Statement
Delivered by AOSIS
Co-Facilitators, 1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). We align ourselves with and fully support the statement delivered by the distinguished Permanent Representative of South Africa, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. 2. Means of implementation will only be meaningful if they are adequately delivered. This is why we need a strong, robust follow up process. 3. But as we have outlined before, we understand the Financing for Development process and the Post-2015 Development Agenda to be separate in scope and substance. And therefore, it is necessary to ensure that commitments made under each track are followed up. 4. At the same time, we have also said that the FfD outcome should provide a comprehensive response to the report of the OWG on SDGs, which is the main basis for integrating the SDGs in the post-2015 development agenda. In that regard we have called on the FfD outcome to address the means of implementation as encapsulated in SDG 17 and all the Goal-specific MoI in the other 16 targets. And therefore, it follows that there must be a mechanism to ensure that this linkage is adequately catered to. 5. Let me also make a point about data: Effective monitoring depends on appropriate qualitative and quantitative data and statistics. We ask that both processes consider the importance of collection of data from SIDS in the least burdensome way. Data and information from existing reporting mechanisms must be used where possible to reduce the burden. And we must recognise the need to strengthen data collection and monitoring capabilities of SIDS. 6. We also call, in this context, for the consideration of alternative measures of development, other than GDP per capita and GNI: measures which would capture the aspects of economies of scale, capacity constraints and accessibility challenges, and other vulnerabilities and challenges faced by SIDS. I thank you.
