30 August 2013: During the first meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICSDF), Committee members discussed modalities for its work, an outreach strategy for communication with the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and stakeholders, and ways to organize itself for future sessions, according to a briefing provided on 30 August 2013.

The Committee was created based on the outcome document from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), which issued a mandate to propose options for a sustainable development financing strategy. Based on consultations earlier this year, the Committee is composed of 30 expert members from the five regional groups. Pertti Majanen (Finland) and Mansur Muhtar (Nigeria) have been elected co-chairs of the Committee.

During its first session, which took place from 28-30 August 2013, in New York, US, the Committee agreed to a “cluster” structure for its work. Between its six sessions in 2013-2014, members will meet in three smaller groups, or clusters, to address specific issue areas. The three cluster topics are: financing needs and qualitative considerations, including the impact of the domestic and international environment; mobilization of resources and their effective use, as well as the efficiency of the financial system; and institutional arrangements, policy coherence, governance issues, and synergies. The second session is planned for December 2013.

In a report to the UNGA in August 2014, the Committee plans to propose options for financial mobilization and the use of resources in a financing strategy for sustainable development.

A strategy for outreach with stakeholders is being discussed, and will be released shortly. The Committee is also considering its work within the larger Financing for Development process, as well as the work to determine the post-2015 development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [Committee Webpage] [UN Press Release] [Provisional Agenda] [IISD RS Story on Establishment of Committee] [NGLS Story on First Committee Meeting]