Changes in UN High-Level Leadership Announced

As reported by IISD, several high-level leadership positions related to intergovernmental sustainable development policy will be filled in the coming months. In addition to positions within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, there are also selection processes for the next Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the next UN Secretary-General are underway.

In December 2015, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) President and the President of the Security Council sent a joint letter to all UN Member States that officially started the process of soliciting candidates leading to the selection and appointment of the next UN Secretary-General, who will assume the role in January 2017...

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Meeting HLPF WG Monday 22 Feb, 9:30 am EST

TO UN DESA NGO MAJOR GROUP & OTHER STAKEHOLDERS  

Members of the NGO MG are invited to provide their inputs for 4 representatives of Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS) who will be attending a retreat hosted by Germany and Republic of Korea for the 2016 HLPF volunteering countries in New York from 23-24 February (see attached draft programme and concept note).

• Inputs in writing may be provided in the following Google Document by Monday, 22 February: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sUM2NW-epfcW4845V6ADC_vU8AfcAl-M_cDvGMLOeew/edit
• NGOs are also invited to participate by webex in a meeting with the 4 MGoS representatives taking place on Monday, 22 February, 9:30 am - 10:30 am NY time, by accessing the webex link below...

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ECOSOC Creates Adviser Team on UN Development System Dialogue

An independent team of advisers has been created by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Bureau to support the ongoing ECOSOC dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the UN Development System (UNDS). This dialogue is in its second phase, and Member States will now develop proposals for strengthening the UNDS in response to the requirements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The first meeting of the advisers will be held on 24-25 February 2016.

Héctor Cerna, Vice-President of ECOSOC, informed UN Member States during a briefing on 12 February 2016, about the road map for the second phase of the dialogue, which began in December 2015. A retreat will be held to focus on what changes, especially in functions, are required in UNDS to support Member States in delivering the 2030 Agenda (26-27 February)...

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Briefings on SDG indicators and 47th session of the Statistical Commission

Two briefings on the SDGS global indicator framework and the work of the 47th session of the Statistical Commission have been announced.

On Friday, 19 February 2016, in the ECOSOC Chamber, immediately after the plenary meeting of the Economic and Social Council to take action on the President’s draft proposals on the dates and themes of the various meetings and segments of the Council, there will be an informal meeting, convened by the President of the Council. Stefan Schweinfest, Director of the Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will provide further information on the global indicator framework for monitoring the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,...

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Consultations for Refugee and Migrant High-level Meeting to be led by Jordan and Ireland

The President of the UN General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, has appointed Dina Kawar, Permanent Representative of Jordan, and David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland, as co-facilitators for the intergovernmental consultations leading to the UNGA's high-level meeting on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants. David Donoghue co-facilitated the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, together with Ambassador Macharia Kamau of Kenya.

The high-level plenary meeting will take place on 19 September 2016, immediately before the 71st General Debate and will be hosted by US President Barack Obama...

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Participate in the 2016 HIV/AIDS High-level Meeting: DEADLINE: 12 February 2016!

In accordance with resolution A/Res/70/228, the UN General Assembly will convene a high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS (HLM) from 8-10 June 2016 at UN Headquarters in New York. The HLM will undertake a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 and 2011 Political Declarations on HIV/AIDS. It will adopt a concise and action-oriented declaration as its outcome, to be agreed upon by Member States, to guide and monitor the HIV/AIDS response beyond 2015, towards achieving the commitment of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030...

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To UN DESA NGO Major Group & other stakeholders

Invitation to join the NGO MG TOR webex/meeting tomorrow morning, 11 February, 9:30 am - 11:30 am NY, at UN secretariat, Room S-26MM2. RSVP and webex links are below. 

All NGOs are invited to participate in a webex/meeting to review and discuss the implementation of the draft NGO Major Group Terms of Reference (TOR), to take place on Thursday, 11 February, 9:30 am - 11:30 am EST NY, at UN secretariat, Room S-26MM2 (space is limited, so first come, first serve). 

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President of the UNGA’s High-level Thematic Debate on Achieving the SDGs: Apply for Stakeholder Speaking Roles

On Thursday, 21 April 2016 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, the President of the UN General Assembly H.E. Mogens Lykketoft will convene a High-level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to support prompt and inclusive implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  

The Thematic Debate will feature a panel discussion on "Action at all levels," which will focus on national responses to implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This panel will include three stakeholder representatives: one each from civil society, the private sector and academia.

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Apply to attend 3rd meeting of Interagency & Expert Group on SDG Indicators

We have received the following invitation from Susan Alzner, NGLS: 

Mexico City, 30 March-1 April 2016 

Dear Colleagues,

At the request of the UN DESA Statistics Division, UN-NGLS is facilitating an application process to identify representatives from civil society organizations, academia and the private sector to attend the Third Meeting of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators, taking place in Mexico City, Mexico from 30 March - 1 April 2016. Information about this meeting is available here. 

Representatives can either apply to be members of the Stakeholder Selection Committee or to attend the meeting...

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Next Steps on Global Follow-up and Review… General Assembly informal meeting

UN officials presented the advance report of the UN Secretary-General on the global follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ‘Critical Milestones Towards Coherent, Efficient and Inclusive Follow-Up and Review at the Global Level,'  to an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly. (See: Report of the Secretary-General on critical milestones towards coherent, efficient and inclusive follow-up and review at the global level)  

Government delegations provided preliminary reactions to the report and views on the way forward, with many describing the report as a “good basis” for further discussions on the follow-up and review framework...

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