17 March 2016: UN Member States considered a proposed road map for consultations on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and offered initial views on the most critical issues to be discussed in the consultation process. The road map was presented by Lois Young, Permanent Representative of Belize, and Ib Petersen, Permanent Representative of Denmark, who were appointed as co-facilitators by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) President to lead “an open, inclusive and transparent” consultation process on follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda.

The co-facilitators’ appointment followed an informal meeting of the UNGA on 5 February, to discuss the UN Secretary-General’s report on ‘Critical Milestones Towards Coherence, Efficient and Inclusive Follow-up and Review at the Global Level’ (A/70/684). At that meeting, UNGA President Lykketoft concluded that greater clarity is needed regarding the follow-up and review process at the global level. Lykketoft has called on Member States to reach agreement on a draft resolution for adoption by the UNGA “well in advance” of the July 2016 meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).

Opening the informal UNGA meeting on 17 March 2016, in New York, US, Petersen said potential issues for discussion in the upcoming consultations include: theme-setting for the HLPF and thematic reviews; inputs to the HLPF from the UN system and others; framework for national reviews, and periodicity and format of those reviews; role of regional reviews and how they best contribute to the global level; countries in special situations and how to review implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in these countries at the global level; and UN system-wide support. Petersen added that a possible decision on a multi-year programme of work could cover the 2017, 2018 and 2019 sessions of the HLPF.

Young introduced the proposed road map for the consultations, which includes: an informal brainstorming meeting for Member States at the expert level (29 March), and informal consultations with Member States (31 March) and stakeholders (1 April) on what should be included in the resolution. The roadmap also notes the issuance of a non-paper on potential elements of the resolution (mid-April), a second session of informal consultations with Member States and stakeholders to build on the non-paper (week of 25 April), the issuance of a zero draft of the resolution (early May), and negotiations on the draft resolution (May 2016).

Responding to the proposed road map, some Member States welcomed the process, but many noted the “proliferation” of ongoing processes related to follow-up and review, such as those on the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSR), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development (FfD) follow-up, and the ECOSOC dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the UN development system, and cautioned against duplication.

Thailand for the Group of 77 and China (G-77/China) called for: ensuring that the follow-up and review process protects the integrated and indivisible nature of the SDGs and maintains the ambition of the 2030 Agenda; ensuring that the HLPF works coherently with the UNGA, ECOSOC and other relevant organs and fora; deciding how the HLPF will be organized and how the voluntary national reviews at the HLPF will take place; further developing modalities for voluntary national review presentations at the HLPF; and discussing the role of regional commissions, among other issues.

Japan and the US supported focusing on a limited number of issues that are essential to consider in 2016, while other issues could be discussed later on. Japan said issues needing urgent attention include: how to decide on the HLPF themes during a four-year cycle, and what these themes should be; how to treat the 17 SDGs in follow-up and review; and how to structure regular reviews.

The EU said the HLPF must add value to efforts undertaken at the country level, that the follow-up and review process must “deliver,” and that the process should provide clarity on ensuring UN system-wide coherence. With the US, the EU called for an efficient and coordinated UN Secretariat.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) remarked that the suggested common reporting guidelines for voluntary national reviews at the HLPF, which were outlined in the Secretary-General’s report, could be developed for use at system-wide and regional levels, but she called for considering how to integrate small island developing States (SIDS) into reporting formats.

The Russian Federation asked for clarification regarding the involvement of stakeholders in the informal consultations. [Proposed Roadmap for Consultations] [Co-Facilitators’ Letter] [IISD RS Story on Co-Facilitators’ Appointment] [IISD RS Story on Discussion of UN Secretary-General Report] [IISD RS Story on Secretary-General’s Report]