24 July 2018: Less than one week after the close of the 2018 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which featured the presentation of 46 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), 39 countries have already indicated their intention to present a VNR during the 2019 HLPF session.

The following countries are planning to present VNRs in 2019: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Croatia, Eritrea, Fiji, France, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, UK, Uruguay and Vanuatu.

Forty-three countries presented VNRs at HLPF 2017. Twenty-two countries presented VNRs at HLPF 2016.

In addition to considering VNRs, HLPF 2019 is scheduled to address the theme, ‘Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.’ It will conduct an in-depth review of SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), in addition to SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals) which is reviewed each year. [UN VNR webpage]