Forty-three countries will present their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July 2024. Argentina, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Egypt, and Sierra Leone will present their fourth VNRs.

In a letter dated 31 July 2023, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) President Paula Narváez Ojeda noted that VNRs enable follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs. They also facilitate the sharing of successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating progress. She “encourage[d] countries that have not yet presented a VNR, and countries that have presented a VNR only once, to consider doing so” at the 2024 HLPF in July.

In a letter dated 20 October, Narváez Ojeda circulated the final list of countries that will deliver their VNRs in 2024. South Sudan and Yemen will present for the first time.

Twenty countries – Austria, Belize, Brazil, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Israel, Libya, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Oman, Palau, Solomon Islands, South Africa, the State of Palestine, Syria, and Vanuatu – will carry out their VNRs for the second time.

Sixteen – Armenia, Chad, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Estonia, Georgia, Honduras, Kenya, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Namibia, Nepal, Peru, Samoa, Spain, Uganda, and Zimbabwe – are third-time presenters.

Narváez Ojeda encouraged countries that could not be accommodated in the list for the 2024 HLPF to defer their presentation to 2025. To maximize the value of the VNR process, the ECOSOC President intends to “allow as much time as possible for interactive discussions with a view to ensuring adequate feedback to the presenting countries and enhanced experiences-sharing and peer learning among countries.”

The HLPF, which meets under the auspices of the ECOSOC, is the main UN platform on sustainable development. All UN Member States as well as representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs) participate in the HLPF. 

The 2024 HLPF will address the theme, ‘Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions.’ It will conduct in-depth review of SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals). SDG 17 is the only Goal to undergo review annually.

To support Member States in their reporting, the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) updated its handbook for countries that prepare to present their VNRs. The handbook supplements the UN Secretary-General’s guidelines for voluntary common reporting at the HLPF. [Publication: Handbook for the Preparation of Voluntary National Reviews: 2023 Edition] [HLPF 2024]