The co-facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations on the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) review of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) heard Member States’ initial views on the process.

On 7 June 2024, the UNGA decided to fully review, during its 80th session, the arrangements for ECOSOC and the HLPF contained in resolutions 75/290 A and 75/290 B and their annexes. The review aims to benefit from lessons learned from the previous cycles of the HLPF and from processes under the UNGA and ECOSOC related to the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In a letter dated 2 February 2026, Permanent Representative of Barbados François Jackman and Permanent Representative of Malta Natasha Meli invited Member States to the first informal consultation to exchange views on issues to be reflected in an elements paper.

In preparation for the consultation, the co-facilitators provided questions relating to:

• Strengthening the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, and impact of ECOSOC and the HLPF in support of sustainable development and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;
• Making ECOSOC and the HLPF more impactful and action-oriented, including through providing strategic direction and policy guidance and facilitating implementation at the national level;
• Measures to enable ECOSOC and the HLPF to be more effective, with a focus on: emerging issues; good practice sharing; forging partnerships to accelerate SDG achievement in countries and regions; streamlining ECOSOC’s work; and further aligning the work of ECOSOC and the HLPF with that of the UNGA and of the Council’s subsidiary bodies;
• Enhancing coordinated implementation of, and follow-up to, the outcomes of major UN conferences and summits;
• Strengthening follow-up and review processes, including voluntary national reviews (VNRs), to improve relevance and impact, better assess SDG progress, and identify impactful solutions and actions that can accelerate SDG implementation to 2030;
• Measures to enhance the engagement of Member States, international financial institutions (IFIs), the UN system, and other stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, and local and regional governments; and
• Ensuring coherence and coordination of the ECOSOC and HLPF review with the UN80 initiative and related review processes.

During the consultation on 11 February, groups, Member States, and stakeholders offered their initial reflections. Several, including the Group of 77 and China (G77/China) and the EU, highlighted linkages between the review process and the UN80 reform initiative.

The co-facilitators welcome written inputs for an elements paper by 20 February. [Reviews of ECOSOC and HLPF at UNGA 80]