H.E. Ambassador Sajdik, President of ECOSOC,
H.E. Ambassador Talbot, Co-facilitator for the preparatory process of the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development,
Under Secretary-General Wu,
Distinguished representatives,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome all of you to Incheon. This city was a gateway between Korea and the world when its ports opened in the 19th century. Now, it has become the springboard of a new Asia-Pacific age, a metropolis with its eyes on the future, and a welcoming host of international organizations.

The growth of Incheon mirrors the development of Korea, making it the perfect venue for today’s Symposium. Back in 1953, when I was born, Korea was a war-torn, aid-dependent nation. The ensuing decades of growth has led us to Korea’s today, and has given us an extraordinary commitment and passion for development cooperation. So it means a lot to me, to co-chair today’s meeting as the Foreign Minister of a recipient-turned-donor country, in our common journey for sustainable development.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Potentially, it can become a historic year in its own right, a landmark year in the UN’s pursuit of its key objectives: peace, development and human rights. Our ambitious agendas – to set the post-2015 development agenda and to reach a new global climate change accord – will define not just the world we live in, but the world of our children.

In this regard, today’s symposium is timely and significant in driving the momentum to reach new sustainable development goals, as it is the final symposium in the run-up to the Addis Ababa conference and the New York Development summit. Furthermore, the Millennium Development Goals’ target date is fast approaching. Despite the fifteen year-long efforts and many successes, the bitter reality is that the “bottom billion” still suffer from crushing poverty. And in terms of equality, access to justice, and the environment, there are major gaps to be filled.

Indeed, we are living in a paradox, where our way of life is undermining our life and our planet. The linear economy structure i.e., the pattern of mass production, mass consumption and mass dumping is not only unsustainable, but it is also aggravating climate change and imperiling our future. It is in this context that we are trying to shape and sharpen our vision for a post-2015 world.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Last January in Davos, I took part in a leaders’ discussion group, “Defining the Imperatives for 2015.” Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, who chaired the discussions, asked me the first question: how would Korea contribute to sustainable development, the most important agenda for the UN this year?

My response was, we should ensure that the “three main stops for the 2015 roadmap” – the Financing for Development conference in July, the UN Development Summit in September and the UN Climate Change conference in December – should dovetail each other, and we should collaborate together.

Today’s symposium is being held as part of that continuum, to give impetus and create synergy in the discussions leading up to the post-2015 development agenda. The daunting question before us is “development cooperation for people and planet: what will it take?”

As I know you will engage and explore this question in its myriad aspects in the course of the next two days, instead of trying to supply answers, I will try to set the stage by sharing a few key words.

First, is partnership. The nature of international development cooperation is going through changes; the post-2015 development agenda is about taking an integrated approach on the social, economic and environmental factors. This has been translated into an unprecedented number of actors, pledges and means of implementation, working not only for poverty eradication and development, but for human dignity and environmental sustainability as well.

This is a welcome phenomenon. We should embrace and empower such enthusiastic participation, and align partnerships to bring out synergies. Traditional and emerging donor countries; recipient countries and international organizations; civil society and the private sector; we all need to encourage and engage with each other as partners in the journey for a universal agenda.

And with the rise of broader and newer kinds of partnerships in development cooperation, we should not shy away from deploying new tools that fit the changing circumstances. In the fifteen short years since the MDGs, we have seen sea changes in technology. So, how can we use the data revolution and non-financial means of implementation to help us turn challenges into opportunities? How can various pledges be linked with means of implementation?

By tackling such problems and coming up with possible solutions, this Symposium can provide an enabling policy environment and eliminate bottlenecks in development cooperation.

Second, is universality. All voices have been calling for a universal post-2015 agenda. In this sense, whether we attain universality could make or break the post-2015 system. Just as we have no ‘planet B,’ we have no ‘plan B’ except for a universal, win-win agenda for sustainable development.

For this, we need renewed global solidarity. Yes, achieving a universal agenda will be more difficult. But the process of working together for a global development cooperation model that puts people and planet at the center can actually serve as a catalyst in strengthening international solidarity.

In this regard, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been urging a post-2015 agenda that is more than an MDG sequel, with the message that quote, “commitments without empowerment are words without meaning. Solidarity is crucial to solving problems in our interconnected world,” unquote.

Third, is coherence and cross-linkages. There is a real need for improving coherence among various approaches and enhancing connectivity among different issues. Global issues such as the Ebola outbreak, humanitarian crises including refugees, food and energy security are often closely linked, and can be best solved through a comprehensive, inclusive approach.

And in my view, this is how we should approach the many upcoming events to be held in the run-up to the post-2015 Summit in September. The key is connecting the fragmented dots to an integrated whole, to weave the different strands into a harmonious unity that is bigger than its parts.

And it is in such a spirit that following today’s symposium, Korea will host the World Water Forum next week, and the World Education Forum in May. As an emerging development partner, we wish to connect and synergize the key elements of the post-2015 agenda by holding these global events. This is in addition to our efforts to promote effective development cooperation through the Busan Global Partnership.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This year, as the curtains fall on an era, we are building a new stage. During the past three years, we have come together to reach our goal. Now, we are on the final stretch. The remaining five months are a golden opportunity to bring our wisdom together, to forge a harmonious partnership for development cooperation.

So, today and tomorrow, let us explore constructive and creative ways in making development cooperation work for people and planet.

Thank you.