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The General Assembly has reviewed the functions of the Economic and Social Council periodically since its creation. The Council has adapted its functions over time to correspond to the dynamic international development landscape. In 2018, General Assembly resolution 72/305 on the implementation of the GA resolution 68/1 on ECOSOC strengthening addressed a wide range of issues, including revisiting the ECOSOC cycle, and the Council’s oversight and coordination of its subsidiary bodies. The General Assembly also decided that the arrangements contained in that resolution and its annex would be reviewed at the 74th session of the GA and at subsequent review cycles in conjunction with the review process of the HLPF.
On the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the General Assembly decided in 2016 in its resolution 70/299 to review progress in implementing resolution 70/299 and resolution 67/290 on the format and organizational aspects of the HLPF at its 74th session. The review was to benefit from lessons learned in the first four-year cycle of the forum, including the SDG Summit in September 2019, as well as from other processes under the GA and ECOSOC related to the follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
During the 74th session of the General Assembly, on 13 January 2020 the President of the GA appointed the Permanent Representative of Benin and the Permanent Representative of Georgia to facilitate the intergovernmental negotiations related to the implementation of resolution 72/305 on ECOSOC strengthening and the HLPF resolutions 67/290 and 70/299.
The General Assembly then adopted, in August 2020, resolution 74/298 on the review of the implementation of General Assembly resolution 67/290 on the high-level political forum on sustainable development, resolution 70/299 on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level and resolution 72/305 on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council. Due to the limits to the negotiation process resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution deferred much of the review of ECOSOC and HLPF to the following session of the General Assembly.
During the 75th session of the General Assembly, on 5 November 2020, the President of the GA appointed the Permanent Representative of Austria and the Permanent Representative of Senegal to facilitate the intergovernmental negotiations related to the ECOSOC and HLPF review process.
The General Assembly further adopted, on 25 June 2021, resolution 75/290 A on the Review of the implementation of GA resolution 72/305 on the strengthening of ECOSOC and resolution 75/290 B on the Review of the implementation of GA resolutions 67/290 on the format and organizational aspects of the HLPF and 70/299 on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level:
