28 August 2013: The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICSDF) has issued a document on its modalities of work, covering the Committee’s background and mandate, composition and organization of work.

The modalities document notes that the mandate from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) and subsequent endorsement by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), is to prepare a report proposing options on an effective sustainable development financing strategy ‘to facilitate the mobilization of resources and their effective use in achieving sustainable development objectives,’ concluding its work by 2014.

Per the UNGA’s resolution, the report will: assess financing needs; consider the effectiveness, consistency and synergies of existing instruments and frameworks; and evaluate additional initiatives.

According to the modalities document, the Committee will use the rules of procedure for other UNGA committees. The Committee’s sessions will be closed, unless decided otherwise. The Committee will ensure transparency of its work in accordance with paragraph 255 of the UNCSD outcome document, which says the process should be intergovernmental with technical support from the UN system and in open and broad consultation with relevant international and regional financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders. The modalities document notes that the Committee will welcome written contributions, including from the UN Task Team (UNTT) Working Group on Financing for Sustainable Development.

The Committee also will seek coordination with the UNGA Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Financing for Development follow-up process. The document notes that the UNGA had called, in A/RES/67/199, ”Follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development’ of 21 December 1999, for avoiding duplication of efforts with the financing for development process.

The modalities were agreed during the Committee’s first meeting, held in New York, US, on 28-30 August 2013. [Modalities of work] [Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 27 July 2012: 66/288. The future we want] [Committee Website] [IISD RS Story on Committee’s first meeting] [IISD RS Sources]