minister of Finance, H.E. Mr. Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, welcomed the Global Partnership as “The right vehicle to deliver sustainable development and scale up the effectiveness of all types of development co-operation.” Already at the 2nd High-Level Meeting of the GPEDC in Nairobi in November 2016 it was recognized that the GPEDC can contribute especially to SDG 17, which is “Partnerships for the goals”.
The co-chairs find alignment with the High Level Political Fora of the UN a big priority. In line with this, the Committee tentatively agreed to consider organising a senior level meeting (SLM) back-to-back with the 2019 HLPF, pending further feedback from their relevant constituencies.
Adding a non-executive chair?
Based on the proposal by 5 of the 6 non-executive members, including UCLG, the Steering Committee discussed the possible addition of a fourth non-executive Co-Chair to the GPEDC. The Business sector did not sign the proposal and has indicated that it wishes to stick with the current structure of the Steering Committee. Based on this position, the Committee recognised that further consultation among all six non-executive SC members is still necessary, to make sure that the SC finds a solution agreeable to all.
GPEDC & UCLG
The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation was established in 2011 as a unique global platform for all stakeholders to help maximise the effectiveness of all types of development co-operation. The GPEDC strives to improve country ownership, inclusive partnerships, transparency and accountability, among others. The SC meetings bring together a wide range of officials from governments, civil society and the private sector. UCLG also holds a chair in the SC. UCLG’s Capacity and Institution Building Working Group has been following the agenda and broader dossier in the past years.
The next SC meeting was tentatively scheduled for April 2018 in the margins of the Spring Meetings in Washington D.C.