19 April 2016: The co-facilitators of intergovernmental consultations on follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development released a paper outlining elements for a draft resolution of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). The elements paper was circulated on 19 April 2016, in preparation for further discussions with governments and stakeholders, scheduled for 28 April 2016.

In their paper, co-facilitators Lois Young (Belize) and Ib Petersen (Denmark) propose elements of a resolution on how follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda should be conducted at the global level. The paper addresses “the most critical issues, as seen by Member States” on the follow-up and review framework.

The paper is organized by “elements” and “convergence of opinions” around each one. The elements include: Framing the resolution; SG’s report; Themes; National reviews; Regional review; Countries in special situations; Participation; Non-UN entities; Facilitating input to the HLPF; Coherence; Role of Secretariat; Output; and Way forward.

The document queries whether the resolution should specify certain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for more in-depth review, apart from a general review of all 17 Goals; and whether the HLPF should review Goal 17 (means of implementation) annually. They ask whether the UN regional commissions should be invited to prepare a common format for conveying the results of the regional forums on sustainable development to the HLPF, and whether the functional commissions should also be called on to ensure that their working methods and agendas address the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. On Coherence with regard to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), they query whether the resolution should clarify the difference between the HLPF held under the auspices of ECOSOC, and the HLPF held under the auspices of the UNGA, and whether there should be two sessions of the HLPF in 2019, when the HLPF will meet under the General Assembly.

The paper proposes that the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) align its annual themes with the corresponding themes of the HLPF, and that the ECOSOC President be invited to prepare a summary of the HLPF discussions, including of the national reviews. It also proposes encouraging Member States to take part in voluntary reviews at the HLPF at least twice before 2030, and ensuring that the voluntary reviews include developed and developing countries in line with equitable geographic representation, also including countries in special situations.

The UN system is requested to support developing countries in conducting reviews at the HLPF, through capacity building and strengthening the capacity of national statistical offices and data systems.The paper recommends that the UN Secretary-General be asked to review the organization of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to ensure it can provide effective support to the HLPF.

The paper has been prepared following an expert-level brainstorming session, informal consultations with Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS), and informal consultations with UN Member States. In those discussions, some warned against turning an informal sharing of experiences into an accountability process. Several agreed that the HLPF, the SDGs thematic review and the ECOSOC session should address the same theme in any given year, and that all 17 SDGs should be treated equally. Governments differed on whether to focus on a selected number of Goals each year, or to review all of them at each HLPF session, as to avoid a silo approach.

The co-facilitators invite “all Member States and relevant stakeholders to share their comments” on the elements paper during the consultations on 28 April. [Letter from Co-Facilitators and Elements Paper] [IISD RS Story on Informal Consultations]