28 April 2016: The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Committee of the Whole has concluded consultations on creating a Sustainable Development Forum for LAC countries, to serve as a platform to follow regional implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and discuss regional priorities. The Forum’s creation will be considered by ECLAC at its 36th Session (ECLAC XXXVI), convening from 23-27 May 2016, in Mexico City, Mexico.

The Forum, which would function under the auspices of ECLAC, would establish the framework for regional and sub-regional monitoring of follow-up to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It would report to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The consultation process for the LAC Forum was launched during a April 2015 extraordinary session of the Committee of the Whole.

ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena previewed the document to be presented to the 36th Session, titled ‘Horizons 2030: Equality at the Center of Sustainable Development.’ The document aims to orient the regional development process around commitments made under the 2030 Agenda. Bárcena said the current development model is unsustainable, and structural changes are needed to reverse growing inequality and environmental deterioration.

Ahead of the Committee of the Whole Meeting, which took place in New York, US, on 28 April 2016, the UN Development Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNDG-LAC) and the Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) held a joint meeting on 27 April. Addressing the joint meeting, Bárcena highlighted ECLAC’s support for: integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into countries’ national development plans, including by creating high-level inter-institutional and cross-sector architectures for implementation and follow-up; strengthening statistical capacities for SDGs’ measurement; bolstering means of implementation (MOI) for the 2030 Agenda in LAC, including through a regional analysis and formulation of policies, and coalitions between the state, the market and society; national and regional statistical development strategies to gather and disseminate quality data to measure the SDGs; and taking advantage of existing regional structures, with coordination through the RCM.

ECLAC sessions, which take place every two years, define the Commission’s work programme for the next two-year period. The Committee of the Whole is a subsidiary body that enables governments to advance discussions between biannual sessions. [ECLAC Press Release, Committee of the Whole] [ECLAC Press Release, UNDG-RCM Meeting] [IISD RS Story on Launch of Consultations, April 2015]