Co-facilitators’ draft resolution of 6 May 2016

The President of the UN General Assembly has circulated a letter from the Co-facilitators together with their draft resolution dated 6 May 2016 on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda at the global level. Intergovernmental negotiations on the draft will begin on Thursday 12 May at 3 pm.

The draft resolution recalls resolution 70/1 entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” with the commitment of Member States to “engage in systematic follow-up and review of the implementation of the Agenda in accordance with agreed guiding principles” and the assertion of the role of the high-level political forum (HLPF). (PP3)

Sequence of themes 

The process as included in the resolution states that “the sequence of the themes for each four-year cycle of the forum shall reflect the integrated, indivisible, interlinked nature of the sustainable development goals and three dimensions of sustainable development, including cross-cutting issues as well as new and emerging issues…” (para2)

The HLPF under ECOSOC will discuss a set of goals each session reflecting the three pillars as well as goal 17. (para 3) There are proposed as follows:

2017 Theme: Ensuring food security on a safe planet by 2030

Set of focus goals: 1, 2, 6, 13, 14, 15 and 17

2018 Theme: Making cities sustainable and building productive capacities

Set of focus goals: 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 17

2019 Theme: Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness

Set of focus goals: 3, 4, 5, 10, 16 and 17 (para 4)

The ECOSOC should also align its annual themes with the corresponding HLPF themes. (para 5)

Voluntary national reviews

On voluntary national reviews experience gained from 2016 and subsequent reviews should be taken into consideration to ensure that the “reviews are afforded appropriate organizational arrangements.” (para 6) Both developing and developed countries should be encouraged to undertake reviews and to consider carrying out two reviews between now and 2030, with the Secretary-General updating voluntary reporting guidelines as appropriate. (paras 7-9) Follow up at the regional and sub-regional levels, moreover, can contribute to the work of the HLPF. (para 10) There should also be linkages with all relevant UN Conferences and processes. (para 11)

Major Groups and other Stakeholders

As included in resolution 67/290, the HLPF shall be open to Major Groups, other Stakeholders (MGoS) and entities “having received a standing invitation as observers in the General Assembly in the modalities set out in the same resolution.” Moreover, “innovative arrangements, including web-based interfaces” should be considered to “support the effective, broad and balanced participation by region and by type of organization.” (para 12)

Documentation

Documentation for the HLPF shall include the quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report, the annual Sustainable Development Goals Report and the conclusions and recommendations of the annual ECOSOC forum on financing for development and the annual summary by the co-chairs of the Multistakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for SDGs. (para 13)

Input from MGoS

It calls on MGoS to “report on their contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda” and also encourages them to inform the UN about their commitments to implement the SDGs as part of their contribution to follow-up and review.” (para 14)

All inputs will be made available and easily accessible in a “user-friendly format.” (para 15)

Coherence 

Coherence with the work of the HLPF is encouraged by the General Assembly and its main committees, the ECOSOC functional commissions and other intergovernmental bodies and forums, with a review of the organization of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the ECOSOC considering scheduling its engagement with various intergovernmental bodies to support contributions to the HLPF. (paras 16-18)

The three-day ministerial segment of the HLPF will be merged with the high-level segment of ECOSOC. (para 19) And when the HLPF is meeting both under the auspices of the General Assembly and ECOSOC, there will be only one negotiated declaration. (para 20) There will otherwise be a declaration when it meets under the auspices of ECOSOC with a factual summary from the President. (para 21)

Progress will be reviewed at the 74^th session of the General Assembly. (para 22)