For the first time, the Chair of the UN General Assembly's (UNGA) Second Committee (Economic and Financial) will convene informal consultations with NGOs in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), regarding the agenda and work of the Second Committee. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is preparing a discussion paper based on the Second Committee's 9 October discussion of its working methods, as preparation for the NGOs consultation on 22 October. According to DESA, “this innovative step in the Second Committee represents a unique opportunity for civil society to share its distinctive perspective and concrete inputs to Member States' deliberations on the Committee's agenda and work in order to better respond to the challenges of implementing the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.” NGO speakers are asked to address: how the Committee can ensure its work is in line with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and how the Committee's agenda should look in the coming years. Written contributions can be submitted to ngobranch@gmail.com, by 19 October. A summary of proceedings will be made available to Member States in advance of the draft UNGA resolutions to be tabled later in October, for negotiation in November and December.  

date: 22 October 2015  
  10 am-1 pm  
venue: UN Headquarters, CR 2  
location: New York City, US  
contact: DESA NGO Branch  
e-mail: ngobranch@gmail.com  
www: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bFlvmr-t1DvHasY7b1izPxPBC0Xbzo5VTyF-QeJ-JJY/viewform