Background to the UN 2023 Water Conference

Sadly the world is not on track to achieve the water-related Sustainable Development Goals and targets at the global level by 2030, at the current rate of progress. 

Against the background of this reality, in accordance with resolution A/RES/73/226, the UN General Assembly will convene the United Nations 2023 Water Conference[1] in New York, 22-24 March 2023,  co-hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands, with Mr Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations as its Secretary. The key objective is to support the achievement of the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in the context of its three economic, social and environmental pillars.

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UN 2023 Water Conference

Water: a key SDG for the attainment of the 2030 Agenda 

Sustainable development goal (SDG 3) on health and wellbeing for all at all ages, SDG 4 on inclusive and equitable education, SDG 5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment and other SDGs are dependent on SDG 6 on the availability of water and sanitation for all. The UN 2023 Water Conference will therefore play an important role in getting the 2030 Agenda back on track for its achievement by its target date.

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The passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Commonwealth Medical Trust (Commat), Chair and Trustees have been deeply saddened at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We have joined with the 56 nations of the Commonwealth in saying a final farewell to the monarch who dedicated her long life to the service of her country and the Commonwealth for over 70 years. 

Her Majesty’s abiding love for Commonwealth countries, having visited all but two, has provided a foundation for the modern family of nations in which we are privileged to carry out our activities today.

Rest in peace, Your Majesty, reunited with your husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip. 

We extend our condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and members of the Royal Family and as a Commonwealth Organization we now look forward to continuing our work under his leadership

Decisions of Commission on Population and Development and Commission on Status of Women concerning ICPD+30 and Beijing+30

In 2022 the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) and the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) passed respective resolutions on the next five-year reviews of the ICPD Programme of Action (2024) and the Beijing Platform for Action (2025). Both have strong linkages to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and support national and regional level related review processes. Summaries of the contents of each are set out below. 

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Passing of Dr Nafis Sadik

The Commonwealth Medical Trust (Commat) is profoundly saddened to learn of the passing of Dr Nafis Sadik, the Executive Director of UNFPA from 1987 to 2000.

In 1994, she led the negotiations for the landmark International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, at which the ICPD Programme of Action was adopted, which has subsequently defined the work of Governments, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders on sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

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Read Gorilla gazette for latest news from Bwindi and Nkuringo

The latest Gorilla gazette has been posted! 

There is a new member of the Xmas family. 

Meanwhile the NCENT women and their children are having to trek down the mountain to fetch water as it still the dry season and the water tanks are dry. 

Click here to get the latest from Bwindi - http://ngosbeyond2014.org/gorilla-gazette-newsletter/

Return to pre-pandemic numbers of ground passes for NGOs

We want to inform you of changes to the current number of yearly grounds passes issued to civil society organizations for the UNHQ in New York.

Effective immediately, the Department of Global Communications (DGC) and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) are returning to issuing their regular, pre-pandemic, number of annual passes issued to organizations associated with DGC or in consultative status with ECOSOC.

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[Registration is Open!] 2022 STI Forum (5-6 May 2022) on Whova

The seventh annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum) will be held from 5 to 6 May 2022. The Forum will be convened by the President of ECOSOC H.E. Mr. Collen Vixen Kelapile who has appointed two co-chairs - H.E. Mr. Kennedy Godfrey Gastorn, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations, and H.E. Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations. As per its mandate, the Forum will be organized by the UN interagency task team on STI for the SDGs (IATT), convened by UN-DESA and UNCTAD, and the 10-Member Group of high-level representatives appointed by the Secretary General.

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New Gorilla Gazette from Bwindi

The latest Gorilla Gazette has arrived! 

We all like to see Dads with their little ones, particularly when they are Silverback Mountain Gorillas! Click on the photo to read the latest from Bwindi about the gorillas who live there and about the impact of rainfall patterns on the lives of the women and their families who live in the nearby village of Nkuringo 

Stakeholders Online Briefing: 7th Multi-stakeholder Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals Forum

The seventh annual STI Forum will be held from 5 to 6 May 2022. The Forum will be convened by the President of ECOSOC, H.E. Mr. Collen Vixen Kelapile who has appointed two co-chairs - H.E. Mr. Kennedy Godfrey Gastorn, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations, and H.E. Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations. As per its mandate, the Forum will be organized by the UN interagency task team on STI for the SDGs (IATT), convened by UN-DESA and UNCTAD, and the 10-Member Group of high-level representatives appointed by the Secretary General. 

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