UN appoints Ireland to lead talks on development goals

Ireland and Kenya have been appointed by the United Nations to lead international negotiations over the coming year on new international development targets for the period to 2030.

The Sustainable Development Goals, to be adopted in September 2015, will replace the Millennium Development Goals - eight targets introduced in 2000 which aimed to halve extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

Ireland's permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador David Donoghue, will lead the negotiations along with Macharia Kamau, Kenya's permanent representative.

The UN’s latest report on the Millennium Development Goals found global poverty had been halved five years ahead of the 2015 timeframe and that 90 per cent of children in developing regions now avail of primary education. However, it says increased efforts are needed to reach the original targets laid out in 2000.

The latest UN scientific report on climate change warns that the world will face “severe, pervasive and irreversible” damage from global warming unless action is taken to reduce record levels of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.

The new targets for the period to 2030 include the eradication of global poverty and hunger, and will address issues such as climate change, gender equality, health, education, employment and urbanisation.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan welcomed the appointment, calling it a "huge honour" for Ireland.

“It is testament to Ireland’s standing internationally, to our proud record of promoting human rights, to our long-standing participation in peacekeeping across the world and to our diplomacy,” said Mr Flanagan.

“It underscores the Government’s commitment that the fight to end poverty and hunger will remain firmly at the core of Ireland’s foreign policy.”

Hans Zomer, director of Dóchas, said many Western countries had failed to deliver the increase in overseas aid they committed to in 2000, while developing nations have shown huge dedication to realising the MDGs.

“It’s becoming more obvious that we share this world with other people and our lives are profoundly interconnected,” said Mr Zomer. “Global development issues are not just about poor developing countries. This is about the future we are shaping for Irish society, European society and our global society.”