22 May 2018: The programme of work for the 2018 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) has been updated, with the latest schedule devoting more time to discussing progress toward five SDGs. The HLPF is the UN body with the “central role in overseeing a network of follow-up and review processes at the global level,” according to the 2030 Agenda.

The 2018 HLPF will convene in two week-long segments between 9-18 July 2018, in New York, US. According to the 22 May version of the programme, the first week will begin with the UN Secretary-General’s presentation of the annual progress report on all 17 SDGs, followed by the in-depth review of six SDGs. The programme indicates that three hours – rather than two, as in the previous version of the programme – will be devoted to discussion of Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 15 (life on land). The discussion on Goal 17 (partnerships for the Goals) still holds a two-hour slot.

The second week of HLPF 2018 (16-18 July) will be convened as a ministerial meeting held jointly with the annual High-level Segment of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The programme for this week features the presentation of voluntary national reviews (VNRs), in which 47 governments will report on their efforts to implement the SDGs. By the 22 May programme, each country is assigned a specific half-day on which it will present its report.

Eight of the 47 governments will be presenting a VNR for the second or third time. Benin, Qatar and Uruguay reported in 2017, and Colombia, Egypt, Mexico and Switzerland presented in 2016. Togo will report for the third time, having already done so in both 2016 and 2017.

Co-facilitators are expected to be appointed soon on negotiations for the ministerial declaration.

Among other upcoming preparations for the HLPF are: an expert group meeting on SDG 17, with a focus on innovative multi-stakeholder approaches and partnerships that advance the SDGs through the other means of implementation; negotiations on the ministerial declaration to result from the HLPF and ECOSOC sessions, on which co-facilitators are expected to be appointed soon; and three back-to-back meetings on science, technology and innovation for the 2030 Agenda – the Global Solutions Summit (4 June), the third annual multi-stakeholder forum on STI (5-6 June), and a special event of the Global STI Conference (G-STIC) (7 June). [Programme 22 May] [HLPF Website] [VNRs Website]