A meeting of Finance Ministers was convened by the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General and the Finance Ministers of Canada and Jamaica on September 8, 2020.
The overall objective of the Meeting of the Ministers of Finance was to present a single ambitious menu of policy options to the Heads of State and Government to recover from the current crisis in the short term and mobilize the financial resources to achieve the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and build the resilience and sustainability of countries and the global financial architecture over the medium to long term.
The specific objectives of the Meeting of the Ministers of Finance are as follows:
- To enable Ministers of Finance to discuss, further refine and transmit to Heads of State and Government the menu of options and key highlights compiled by the six discussion groups on their six respective topics for the short, medium and long term;
- To ensure that the menu of options fully reflects the needs and views of the Ministries of Finance at their highest level, thereby fostering ownership of the outcome by both developed and developing countries, regardless of their size and level of income;
- To reinforce high-level political momentum for a global comprehensive response prior to review and consideration by the Heads of State of the menu of options at a separate Leader’s meeting on 29 September 2020.
Documents
- Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond: Menu of Options for the Consideration of Ministers of Finance (Part I)
- Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond: Menu of Options for the Consideration of Ministers of Finance (Part II)
- Meeting Summary (French) (Spanish)
Logistics
- Meeting of the Ministers of Finance Frequently Asked Questions
- Meeting of the Ministers of Finance Participant’s Guide
- Interprefy phone and desktop user guide
Participants
Participants included:
- Ministers of Finance of all 193 Member States of the United Nations.
- The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, High-Level speakers of international financial institutions, key UN entities that supported the six discussion groups, notably DESA, Regional Economic Commissions, UNCTAD and UNDP, other international organizations, representatives of the private sector and civil society; and selected world-renowned experts.
Simultaneous interpretation was provided in the six official languages of the United Nations.
The Event was opened by the co-conveners, the Ministers of Finance of Canada and Jamaica and the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General. The outcomes of the six Discussion Groups were presented for the consideration of the Ministers in a plenary segment. An interactive panel followed, with comments from international organizations, representatives of the private sector and civil society, and selected thought leaders. The meeting concluded with closing remarks from the co-conveners. Priority in the speaking order was granted to Ministers of Member States that co-led and participated in the discussion groups.
Watch the Meeting of the Ministers of Finance on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond
(Part 1)
(Part 2)