A meeting of the HLPF Co-ordinating Mechanism (CM) was held on Tuesday 31 January 2017. Below are notes on the issues that were discussed including the proposed Expert Group Meeting of Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS), the ECOSOC President’s Retreat and the up-coming meeting with him. A matter of concern are issues related to CSO participation in the HLPF and also on invitations to informal meetings such as the Retreat.
1 Selection of co-chair for SG (Vladimir Cuk)
Emilia Reyes of WMG is the new Member Group co-chair of the HLPF CM.
2 Updates on upcoming meeting with ECOSOC President and preparations for an Expert Group Meeting of MGoS (DSD)
The meeting with the President of ECOSOC will be held on February 14 on the 27th Floor UN Building. It will also be available via webex for those not in NY.
A Task Group has been working on the proposed agenda, background note and possible question, which they expect to circulate shortly, as the group will complete their work by Wednesday, Feb 2. There will be an opportunity for comments from HLPF CM. The structure should address how to make VNR meaningful. It will not be about the thematic discussions or specific advocacy asks. There will be a short time to review and to respond with concrete recommendations.
DESA will circulate sign up sheet so President of ECOSOC knows who is participating (but it will still be possible for members of the HLPF CM to participate at the last minute).
Expert Group Meeting of Major Groups and other Stakeholders
DSD / DESA has approximately US$50,000 to organize an Expert Group Meeting:
- There is a DSD Task Group that is looking at best timing and venue, eg whether to piggyback on the gathering of HLPF VNR countries, so as to be able to include interaction with them. They could take part in discussion
- DSD still needs to give the Task Group some information to help them make decision
- The timing will most likely be at the end of March
- The content will probably include how MGoS are organizing at national level; interaction on VNRs; how CSO voluntary reports on our implementation of the 2030 agenda could/should be structured; etc
- More information will be coming soon from the Task Group/DSD
- Tne Task Group has not yet decided on the venue: it could be in Colombia or in NYC; DSD is preparing budgets for both Colombia and NYC to see how many could be funded. It is also awaiting more information on meeting of VNR countries and other partners who are working on reviews. (It will be in Colombia)
3 Update on HLPF (DSD)
A comprehensive update was given during the call two weeks ago and Lotta shared her talking points, so there was not much more to update now. She is still waiting to hear from Department for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Meetings to get the deadline for submission of sectoral thematic position papers and the word count.
As was pointed out by Emilia, CSOs wants to discuss the format for CSO participation; there will be a timeline to discuss this among HLPF CM. Lotta suggested that as group the HLPF CM gives some recommendations during the meeting with the ECOSOC President. A section on this can be included in the google doc for recommendations for this meeting.
4 Report from the ECOSOC President's retreat held on 20-21 January (Jeff Huffines)
Jeff gave a preliminary report with topline messages from each session and key take-aways for Major Groups and other Stakeholders. He is writing up a report for distribution at the end of the week. He will work with co-chairs to develop process for feedback and how to respond from MGoS.
- He recommends a follow-up letter to include key recommendations from MGoS based on ECOSOC retreat and post-EPres meeting
- Jeff and other stakeholders were only invited about one week before the event; Tanya Carr of ICC also joined; Stefano Prato couldn’t attend: IPU was there; UN Foundation couldn’t attend; Global governance institute was invited.
- Jeff based his input on the survey and webex consultation
- There were 87 participants, including the ECOSOC Bureau; participants in VNR 2016/2017 (there are now 43 for 2017 with Benin, Azerbaijan and Nigeria added); President of the General Assembly office representatives; UN agencies; UN Secretariat
- It was jointly organization by DESA Office for ECOSOC Coord with DSD, OESC, and Office for Financing for Development (FfD)
- The objectives for the retreat were: to facilitate preparations for HLPF; foster synergies with FfD & Science Technology and Innovation Forum (STI was barely mentioned); review of 2030 Agenda during course of four-year cycle; maximizing the role and contribution of ECOSOC system
- There were four sessions of which 1: on policy integration; 2 on VNR; 3 on FfD, e.g. balance between the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) and Means of Implementation, thematic discussions for country presentation during FfD Forum, engaging relevant stakeholders at the World Bank, Central banks, IFIs, finance ministers; 4 on Coherent follow-up on the MOI of the 2030 Agenda
Jeff focused his comments on Sessions 1 and 2 (FfD can be another day)
- The importance of national ownership; the Agenda is doable; there are issues on capacity; data is essential; there is a need robust operational framework; monitor and evaluation regularly to refine approach
- Policy integration/interlinkages: silos are a big challenge; it is hard to get ministries together; within committees, and experts even contradict each other in missions to UN; there is a need to recognize AAAA, 2030, NUA. Sendai all connected
- Scale up SDGs as business model for both public and private sector
- Discussion on engagement of private sector, incentives required to go beyond profit and reach those farthest behind not reached by business
- ECOSOC cycle has been changed to July-July to align with HLPF; so there is a question as how to align other important forums (youth, integration segment, etc) to feed into HLPF
- Partnerships: Member States Platform on Food Security in Rome, 25 experts to do reports on interlinkages, together with others they will have the opportunity to provide inputs to the HLPF
- Contributions by civil society:
- Opportunities to be part of preparations of VNRs through Member States platforms at national level
- Be part at HLPF
- Declaration needs to provide political guidance/leadership with specific recommendations based on findings of VNRs. These should be in HLPF report and in ministerial declaration
- Organization of HLPF by MS and others
- An extra day?
- Agreement by MS to have additional agenda item for MFoS reports on their implementation
Emilia & Orsolya asked as to whether we had no choice in who went to ECOSOC President’s retreat and whether it should be an issue in letter to him now, or whether it should be raised at the meeting. Lotta shared the draft letter this morning by Orsolya/Vladimir with this concern which was expressed in the Steering Group.
Lotta said that all invitations were sent out by DESA. The challenge was the vast agenda of the meeting (HLPF, ECOSOC, FfD with their own stakeholder coordination mechanisms).
Comments on these kinds of retreats were made by various participants around whether a direct letter should be send before meeting, recognizing the informality but also the need to strongly request that when they want a few people there to allow us to self-organize. (It is also more effective for them to have informed and substantive contribution.) Inputs can be collected for the meeting with the ECOSOC President A letter could be presented there although the preference might be to include it in the document. There are issues of courtesty and protocol. Ideas can be included in the google doc.
5 Other issues (to be addressed in next meetings)
- The Private Sector and how it contribute to Business and Industry Major Group with Global Compact and DSD. It held a business forum at the HLFP last year and wishes to again
- There is an interest in a dedicated agricultural day, by Ag businesses. DESA is interested to learn more about it
- The International Chamber of Commerce as an UN Observer and as MGoS
- The travel ban and its effects on HLPF etc
- Thematic review.