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July 23, 2018: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on strengthening the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Other proposed changes include the restructuring of segments and forums and the call to improve voluntary national reviews on the implementation of the SDGs.
The text was negotiated after consultations conducted by Qatar and Iceland. / 1. On 10 July, UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak announced that no UN member state had broken the silence procedure regarding the final draft of the the resolution of 6 July
. strengthen its role of leadership and strategic direction and promote coordinated monitoring of the 2030 Agenda. He said that the Council should: be a platform for discussion and exchange of national experiences; aim to "create synergy and coherence while avoiding duplication and overlap in its work"; and ensure that the "principles, critical aspects and implementation gaps of the 2030 Agenda" are addressed.
On the topics, the resolution mandates the UNGA to adopt a main theme for the ECOSOC High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). For segments and subsidiary bodies, themes should focus on a particular aspect of the main theme, taking into account their respective functions.
On the annual cycle, the agreement provides for a restructuring of the current segments and forums into three groups. . The first group, on the ECOSOC forums, will include the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) every two years, and every year: the Forum on Financing for Development (FFD Forum), the multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum), the Partnership Forum and the Youth Forum.
The second group, consisting of segments that deal with the actions of the United Nations development system and other actors to implement the 2030 Agenda, as well as distinct humanitarian badistance, "includes the segment operational activities (OAS), the humanitarian affairs segment and the special event to discuss the transition from emergency badistance to development. In addition, the text indicates that it should serve as a platform to ensure accountability and acceleration with regard to the 2030 Agenda and provide guidance for the United Nations development system, including the Support for the quadrennial comprehensive examination.
The third group includes segments and forums that provide general political guidance and promote progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, contribute to the overall review of the 2030 Agenda at the HLPF and turn to the 39, the future of sustainable development. This group includes the day-to-day integration segment, followed immediately by the HLPF and ECOSOC high-level segment. On the integration side, it will "consolidate all Member States' contributions, including case studies and lessons learned, the subsidiary bodies of ECOSOC, the UN system and other stakeholders for promote the balanced integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development ". to gather key messages on the main theme, as well as action-oriented recommendations to feed the HLPF. With regard to the HLPF, the ECOSOC Office will discuss ways to optimize the time for countries to submit their National Voluntary Reviews (VNRs) to enhance the exchange of information. 39, experiences on the implementation of the SDGs. Following the ministerial segment of the HLPF, the final day of the ECOSOC high-level segment will focus on trends and future scenarios related to the main theme of ECOSOC and the long-term impact of the trends on the achievement of the SDGs. The results of the HLPF and the high-level segment will continue to be a negotiated ministerial statement.
Finally, the resolution reaffirms the role of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESDA), and looks forward to an update by the Secretary-General on the alignment of DESA with the Program. 2030, "in accordance with resolution 70/299".
The General Assembly adopted the text by consensus in plenary on July 23, 2018. However, some governments regretted the level of ambition contained in the resolution. Austria for the EU raised "the collective inability of member states to significantly strengthen" the ECOSOC, said the integration segment should be eliminated because the HLPF was created and noted an "artificial duality" between the FPHN and the ECOSOC high-level segment. Supported by Australia also for Canada and New Zealand, he expressed concern about the lack of wording on the Peacebuilding Commission. CANZ also emphasized the need to reform the DESA. Russia stated that NGO participation should be governed by the applicable rules and regulations so as not to hinder the intergovernmental nature of ECOSOC.
The provisions set forth in the resolution will be considered at the 74th session of the UNGA and thereafter. [Meeting summary] [Draft resolution A/72/L.64] [SDG Knowledge Hub story on informal agreement on text]
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