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The Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region: sharing experience and learning from each other

Almost two years have passed since the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by UN Member States. It was a landmark achievement in international cooperation, a plan of action to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.


It is now time for a first stocktaking: which actions have been undertaken in the UNECE region, which challenges remain unaddressed, which further steps are required? 


Representatives from the governments of the UNECE region, international organizations, NGOs, private sector and academia will be converging in Geneva  to participate in the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (25 April 2017) to share policy experiences and learn from each other.


In order to achieve this double purpose, the Forum will have two components: a policy segment and a peer-learning segment.


The Regional Forum also aims to be closely aligned with the issues addressed at the 2017 High-level Political Forum (HLPF). The plenary discussion at the policy segment will therefore focus on the key themes of prosperity (SDG 9), health and well-being (SDG 3) and gender (SDG 5). It will also consider other SDGs reviewed at the 2017 HLPF, including poverty and social protection (SDG 1), nutrition and agriculture (SDG 2) and oceans (SDG 14).


The peer-learning segment will include three parallel regional round tables on key topics for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda: national and local adaptation of SDGs: subregional cooperation for SDG implementation and data and monitoring.


The Deputy Secretary- General, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, former Special Advisor of the UN Secretary- General on post-2015 Development Planning, will deliver a keynote speech at the opening of the Forum. In the policy segment, the intervention of Mr. Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, will frame the exchanges that will follow in a discussion between panellists and other participants.


The Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, an intergovernmental mechanism, is convened by UNECE in close cooperation with the regional UN system in the framework of the Regional Coordination Mechanism and the Regional UN Development Group for Europe and Central Asia.


The Regional Forum will be preceded by two meetings on 24 April: a preparatory civil society consultation and a regional preparatory workshop for the countries from the UNECE region conducting Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the 2017 High-Level Political Forum.


The Regional Forum is held back-to-back with the 70th Anniversary session of UNECE (26-27 April 2017).


For further information and registration, please visit the webpage of the Forum.

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