The Road to Doha:

Financing for Development activity intensifies now through June 2008!

 

Friday, April 18, 2008

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

 

VENUE: Action Aid

1420 K. St, NW, suite #900

Washington DC 20009

Directions:   A short walk from the McPherson Square metro on the Orange/Blue Line. You can also walk from the Farragut North metro on the Red Line. Click here for a Map.

 

All are welcome, but RSVP requested.

Please RSVP to jbaker@new-rules.org

 

The New Rules for Global Finance Coalition invites you to a follow-up discussion for the DC NGO community on the current status of negotiations on the "Follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD) to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus" that will culminate in Doha (November 29-Dec 2, 2008). New Rules is one of several NGOs working on FFD follow-up.  This meeting will provide an update and coordinating meeting for DC NGOs to enable all of us to participate fully and effectively in the FFD process. Now through June 2008 is a critical time to insert our views and language into the FFD agenda. The official timeline for the process has been posted (see calendar below) with many opportunities for CSOs to get involved.  The UN has concluded four of the six consultations.  At this meeting we will learn what works and how to participate effectively in upcoming events.

 

CSOs have the opportunity to engage in the process at:

 

• April 14:  Special high-level meeting of the Economic and Social Council with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

• April 15-16:  Review session on Chapter IV of the Monterrey Consensus, "Increasing international financial and technical cooperation for development" Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

• May 19 – 20: Review Session on Chapter III of the Monterrey Consensus, "International trade as an engine for development". Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

• June 18: Hearings with representatives of civil society and the business sector on financing for development. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

Meeting Agenda

 

I. Report on the latest two events in New York: What happened and what worked?

 

• ECOSOC Meeting: New York, April 14:  Special high-level meeting of the Economic and Social Council with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (United Nations Headquarters, NY) Jo Marie Griesgraber, New Rules for Global Finance Coalition

• ODA: New York, April 15-16, 2008: Review Session on Chapter IV of the Monterrey Consensus, "Increasing international financial and technical cooperation for development" Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY) U

 

II. Strategizing for the upcoming events: What’s next? Who wants to lead? Participate?

 

• Trade: New York, May 19 – 20, 2008 Review session on Chapter III, “International trade as an engine for development”

• FFD Hearings: New York, June 18, 2008: Hearings with representatives of civil society and the business sector on financing for development. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

III. Next Meeting

 

If you cannot make it to the meeting, but would like to participate by phone the Dial-in Number is 1-518-825-1300 the Participant Access Code is 931339. Please be sure to let us know that you will be calling in.

 

Latest Developments (as seen on the UN ESA-FFD website)

 

The General Assembly, in its resolution 62/187 of 19 December 2007, decided that the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus will be held in Doha, Qatar, from 29 November to 2 December 2008.

 

In his letter of 10 January 2008 addressed to all States, the President of the General Assembly emphasized the importance of a successful outcome to the Review of the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus. The President proposed a work programme for the preparatory process for the Doha Review Conference.

 

The Facilitators of the preparatory process, Ambassador Adbelaziz of Egypt and Ambassador Løvald of Norway, in their letters of 25 January 2008 and 5 March 2008 addressed to all States, outlined the modalities of the review sessions.

 

All States and other relevant stakeholders are invited to provide substantive inputs to the preparatory process leading up to the Doha Conference.

The President of the General Assembly will issue informal summaries of the review sessions and will present, by the end of July 2008, a draft outcome document of the Conference.

 

As an integral part of the preparatory process, the Economic and Social Council will hold, on 14 April 2008, its special high-level meeting with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

For more information on the Financing for Development process visit:  http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/  

 

Roadmap to Doha: Calendar of Events (Official UN events and NGO Events):

 

April 14, 2008: NGO Strategy Session (9-9:45 am) and NGO Side Event (1-2:30 pm) (UN Headquarters, NY, Conf Room 9)

 

April 14, 2008: Special high-level meeting of the Economic and Social Council with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

April 15, 2008: NGO Strategy Session on ODA (9-9:45 am) and NGO Side Event on ODA (1-2:30 pm) (UN Headquarters, NY, Conf Room 9)

 

April 15 – 16, 2008: Review session on Chapter IV of the Monterrey Consensus, "Increasing international financial and technical cooperation for development" Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

April 16, 2008: NGO Strategy Session on ODA (9-9:45 am) (UN Headquarters, NY, Conf Room 9)

 

April 18, 2008 (12:00pm – 1:30 pm): NGO coordinating meeting organized by New Rules for Global Finance Coalition.  (Action Aid Office, Washington, DC) Contact jbaker@new-rules.org for more details.

 

April 20 – 25, 2008: UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) XII on the theme "Addressing Opportunities and Challenges of Globalization for Development". Official UN Event. (Accra, Ghana)

 

May 19-20, 2008: NGO Strategy Session on Trade (9-10 am) (UN Headquarters, NY, Conf Room B)

 

May 19 – 20, 2008: Review Session on Chapter III of the Monterrey Consensus, "International trade as an engine for development". Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

June 18, 2008: NGO Strategy Session (9-10 am) and NGO Side Event (1:15 -2:30 pm) (UN Headquarters, NY, Conf Room C)

 

June 18, 2008: Hearings with representatives of civil society and the business sector on financing for development. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

June 30 – July 25, 2008: Substantive session of the Economic and Social Council, including the Annual Ministerial Review and the Development Cooperation Forum. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

July 2008 (Second Week): Release of the advanced version of the report of the Secretary-General on the latest developments related to the review process on financing for development. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

July 2008 (Last Week): Presentation by the President of the General Assembly of the draft outcome document of the Review Conference. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

September - November 2008: Informal consultations and drafting sessions on the outcome document of the Review Conference.  Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

November - December 2008: Conclusion of discussions on outcome document. Official UN Event. (United Nations Headquarters, NY)

 

November 29 - December 2, 2008: Doha Review Conference. Official UN Event. (Doha, Qatar)