14 May 2014: UN General Assembly President John Ashe has notified governments of plans for an interactive hearing with representatives of NGOs, civil society organizations, the private sector and academia, to provide input on the review and assessment of progress achieved in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in preparation for the high-level review meeting. The hearing is scheduled for 19 June 2014, at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

Following consultations facilitated by Bénédicte Frankinet (Belgium) and Courtenay Rattray (Jamaica), the UNGA adopted Resolution 68/271 on 13 May 2014 to hold a high-level meeting on NCDs to conduct the review from 10-11 July, preceded by an interactive hearing. The high-level meeting will take stock of progress achieved in the prevention and control of NCDs and address remaining gaps. The meeting is also intended to scale up responses from stakeholders on NCDs in the context of the post-2015 development agenda.

Ashe re-appointed Frankinet and Rattray to co-facilitate further consultations to produce a concise, action-oriented document for discussion at the review meeting. [UNGA President’s Letter on Interactive Hearing] [UNGA President’s Letter on Co-Facilitators’ Reappointment] [UN Press Release] [IISD RS Story on Draft Resolution on NCD Review]