5 June 2015: The Secretariat of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) issued a draft version of the main conclusions of the Group’s first meeting, which took place on 1-2 June 2015. The draft conclusions were circulated to IAEG-SDGs members for their review on 5 June 2015.

According to the draft conclusions, the IAEG-SDGs agreed that global indicators should be limited in number, and include multi-purpose indicators that address several targets at the same time. It recognized that some targets might require multiple indicators, and recognized the need to systematically address the issue of disaggregation, and to leave no one behind.

On the working methods of the Group, participants stressed that IAEG-SDGs members should reach out to the countries in their respective regions and sub-regions, and said the Group will consider contributions by observers, invite the regional commissions and regional and international agencies to contribute their expertise during its consultations, and ensure Major Groups’ and other stakeholders’ involvement in indicator development “through an appropriate channel of consultations.” The IAEG-SDGs agreed on the need to issue invitations sufficiently ahead of the meeting so technical experts from all member countries can attend. It agreed to establish two discussion streams, one on conceptual frameworks and indicator concepts and definitions, and another to identify interlinkages among indicators across goals and targets. Members will be invited to express interest in leading the work of the two discussion streams.

The Group agreed on 26-28 October 2015 as tentative dates for the next meeting, and said the global indicator framework will be finalized by the end of November, for submission to the 47th session of the UN Statistical Commission in March 2016 (UNSC 47).

On tasks for the Secretariat, the Group requested it to: provide explanations of the contents and rationale of the lists of indicators, and how the lists considered the assessment of preliminary and indicative indicators conducted in February/March 2015; provide a tentative timeline and work plan by which the discussion streams will conclude their work and including further consultations on the first compilation of possible indicators for a global indicator framework, in time to circulate an updated version at least four weeks ahead of the second meeting of the IAEG-SDGs; and set-up an electronic collaboration platform for the Group’s work, ensuring the opportunity of equal participation of all members.

The UN Statistics Division serves as the Secretariat for the UNSC and the IAEG-SDGs. [Draft Conclusions] [UN Statistics Division Website for IAEG-SDGs] [IISD RS Story on IAEG-SDGs First Meeting]