In July 2012 the United Nations Secretary General appointed a High Level Panel of Eminent Persons to deliberate consult and provide independent recommendations on what international development framework might come after the Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015. The Panel is comprised of 27 members, including Heads of State, Ministers, former Ministers and independent experts. It is chaired by Prime Minister David Cameron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

The High Level Panel of Eminent Persons has thus far held two meetings, the first in New York in the 25th September 2012; and in London between October 31 to November 1, 2012. The third meeting of the High Level Panel will take place between 30 January 2012 and 2nd February 2013 in Monrovia, Liberia.

OBJECTIVES

The HLP meeting in Monrovia will seek, amongst other priorities to:

• Discuss the elements of an outline for the Panel report and criteria for prioritizing the post-2015 agenda.
• Identify the drivers of economic transformation that need due consideration in a future global framework.
• Share evidence and consultation findings from various constituencies with members of the High Level Panel.
• Take stock of the emerging post-2015 agenda based on the discussions at New York and London and other Panel member contributions, so that Monrovia builds on this groundwork.
• Identify issues to be discussed at the fourth HLP meeting in Bali, Indonesia in March 2013.

THEMES:

The meeting will be organized around the central theme of ‘National Building Blocks for Sustained Prosperity’, with a particular focus on economic transformation. Topics under discussion will include:

• Enablers and barriers to economic transformation
• Equitable and sustainable outcomes
• Role of the Private Sector
• Governance and Institution building, with a particular focus on conflict affected and fragile states.

An emphasis on African Perspectives and Positions is also proposed.

DATES

The third meeting of the High Level Panel will take place between 30 January 2012 and 2nd February 2013 in Monrovia, Liberia. Civil society outreach events around this meeting will be enabled through meetings organised on 28th and 30th January 2013, i.e. two days prior to the 3rd HLP meet and as part of Day One of the meeting.

FORMAT

Day One: CSO Pre–‐Consultative Forum

The CSO Pre-Consultative Forum will be held on the 28th January 2013. This will be a full day program where CSOs will have an opportunity to meet among themselves in order to prepare for the engagement with HLP members and agree on strategic consensus positions. The format of the meeting will be a combination of plenary, panel and parallel sessions; and will be organized by a core group of global CSOs (Global Working Group) which will include strong representation from Southern, African and Liberian CSOs.

Day Two: CSO Outreach with the HLP

The second day of CSO outreach meetings will be held on the 30 January 2013, and will involve a two and a half hour interphase between forty CSO representatives and members of the HLP organized.

The first hour will take the format of a “town hall” event, where CSO members and grassroots representatives will share evidence, perspectives, and recommendations on the topic of National Building Blocks for Sustained Prosperity and its sub-themes. This will serve as a framing conversation, also giving critical clarity to the vision and aspirations of ordinary citizens for the future.

The following hour and thirty minutes will be organised in the form of four roundtables. The agenda for the roundtables will be focus on addressing the subthemes of the meeting from the perspective of marginalized groups including:

(i)                 Youth and children

(ii)               Women

(iii)             Disabled and aged

(iv)              Farmers workers and small businesses

The Framing Questions that have emerged from the 2nd HLP meeting held in London, UK will provide a context for the discussions held in the round tables and plenary sessions – and an opportunity for civil society groups who may not be in a position to be present in Monrovia to contribute to the deliberations. Details about the Framing Questions and how to respond to them are available here: http://www.worldwewant2015.org/Post2015HLP

PARTICIPATION

A total of 60 participants are expected during the CSO pre-consultative forum on Day 1; whereas 40 of these participants will then meet with the HLP on 30th January during the Outreach day. Details of the CSO registration and participation process will be announced shortly.

In selecting participants, special attention will be given to representation from key stakeholder groups, including

• Marginalized groups such as women’s networks, youth groups, children’s networks, groups for the disabled and aged.
• Special interest groups on issues of economic transformation such as traders, informal sector representatives, farmers associations, and trade unions;
• CSOs from Africa and the global south (Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and Arab regions)

FOCAL POINTS

A core group of civil society representatives from the region – the Africa CSO Working Group – is providing leadership to the preparations that are being undertaken for the outreach events. Focal points within this working group, who can be reached for further details, include:

• Overview: ACORD, African Monitor, GCAP Africa and WaterAid Liberia info@askafricanow.org
• Focus on Women & Gender: FEMNET, Dina Musindarwezo, director@femnet.or.ke
• Focus on Disability & Aged: HelpAge, Roseline Kihumba, Rkihumba@helpage.co.ke
• Focus on Children & Youth: Organisation for African Youth, George Ndung’u, george@oayouth.org
• Focus on Farmers, Workers and Small Businesses: ACORD, Salina Sanou, salina.sanou@acordinternational.org

The Africa CSO Working Group is working in close collaboration with the Liberia Working Group and CSOs from other regions, including Latin America, Asia and Europe to ensure diverse participation in the CSO outreach events. Leads for the roundtables (from other regions) are being identified and will soon be communicated.

The Africa CSO Working Group can be reached at info@askafricanow.org; and communications@askafricanow.org for media related queries. To reach Mrs. Namhla Mniki-Mangaliso, Head of the Secretariat and CSO Focal Point in Monrovia, please use headsecretariat@askafricanow.org.

11 Jan 2013

CSO

Outreach – Post 2015Secretariat

Monrovia,Liberia