10 February 2014: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) held a meeting to discuss priorities for a comprehensive review of the global situation regarding non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and assessed the follow-up of international commitments made on the subject in September 2011. Member States debated the format of the comprehensive review process, which will take place in 2014.

Delegates stressed the importance of the 2011 Political Declaration, made by world leaders to assure a place for NCDs in the development agenda. The Declaration included voluntary targets, including to reduce premature childhood mortality by 25%, to be met by 2025. States also looked forward to agreements within the World Health Assembly to better coordinate efforts on NCDs, and emphasized the need for multilateral and multi-stakeholder action.

Some delegates suggested that the comprehensive review process should take place in the form of a high-level meeting. Some expressed openness to a negotiated outcome document from the meeting, to focus on implementation gaps. One delegate suggested that the review process and high-level meeting could negotiate a “global framework for country-level action” on NCDs.

The UNGA will continue to discuss the format of the comprehensive review process, led by Co-Chairs Benedicte Frankinet, Permanent Representative of Belgium, and Courtenay Rattray, Permanent Representative of Jamaica. [UN News Release] [IISD RS Story on Co-Chair Appointment]