Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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413. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to the announcement that Ireland and Kenya have been appointed by the United Nations to lead international negotiations on new international development targets from now to 2030, the role it entails; the resources that will be committed to fulfilling it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45178/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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On 17 October, the President of the UN General Assembly appointed Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations to co-facilitate the major international negotiations to agree a new set of global development goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals. The Permanent Representative of Kenya was also appointed. The new goals, which will take effect after 2015, will be known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and should be adopted at a Summit of world leaders in New York next September.

The appointment is a great honour for Ireland, and a great responsibility. The challenge the role presents for the two co-facilitators will be to build consensus among the 193 Member States on a very broad and comprehensive agenda. The new development goals will entail responsibilities and actions for all countries, and will aim to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2030 and achieve sustainable development at a global level by addressing challenges in areas such as energy, food, water, climate, urbanisation, peaceful societies and effective governance.

Ireland and Kenya are currently co-facilitating consultations at the United Nations on how the inter-governmental negotiations will be carried out. We are also working with our colleagues in the EU to ensure that the process will culminate in a successful outcome at next years’ high-level summit, and that the new SDGs, which will have a profound impact on the lives of the world’s poor, will reflect our priorities.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will ensure that the necessary resources are available to support Ireland’s role, in cooperation with the considerable expertise of the UN Secretariat.