Welcome to the United Nations
“In UN DESA we’ve noticed a clear message cutting across all the meetings, all the analyses and all the debates that will converge in the HLPF - the importance of renewed international solidarity and a continuing focus on the SDGs as we recover from COVID-19, with no one left behind.” Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations
May 2022
Preparations for the 2022 session of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development are ramping up, and we in UN DESA are proud of our role in supporting the preparations.
This year’s HLPF in July will focus on the theme of “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” and will also hold in-depth reviews of SDG 4 on quality education, 5 on gender equality, 14 on life below water, 15 on life on land, and 17 on partnerships for the Goals.
The outcomes of the HLPF will therefore be very relevant to the efforts of countries to navigate the complex mix of challenges with which the world is currently grappling as we continue to deal with the inescapable impacts of the pandemic.
UN DESA has been laying the groundwork for the 2022 HLPF, under the leadership and guidance of the President of ECOSOC and its bureau, through facilitation of intergovernmental meetings and negotiations, helping countries find common ground, set standards, and take decisive action to move forward. But our work has not been with Governments alone. We’ve also convened experts and held stakeholder consultations to gain a wide range of insights on priorities for implementation of the SDGs under review this year.
A vital part of our work in the preparations of the HLPF is supporting countries to prepare their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), which is a key part of the follow-up mechanisms for the 2030 Agenda at the national level. This year, 45 countries will carry out reviews of their implementation of the SDGs and present their successes and challenges. We look forward to learning from their insights and experiences.
In UN DESA we’ve noticed a clear message cutting across all the meetings, all the analyses and all the debates that will converge in the HLPF - the importance of renewed international solidarity and a continuing focus on the SDGs as we recover from COVID-19, with no one left behind.
So, as we prepare for July, we need to look further ahead. We need to start thinking about the preparations for the SDG Summit next year in September 2023, where Heads of State and Government and stakeholders will review the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Falling near the mid-point of implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the SDG Summit is an important opportunity to consult, reflect, act and innovate at global, national and regional levels on how best to accelerate actions to move the 20230 Agenda forward and drive the transformational change we need to achieve the SDGs and build a more resilient and sustainable future. The outcomes of the upcoming HLPF can help to kickstart our thinking on these big ideas.
With this in mind, we need countries to participate at the highest possible level in the HLPF, demonstrating their political will to recover together towards a more sustainable future. And we need to hear diverse voices – subject experts, youth, actors on the ground, Mayors, SMEs and CEOs, NGOs and community leaders.
I hope to see you all in New York in July at the HLPF.
