Final draft resolution on follow-up and review of 2030 Agenda circulated by co-facilitators – further information

The co-facilitators requested that the ‘under silence’ deadline should be extended on the draft resolution until 9 June 2016 at noon. 

Themes and sets of goals

On themes and sets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the remainder of the current cycle of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the draft resolution decides:

•  'Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world' will be discussed in 2017
•  'Transformation toward sustainable and resilient societies' will be discussed in 2018
•  'Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality' will be discussed in 2019.

It also notes that the SDGs to be reviewed are: 

•  1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 14 (2017)
•  6, 7, 11, 12, 15 (2018)
•  4, 8, 10, 13, 16 (2019)

The HLPF will discuss a set of Goals and their interlinkages with a view to facilitating an in-depth review on progress of all Goals over the course of a four-year cycle, "with means of implementation, including goal 17, reviewed annually."

Voluntary national reviews and countries in special situations

On voluntary national reviews (VNRs) and countries in special situations, the President of  ECOSOC should encourage VNRs from all countries, "including countries in special situations." It reaffirms resolution 67/290 paragraph 11 on providing adequate time to discussing the sustainable development challenges facing developing countries, including the most vulnerable countries, during the meetings of the HLPF, and recognizes the challenges facing countries in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Participation and inclusiveness

The final draft encourages consideration of web-based interfaces in the organization of the HLPF meetings "as an additional means" of supporting the effective, broad and balanced participation by region and by type of organization, in accordance with the modalities on participation of stakeholders in UNGA resolution 67/290. It reiterates the call to Major Groups and Stakeholders (MGoS)  to report on their contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Documentation

The draft reaffirms that an annual SDG progress report and the quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) will inform HLPF meetings, "as well as all other relevant inputs." All inputs to the HLPF shall be made available and easily accessible utilizing existing web-based platforms.

Coherence

Coherence of the UNGA and its main committees, ECOSOC and its specialized agencies and functional commissions, and other intergovernmental bodies and fora with the work of the HLPF toward follow-up and review is encouraged. The Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) should take into account the 2030 Agenda. It also takes note of the ongoing work of the General Assembly, ECOSOC and other intergovernmental bodies and fora on review of their working methods and agendas. The UN Secretary-General is requested to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, and internal coordination of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), "considering the need for avoiding overlap of its work, and ensuring that the work of the Department is organized in an integrated, cohesive, coordinated and collaborative manner."

By the draft resolution, the Assembly would decide to convene the biennial Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) prior to the HLPF, and invite ECOSOC "to consider timing its engagement with various intergovernmental bodies" in order to support their contribution to the HLPF. It requests the ECOSOC President "to jointly convene" the ECOSOC high-level segment and the three ministerial days of the HLPF under the auspices of ECOSOC. It also decides that HLPF meetings under the auspices of the UNGA and those under the auspices of ECOSOC shall be closely coordinated, "especially when it is deemed appropriate to convene" the HLPF under the auspices of ECOSOC in the same year that it is convened under the auspices of the UNGA "in order to provide necessary space for the conduct of voluntary national reviews and thematic reviews."

On outcome, the draft resolution decides that the HLPF shall only have one negotiated political declaration, "covering the different and complementary functions of both sessions" of the HLPF when the Forum is convened twice in the same year. It also reaffirms that the outcome of the HLPF under the auspices of ECOSOC will result in a negotiated ministerial declaration for inclusion in the report of the Council to the UNGA, "except as otherwise provided," and invites the "ECOSOC President, in consultation with the Bureau of the Council," to prepare a factual summary to reflect the discussions of the meeting. [Final Draft Resolution] [IISD RS Story on 26 May Draft Resolution]

Read more: http://sd.iisd.org/news/resolution-on-2030-agenda-follow-up-under-silence-procedure/