22 May 2018: Participants reflected on the role of development cooperation in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development during the Sixth Biennial High-level Meeting of the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF). The DCF called for a “swifter pace” for SDG implementation, inclusion of gender equality and youth inclusion in development cooperation, and strengthened capacities and institutions for development cooperation at all levels.

The DCF convened at UN Headquarters in New York, US, from 21-22 May 2018. Key messages will inform the 2018 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), as well as follow-up on implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) on financing for development (FfD).

Participants recognized that there is “still a long way to go” in building resilient, sustainable societies and ensuring no one is left behind, with several expressing concerns about the pace of progress on the SDGs. Expressing concern about threats to development gains, the DCF called for increased cooperation to tackle climate change, inequality, migration, violent extremism and populism.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed called for strengthened multi-stakeholder partnerships and learning from the private sector on how to leverage investment, innovation and technology to support development. She also noted the need to align institutions, policies and actions with the 2030 Agenda.

Development cooperation should become “disaster-risk informed,” to ensure that it “reduces rather than contributes to” risk.

Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, highlighted findings from the UN Secretary-General’s report titled, ‘Trends and progress in international development cooperation’ (E/2018/55). The reports recommends actions to ensure that development cooperation remains focused on achieving the 2030 Agenda and to strengthen the link between development cooperation and climate action, particularly to target those furthest behind. The report recommends that development cooperation become “disaster-risk informed” to ensure development cooperation “reduces rather than contributes to risk.” Liu also suggested the DCF discuss specific steps to ensure that official development assistance (ODA) commitments are met.

The Forum addressed a number of additional issues, such as: South-South and triangular cooperation for sustainable development; domestic resource mobilization (DRM), including building the capacity of relevant revenue authorities; technology development and transfer; inclusion of parliamentarians in SDG implementation; and support for middle-income countries (MICs). [UN Press Release] [DCF Webpage] [UN Meeting Summary, 21 May] [UN Meeting Summary, 22 May] [Report of UN Secretary-General]