Welcome to the United Nations
Every year in July, governments join businesses, civil society, thought leaders and influencers at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to review progress and accelerate global efforts to deliver meaningful progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Agenda and the SDGs are a historic global promise made by world leaders in 2015 to secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy and thriving planet. The 17 SDGs, the cornerstone of the Agenda, offer the most practical and effective pathway to end poverty, tackle human rights abuses and combat climate change.
The High-Level Political Forum, under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council, is about checks and balances. With the world facing rising geopolitical tensions, a worsening climate emergency, and a fragile global economy, the Forum has become a critical moment for the international community to assess where the Goals stand and what needs to be done to accelerate action. The Forum also seeks to mobilize support to overcome shared challenges, showcase successes, identify new and emerging issues, and provide recommendations for implementing the Goals.
Countries showcase bold plans to achieve the SDGs
Countries present their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the Forum or the actions they are taking to achieve the SDGs and ensure that the SDGs remain relevant and ambitious. Since the adoption of the SDGs eight years ago, more than 150 countries have submitted their VNRs.
The Forum also reviews specific Goals each year. For the upcoming Forum on 8 to 18 July 2024, the following Goals will be under review: Goal 1 on Ending Poverty, Goal 2, Ending Hunger, Goal 13 on Combatting Climate Change, Goal 16 on Promoting Peaceful and Inclusive Societies and Goal 17 on Partnerships.
High-Level Political Forum 2024
The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will be held from Monday, 8 July, to Wednesday, 17 July 2024, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. This includes the three-day ministerial segment of the forum from Monday, 15 July, to Wednesday, 17 July 2024as part of the High-level Segment of the Council. The last day of the High-level Segment of ECOSOC will be on Thursday, 18 July 2024.
The theme will be "Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”. (A/DEC/77/553)
The HLPF in 2024, without prejudice to the integrated, indivisible and interlinked nature of the Sustainable Development Goals, will review in-depth: Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere; Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; and Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
The HLPF in July 2024 will be the first HLPF under the auspices of ECOSOC after the 2023 SDG Summit - the HLPF convened under the auspices of the General Assembly in September 2023. The 2024 HLPF will support the implementation of the Political Declaration and other outcomes of the SDG Summit for advancing the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
Following states have expressed interest to carry out voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of their implementation of the 2030 Agenda at the 2024 HLPF: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belize, Brazil, Chad, Colombia, Congo (Republic of the), Costa Rica, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Georgia, Guinea, Honduras, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Oman, Palau, Peru, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Syrian Arab Republic, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Other events, including Side Events, VNR Labs, Special Events, and Exhibition will be organized on the margins of the 2024 HLPF.
Source: UN DESA