The UN Economic and Social Committee’s second Financing for Development Forum of 22-26 May 2017 has been assessing the progress on commitments of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda adopted in July 2015 and drew-up a state of play on steps to be taken for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Hungary delivered a national statement regarding the outcome document of the Forum on 23 May, highlighting its position related to migration policies.
The outcome document of the Financing for Development Forum has been endorsed by the UN Member States on the second day of the event by consensus. The preparation of the document had been co-facilitated by the Permanent Representatives of South-Africa and Belgium to the UN, who highlighted the careful balance of the negotiated text.
Mr Zoltán Varga, Deputy Permanent Representative of Hungary to UN delivered a national statement emphasizing that a reinforced Global Partnership for sustainable development should be both the underlying principle and the scheme for implementing the Agenda 2030, addressing all three dimensions of sustainability in an integrated manner. Such a partnership should ensure ownership for development involving buy-in from all stakeholders of the Private Sector, international organizations, development banks, CSOs, academia, local authorities and parliaments from developed and developing countries as well. With regard to support to partner countries, Hungary offered hundreds of government scholarships for students coming from developing partners to our Higher Education Institutions and is eager to continue that practice also in the future.
Regarding the forum’s outcome document, Hungary took note of the overall balance of the negotiated text, however flagged some substantial remarks, namely to the content of paragraph 12. Hungary recognizes the complexity of and interconnections between migration and development, nevertheless prefers to emphasize rather the role that well managed migration can play in inclusive growth and sustainable development, and not just the contribution of migrants in general. Migration is a complex, global and long-lasting phenomenon requiring carefully-designed, balanced, evidence-based and sustainable policy response that shall respect national decisions by Member States. Irregular migration can raise major challenges. Therefore, Hungary reserves its prerogative to safe, orderly, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well managed migration policies.
To read the full statement, please click here.
