By Our Reporter
About 30 finance ministers from across the world have confirmed they will be attending the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) High-level Symposium in Kampala. From November 4th to 6th 2015, Uganda in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), will host the symposium to contribute to strengthening the global partnership for the benefit of people all over the world.
The event, which is also supported by contributions from UN Development Program (UNDP) and the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC), will take place in Kampala at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort. It is the principal platform for global policy dialogue on development cooperation, engaging all stakeholders to review trends and progress in development cooperation.
The DCF is one of three global engagements that will contribute to the 5th High-level Meeting of the Development Cooperation Forum of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, to be held in New York in July 2016.
The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Finance (General Duties) Hon. Fred Jachan Omach while speaking to journalists at the Media Centre.
“It will provide a platform for evidence based sharing and will ultimately produce concrete policy guidance on development cooperation post-2015, to put into practice at international, regional, national and local level,” Omach says.
The Symposium will be officiated by His Excellency the President of Uganda and co-chaired by the Hon. Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. More than 200 Ministers, high-level representatives and experts from all regions of the world will convene for an informal and frank dialogue, leading to practical advice on implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The Uganda DCF provides a first opportunity to discuss, under the United Nations auspices and with participation of all development cooperation actors, the implementation of the Financing for Development agenda and the SDGs,” Omach added.
With the overarching theme ‘Development Cooperation for a New Era: Making the Renewed Global Partnership for Sustainable Development a Reality’, the symposium will discuss development cooperation for the new agenda: ways to motivate, support and further shape development cooperation as a critical ‘means of implementation’ in the post-2015 era.
The Symposium will also seek to provide answers to how countries, including Uganda, will align development cooperation policies and interventions to implement the SDGs, as well as how to monitor and review the impact of development cooperation on the new sustainable development agenda.
Discussions will take account of specific experiences of countries and explore the key role of the private sector and other non-state actors; the role of blended financing; the results of development cooperation at country level; and how integrated, aligned and country-driven monitoring and reporting frameworks can work in practice.
“Particular attention will be placed on the challenges that Africa faces as a region. Promoting technology facilitation and capacity building, and addressing gaps in technology, science and innovation will also be central to the discussion,” Omach said.
Concluding, the minister committed that, “As a country, we feel honored to host this important Symposium which will contribute to making sustainable development, a reality for all, to ensure we leave no one behind.”