16 November 2021
Five Countries Preparing VNRs for 2023
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UN Member States from three regions have registered with the UN Secretariat to provide updates on their national implementation of the SDGs at the July 2023 HLPF.

The 2023 Forum will also hold in-depth reviews of SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals).

UN Member States from three regions have registered with the UN Secretariat to provide updates on their national implementation of the SDGs, during the 2023 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The July 2023 HLPF will take place in the lead-up to the Second SDG Summit, in September 2023.

The voluntary national reviews (VNRs) will be the: second such report for France, Ireland, Liechtenstein, and Lithuania; and the third VNR for Panama.

The 2023 HLPF will convene in July under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It will focus on the theme ‘Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.’ The 2023 Forum will hold in-depth reviews of:

  • SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation);
  • SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy);
  • SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure);
  • SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities); and
  • SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals).

Following the July HLPF convened by ECOSOC, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) will hold a summit-level HLPF in September 2023, known as the SDG Summit. The SDG Summit is a quadrennial gathering for Heads of State and Government to consider four years of progress towards the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. It is expected to begin on the first day of the UNGA general debate, or the Monday before the debate begins.

The 2023 Summit will be the second since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda.

In years when the SDG Summit takes place, the July session of the HLPF does not conclude with the adoption of a ministerial declaration. Rather, a political declaration will be adopted once the Summit convenes in September.

The UN General Assembly has requested that the 2023 edition of the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) – which is produced ever four years to inform the SDG Summit – be available by March 2023. In addition, in the year preceding each SDG Summit, the UN system is asked to focus its global public communication efforts on the 2030 Agenda. [VNR webpage]


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