Addressing Inequality and Redistributive Justice: Bangladesh's Strategy at UNGA

1. MDG and Post 2015 Development Agenda: Inequality and Redistributive Justice What Position and Strategies Bangladesh Should take in UNGA during September 2013 to 2014? Seminar, National Press Club, 15 Sept 2013

2. Bangladesh got the global attention • Bangladesh is one of the top achiever in respect of MDGs even though there are several crisis • Bangladesh is in the fringe/ global ground zero in respect of climate change impact Advantage should be taken So Bangladesh (including government and civil society) need to project the situation, position, project visibility, build ally and pursue critical position.

3. International forums including (UNGA) in 2013 2014 are important. • common but differentiated responsibilities • food security • inter state inequalities and redistributive justice Bangladesh proposal on post 2015 has already received global attention and appreciation in Asia Pacific Ministerial Meeting because of its strong position on >> Need strong preparation of Bangladesh delegation for UNGA September 2013, need strong ally with countries and civil societies.

4. Comparison on Post 2015 Goals presented in HLP, UNSG and Bangladesh report

5. Civil society positions • Little on global inequalities and thereby global on how to commensurate. • Nothing on accepting historical responsibly by developed countries: • Ecological debt : exploitation from colonial era, exploitation of our global ionosphere, exploitation of MNCs, unfair trade rules … [Christian Aid study shows that $160b illicit capital is transferred from developing countries to developed countries, where only $130b of development aid comes from developed countries to developing countries.] • Bangladesh debt not cancelled although it was pleaded by the then UNSG Kofi Anan • Nothing about debt cancellation or debt swap of LDC or MVC • Nothing about the ever increasing military and army expenditure We appreciate agenda on inequalities, tax haven, and tax transparency of multinational companies. But We couldn’t appreciate

6. Civil society positions • Developed countries (Japan and USA) especially in Asia Pacific Ministerial Meeting who oppose the CBDR principles and stubborn to include the clause on “Investment liberalization”. Which has been adopted WB and IMF meeting in Singapore, and being named as Singapore issue, which they are trying to push in WTO Bali meeting to be held in this December 2013? • Food security is a fundamental for Bangladesh and other Laces while climate change is compounding the problem in fact, there should a global justice base solution and goal in this regard. • There are little progress on MDG 8 i.e. development assistance to developing countries has gone down in recent years. UNSG has formed a Sustainable Development Finance Committee which will find some solution. We believe this has happened as there is reluctance of developed countries to increase development assistance. We condemn

7. Civil society positions • there should not be any new debt creating instrument in the name of development assistance as at present what the MDB like WB, ADB and IMF is pursuing e.g., PPCR and CIF window of WB in respect of climate adaptation,  • There should not be supremacy private investment, we do not deny that private investment can play a role in this regard, but it must be under the regulation of state. Our concern is

8. Specific proposal to Bangladesh Delegation in September UNGA • Please public who is going in the delegation and what is their position and strategy to pursue ‘Bangladesh position’ before departure of delegation to NY. • The delegation should consider image question, minimum in numbers, with a defiance process and strategies. • A strategy to interact with international civil society and media so that there is public opinion build up in favor of Bangladesh’s position and visibility of country and building alliance.