This paper attempts to explore the conceptual controversies of the negotiations on a post-2015 development agenda. The ongoing intergovernmental negotiations of a successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals aim to bring together two work streams on development: Amartya Sen’s work on “human capabilities” and “sustainable development” as outlined by the Brundtland report. Whereas Northern countries are primarily concerned by issues related to climate change, states from the 'global South' are advocating for their right to development. Furthermore, the negotiations involve the ideas of universality and global partnerships by moving from the transfer of official development assistance to managing 'global public goods'. Based on semi-structured interviews and participant observation of the negotiations in the UN General Assembly, the paper addresses the following questions: How is this paradigm shift in development cooperation framed in UN documents? Which diplomatic dynamics can be observed and what lessons be learned for global goal setting?
