Delegates to the 17th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD17), which convened from 4-15 May 2009, at UN Headquarters in New York, US, focused on the thematic cluster of agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa.

CSD17 negotiated policy recommendations based on CSD16’s review of the issues and the development of a draft Chair’s Negotiating Text during an Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting, which convened in February 2009. Delegates adopted a “Text as prepared by the Chair” by acclamation during the closing plenary. In addition to negotiating policy options related to the thematic cluster of issues, CSD17 delegates also engaged in dialogues with Major Groups and the policy research community, and a High-level Segment and Ministerial Roundtables focused on the food crisis, a sustainable green revolution in Africa, and integrated management of land and water resources for sustainable agriculture and rural development. The results from the Ministerial Roundtables were summarized in a Shared Vision Statement, which was annexed to the CSD17 report. The CSD17 Organization of Work also included, for the first time, a tripartite dialogue among Heads of UN agencies, Chairs of Executive Boards/Governing Councils of UN agencies, and ministers. These closed and informal discussions took place prior to the morning sessions of the first two days of the High-level Segment. A Partnerships Fair, Learning Center and side events also took place during the two weeks.
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