High-level Political Forum

Another UN body is coming into being which is likely to have an impact on the deliberations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. It is the High-level Political Forum (HLPF). It was called for the outcome document for the Rio + 20 Conference that was held in 2012, the Future We Want. It will replace the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and, insofar as its origins are in Rio + 20, the HLPF could focus more on the SDGs than on other aspects of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. It is, however, going to be an important player going forward, given that proposals are being discussed to hold periodic meetings at the highest level, as well as annually at the Ministerial level.

Background and origins of the HLPF

In the Future We Want, paragraph 84 Governments decided to:

“establish a universal intergovernmental high level political forum, building on the strengths, experiences, resources and inclusive participation modalities of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and subsequently replacing the Commission.”

The Future We Want further sets out the remit of the HLPF as:

(a) political leadership, guidance, and recommendations for sustainable development;

(b) enhance integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development in a holistic and cross-sectoral manner at all levels;

(c) provide a dynamic platform for regular dialogue, and stocktaking and agenda setting to advance sustainable development;

(d) have a focused, dynamic and action-oriented agenda, ensuring the appropriate consideration of new and emerging sustainable development challenges;

(e) follow up and review progress in the implementation of sustainable development commitments contained in Agenda 21, Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, Barbados Programme of Action, Mauritius Strategy for Implementation and the outcome of this Conference and, as appropriate, relevant outcomes of other UN summits and conferences, including the outcome of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, as well as their respective means of implementation;

(f) encourage high-level system-wide participation of UN Agencies, funds and programmes and invite to participate, as appropriate, other relevant multilateral financial and trade institutions, treaty bodies, within their respective mandates and in accordance with UN rules and provisions;

(g) improve cooperation and coordination within the UN system on sustainable development programmes and policies;

(h) promote transparency and implementation through further enhancing the consultative role and participation of Major Groups and other relevant stakeholders at the international level in order to better make use of their expertise, while retaining the intergovernmental nature of discussions;

(i) promote the sharing of best practices and experiences relating to the implementation of sustainable development, and on a voluntary basis, facilitate sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learnt;

(j) promote system-wide coherence and coordination of sustainable development policies;

(k) strengthen the science-policy interface through review of documentation bringing together dispersed information and assessments, including in the form of a global sustainable development report, building on existing assessments;

(l) enhance evidence-based decision-making at all levels and contribute to strengthen ongoing efforts of capacity building for data collection and analysis in developing countries. (paragraph 85)

Member States agreed to launch an intergovernmental and open, transparent and inclusive negotiation process under the UN General Assembly to define the format and organizational aspects of the HLPF with the aim of convening its first meting at the beginning of the sixty-eighth session of the Assembly. (paragraph 86)

Negotiations to date

The General Assembly, in its resolution 67/203 called for the negotiation process on the HLPF to start in January 2013 and to conclude by May 2013 to meet the deadline of the sixty-eighth session of the Assembly.  The Permanent Representatives of Brazil, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, and Italy, were appointed to lead the negotiations.

First meeting, 30 January 2013

As stated on the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform (the first meeting took place on 30 January 2013 to allow members to share views on main issues related to the format and organizational modalities of the forum, namely:

Institutional format; positioning of the Forum within the UN system and its institutional relation with other UN organs and bodies; related procedural rules;

Timing, periodicity, duration of meetings and related preparatory process;

Level of participation;

Modalities of participation of UN agencies, funds and programmes and other relevant multilateral institutions and treaty bodies;

Modalities of enhanced consultative role and participation of Major Groups and other relevant stakeholders;

Nature of outcomes of the Forum.

Second meeting, 1 March 2013

The second open-ended informal meeting was convened on 1 March 2013 by the two co-facilitators for the process, Cesare Maria Ragaglini, Permanent Representative of Italy, and Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Permanent Representative of Brazil. They had held informal consultations with groups and individual and with Major Groups. Most had agreed to concluding the negotiations by end of May 2013 so that the first meeting of the Forum could be held as scheduled in September 2013. 

There was “little appetite” for creating a new structured institution “with its own layer of bureaucracy,” and the positive legacy of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) should be preserved. There were different opinions on the institutional positioning of the HLPF. There was a preference for linking participation of UN agencies, funds, programmes and other relevant multilateral institutions and treaty bodies to the agenda of Forum’s meetings, and for ensuring participation at the highest level possible. Some agreement existed that modalities of participation of Major Groups and other stakeholders should be “no less than what is provided in the framework of the CSD and possibly more."

The positioning of the Forum was discussed during the meeting with delegates expressing thoughts on holding the HLPF as: a special session of Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); a UN General Assembly working group; or a forum with links between these two intergovernmental bodies. There was more support for the latter ‘hybrid’ option by the end of the meeting. Suggestions were made on regional political forums in addition to the main HLPF, and for a Joint Secretariat and Bureau similar to the CSD. Different levels of HLPF meetings (high-level, ministerial, and expert) and to ECOSOC’s potential role in facilitating meetings of ministers and experts were also considered. 

It was hoped that the HLPF will: “follow up on all major international commitments including those in the Mauritius Strategy (MSI) and the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA); support the voluntary sharing of best practices; and review progress on implementation, including the effective implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with a focus at country level.” Suggestions were also made for having cross-cutting themes as part of the agenda, which should be innovative and attract political attention.

As to the timing of meetings, there was support for high-level meetings of the HLPF, back-to-back with the UNGA lasting from one day to two weeks, but not necessarily each year. It was suggested that the first HLPF meeting should be held after the Special Event in September, to follow up efforts made towards achieving MDGs. Regular meetings each year at ministerial and ‘expert’ levels, in addition to high-level meetings, were suggested.

Existing inclusive stakeholder engagement, using “what was in the CSD” should be used as a starting point, efforts to attract highest levels of participation with all States represented. There was also discussion as to whether there should be a negotiated outcome document, which should be specific and action-oriented, or a Chair’s summary. The final session of the CSD would be held in 2013 and there were concerns that the HLPF should not lose its achievements, including on issues of small island developing States (SIDS).

The negotiations for the creation of the HLPF are taking place parallel to other processes, including the reform and strengthening of ECOSOC. In addition, the processes for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a post-2015 development agenda were important for the eventual work of the HLPF, and some called for coherence with an upcoming agreement on climate change in 2015.The Secretariat will provide support in presenting elements for a draft resolution, based on the views expressed so far.

Click here for the full report

Third meeting 21 March 2013

The Third Informal Consultation on HLPF was held on 21 March. It discussed ‘lessons learned’ from the CSD proposals. The concluding paragraph the document prepared by the UN Secretary General says:

(para 93) “The lessons learned from twenty years of the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development should be the starting point for giving final shape to its replacement, the high-level political forum on sustainable development. The setting of a focused agenda, its working methods and the related challenge of energized and high-level engagement will be the key to its success. As part of the institutional framework for sustainable development, the forum should have a clear niche, strongly linked to the follow-up of Rio+20 and other related conferences and summits, while at the same time helping mainstream sustainable development in the work of the United Nations, including the General Assembly and ECOSOC. To overcome the shortcomings and build on the strengths of the Commission on Sustainable Development, the forum would need to maintain a strong focus on implementation at all levels, including sharing of experiences; furthering integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development, engaging more strongly the economic and social policy making communities; enhancing the engagement of major groups, the academic and scientific community; having a focused and flexible agenda and a robust preparation process, with support from a stronger UN inter-agency process; encouraging and strengthening partnerships, initiatives and voluntary commitments, and reviewing and monitoring progress on a regular basis.”

Proposals were also discussed for yearly meetings of the HLPF at the ministerial level during the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), together with a meeting of Heads of State and Government (every 4 years) during the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly. The body will link with both the UN General Assembly and ECOSOC. Some delegates were concerned about the limited membership of ECOSOC and the need for equal participation.

A fourth round of consultations is expected.

Expert Group Meeting 3-4 April 2013

A two-day Expert Group Meeting was held on 3-4 April with interactive discussions following initial presentations by selected panelists. Participants included Member States and UN representatives, as well as relevant stakeholders from UN system, academics, think tanks and NGOs platforms (eg CIVICUS).

Global, regional and national aspects of the work of the forum as well as thematic issues, the forum’s link to other bodies and processes and the involvement of all relevant actors, both state and non-state were discussed. Topics for discussion included the positioning and role of the HLPF; and ‘keeping the compass’ on the SDGs and the Post-2015 development agenda looking specifically at the role for the HLPF, given that 
it is largely accepted that the Post-2015 development agenda needs to have sustainable development as its basis. The HLPF could be a natural platform to review and follow-up on SDGs, bringing together in an integrated way all three dimensions of sustainable development, as stipulated in the Future We Want.  It was therefore important to consider how it can best connect with the Post-2015 development agenda.

For programme, concept paper and presentation click here.