From July 10 to 19, 2023, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The forum, themed “Accelerating the recovery from COVID-19 and fully implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels,” brought together global stakeholders to discuss inclusive and effective recovery measures. Participants delved into specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and explored actionable policies for the comprehensive implementation of the 2030 Agenda, while also preparing for the upcoming SDG Summit in September 2023.
The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) took place from Monday, July 10, to Wednesday, July 19, 2023, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This included a three-day ministerial segment from Monday, July 17, to Wednesday, July 19, as part of the High-Level Segment of the Council, which concluded on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
The theme for this year was “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.”
Participants engaged in comprehensive discussions on effective and inclusive recovery measures to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They explored actionable policy guidance to ensure the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs at all levels.
The 2023 HLPF, while acknowledging the integrated, indivisible, and interlinked nature of the SDGs, conducted in-depth reviews of Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and 17 (partnerships for the Goals).
A total of 39 countries presented voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of their progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda. These countries included Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Comoros, Chile, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, European Union, Fiji, France, Guyana, Iceland, Ireland, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Maldives, Mongolia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zambia.
The forum also supported the mid-term review of the SDGs’ implementation and the preparations for the 2023 SDG Summit, which will be convened under the General Assembly’s auspices in September 2023.
The President of ECOSOC prepared a summary to capture the key messages from the discussions.
Additionally, various events, including Side Events, VNR Labs, Special Events, and Exhibitions, were organized on the margins of the 2023 HLPF.
For more information and to watch the UNTV live webcast of the HLPF and the High-Level Segment of ECOSOC (July 10-20, 2023), please visit the official website.
Additional Resources:
- Annotated Programme with speakers for the 2023 HLPF and ECOSOC High-Level Segment (July 20)
- Draft programme of the 2023 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and ECOSOC High-Level Segment (July 7, 2023)
- Tentative programme of the 2023 HLPF Side Events (June 20, 2023)
- Information Note on the arrangements for the 2023 High-Level Political Forum and the High-Level Segment of ECOSOC (July 1, 2023)
- Letter from the President of ECOSOC on the 2023 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and ECOSOC High-Level Segment (March 24, 2023)
- Secretariat concept note for the 2023 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (March 31, 2023)