Resolution on 2030 follow-up and review – still no agreement

The President of the UN General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft has written to inform UN Member States that, at the request of Group of 77 and China, the informal consultations on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development "effectively have to be concluded" by 2 September 2016, and that facilitation must be done by Member States. In their letter, sent by the Chair of the Group of 77 and China, which is attached to his letter, he had been requested to renew his facilitation and good offices.

Negotiations on the resolution had taken place in April, May and June 2016, with Lois Young, Permanent Representative of Belize, and Ib Petersen, Permanent Representative of Denmark as co-facilitators. After the silence procedure was broken on 6 June 2016, Lykketoft consulted with "concerned parties" to encourage agreement.

In his letter, Lykketoft refers to the need for agreement to allow for timely and effective preparations for the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in the coming years and encourages the G-77/China to meet with other delegations in order to bring negotiations to a conclusion “at the earliest possible date” within the 70th session of the UNGA, but in advance of 2 September 2016.  He also reiterates his proposal to "deliver introductory remarks which reflect among other issues, concerns raised during the process of consultations, provided that a consensus draft resolution is brought before the General Assembly." 

Insofar as the draft resolution includes the programme for the coming sessions of the HLPF, there is currently no confirmation on themes or goals to be addressed in 2017.

See also: http://sd.iisd.org/news/unga-president-urges-agreement-on-2030-follow-up/