21 December 2017: UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Miroslav Lajcak appointed the permanent representatives of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Belgium as co-facilitators on “enhancing synergies and coherence and reducing overlap” among the agendas of several bodies in light of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In his letter to UN Member States on 21 December 2017, Lajcak announces that Inga Rhonda King, Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, Permanent Representative of Belgium, will serve as co-facilitators to lead the intergovernmental consultations. The discussions will address the agendas of the UNGA, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), their subsidiary bodies, the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, and other related fora, the President notes.

The appointment of co-facilitators follows on a meeting on 15 December 2017, at which Member States exchanged views on aligning the work of the UNGA with the 2030 Agenda. In September 2017 the UNGA adopted a resolution under its agenda item on ‘Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly,’ requesting the President of the 72nd UNGA to identify proposals, through consultations with all Member States and the ECOSOC President, to address gaps and duplication in the UNGA’s agenda “as they relate to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” for consideration during the 73rd UNGA session (A/RES/71/323). [UNGA President’s Letter on Appointment of Co-facilitators] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on 15 December Meeting] [UNGA Resolution 71/323]