November 2017: Based on the 43 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) presented during the 2017 HLPF, the UN Secretariat has compiled countries’ initiatives to implement the SDGs and the progress they have made, along with challenges facing each government. The VNRs are part of the follow-up and review process for the 2030 Agenda, and focus on sharing national-level implementation experiences.

The document titled, ‘2017 Voluntary National Reviews: Compilation of Main Messages,’ is an informal unedited compilation of executive summaries and main messages submitted by the 2017 VNR countries. Those countries are: Afghanistan, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Maldives, Monaco, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, Sweden, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Uruguay and Zimbabwe.

VNR presentations are made annually during the UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The 2017 HLPF took place from 10-19 July, in New York, US.

Since the first VNR presentations in 2016, more than 100 countries have volunteered for the reviews. In addition to the 43 VNRs of 2017, 22 countries presented their VNRs at the HLPF 2016, and 48 countries have announced their intention to participate to the 2018 VNRs. Some countries have volunteered twice (Benin in 2017 and 2018; and Colombia, Egypt, Mexico, Switzerland and Togo in 2016 and 2018).

The compilation report is complemented by the countries’ original submissions and full VNR reports, available on the HLPF 2017 VNRs webpage. [2017 Voluntary National Reviews: Compilation of Main Messages] [VNRs Webpage] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on 2018 VNRs] [IISD Coverage of HLPF 2017]