26 October 2017: The UN’s expert group on the SDG indicators will consider the re-classification of 29 indicators. The indicators to be discussed at the upcoming meeting in Bahrain pertain to targets under all of the SDGs except for SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 13 (climate action).

The sixth meeting of the UN Inter-Agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) will convene from 11-14 November 2017, in Manama, Bahrain, hosted by The Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (DERASAT). The first two days are for members only, and the following two-day plenary session is open to all countries, international and regional agencies and entities, and other stakeholders.

The IAEG-SDGs is considering reclassification of indicators based on the availability of regional and global data, as well as advancements in methodology on indicators currently classified as Tier III. On the Tier III indicators, a document issued by the Secretariat identifies 29 indicators. Six of these are proposed to move to Tier I, while the remaining 23 are proposed to move to Tier II.

Tier I denotes indicators that are considered conceptually clear, with established methodology and standards available and data regularly produced by countries. Indicators in Tier II have an agreed methodology and are conceptually clear, but lack regularly produced data from countries. Indicators still requiring methodological development are classified as Tier III.

The IAEG 6 meeting also will feature discussions of: the annual process to refine indicators; data disaggregation; guidelines on data flows for global reporting; and progress on methodological development for Tier III indicators. Countries, regional commissions, the Statistics Division (UNStats) of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and stakeholders will make presentations on SDG implementation and reporting at national, regional, global and thematic levels. UNStats, the secretariat for the IAEG, issued the provisional agenda for the plenary session on 26 October 2017.

The IAEG is comprised of representatives from 27 Member States. In addition, the Chair of the UN Statistical Commission (Brazil) is a member of the IAEG-SDGs ex-officio. The Member States are represented by their respective national statistical organizations.

In March 2017, at its 48th session, the UN Statistical Commission recommended that the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) adopt the global indicator framework for the SDGs and targets of the 2030 Agenda, which had been developed by the IAEG-SDGs. ECOSOC did so in June 2017, transmitting the resolution to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) for adoption. The Assembly adopted the framework in a resolution of 6 July 2017 (A/RES/71/313). By that resolution, the indicator framework is “a voluntary and country-led instrument,” and its initial set of indicators is to be refined annually, with a comprehensive review taking place at the Statistical Commission’s 51st session in 2020, and its 56th session in 2025. [Provisional Agenda 26 October 2017] [Tier reclassification requests] [IAEG 6 Webpage] [IAEG Membership as of May 2017] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on IAEG 5] [UNGA Resolution Adopting SDG Indicator Framework] [Policy Brief on SDG Indicators March 2017]