Another Reflection for Today the Last Day of Financing for Development

It has been a privilege to be here for the week – to be part of this process – my first outside of New York. —- and a challenge in that I was not heavily invested in financing for development and was away from New York for the month of June.

But there is no doubt in my mind that these are the real systemic issues that need to be addressed. The Addis Ababa Coordinating Group of which the NGO Financing for Development is a member have done great work and I think that ‘Good Shepherd’ can be proud that we too are at this level.

This morning we had the Sunday homilist for Mass – another word of great encouragement for me – the psalm was the Magnificat —–

Homilist: Mary was a social, economic and political revolutionary…

Mercy extends from generation to generation – all generation will call me blessed –  social revolutionary – inclusion
Fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty – economic revolutionary – task of this week
Cast the mighty from their thrones and lifts up the lowly  –  Political – the task of this week – and we have experienced how difficult it is.  We are all engaged in living out the Magnificat in our daily lives at the grassroots in service, advocacy and at the United Nations

Do read the CSO Response to the Outcome Document and the Declaration  I on behalf of us all concur.

Aslo see this blog posting click here!   Blog posting

Last Day of the Financing for Development Conference

News this morning, Thursday, is that the outcome document has been agreed.  CSO are deeply disappointed with the document but are determined that the tax body will not go away.  The mood can be summed up in this comment ‘The Developed countries managed to force the UN tax body out of the Addis outcome document and keep OECD as the only place for intergovernmental tax negotiations… for a little while longer!   Eurodad, European Network on Debt and DevelopmentWe note that they managed to generate more than 130 news paper articles, op-eds, etc. supporting their cause.  They had VIPs like Mbeki and Stiglitz speaking out in strong defense for the tax body.  The Avaaz petition reached 140.000 signatures already yesterday.   CSO’s all join with Eurodad in this action.

CSO’s are working on their response and it will be available soon.

The Trade Union Response to the outcome document can be accessed here and is reflective of my views too!