Like most international development movers and shakers, Julia Gillard sees 2015 as a “year of decision” and a “pivotal moment for global development.”
The next 12 months will see the adoption of a new global climate agreement in Paris, the global deadline for aid data transparency in Busan, South Korea, and, of course, the creation of the post-2015 agenda. International leaders and stakeholders are expected to gather in New York City in September to carve out this new “plan,” which will serve as a blueprint to guide development programs for the next 15 years.
But while opinions may differ on how far (or not) we’ve come to pursuing and achieving development goals, Australia’s former prime minister emphasized the need for stakeholders to not only remain focused on improving these goals but to also figure out what to prioritize, including guiding principles, objectives and, of course, financing.