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CSD-18 Guidelines for Participation

CSD-18
New York, 3-14 May 2010

CSD Guidelines

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The CSD Secretariat invites your organization to contribute to the seventeenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-17), which will take place from 4 to15 May 2009, and will be preceded by an Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) scheduled on 23-27 February 2009. Both meetings will take place at UN Headquarters in New York.

The CSD Secretariat has compiled these Guidelines for Major Groups to facilitate your contributions to the preparatory process and participation in the CSD-17 policy session, including its IPM. We have included chapters that outline the reporting process for the policy year, provide important deadlines for written submissions, and include essential information for your participation in the IPMs and in the CSD-17 meeting itself. The two-year cycle of CSD-16 and CSD-17 focuses on implementation in the areas of agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa.

During the past review session (CSD-16) major groups played an important and dynamic role. It is anticipated that major groups continue to participate in the upcoming policy session, by contributing to the formulation of concrete policy alternatives. The CSD-17 will build on previous practices and continue to enhance the participation of the major groups, and provide you with various opportunities to engage in dialogues with government officials and other participants, including interactive discussions within the High-Level Segment of the session.

Maintaining and enhancing the established participatory tradition of the CSD requires continued commitment by all parties. Your involvement in the work of the Commission enriches the debates and influences outcomes. We therefore invite you to begin preparing for CSD-17, and stand ready to work with you in the preparatory process and to facilitate your organization’s active participation in this year’s meetings.

1. Introduction to CSD-17

1.1 Themes, Cross-cutting Issues, Timeline

The seventeenth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-17) will meet at UN Headquarters in New York from 4-15 May 2009. CSD-17 will be preceded by a one-week Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) scheduled from 23-27 February 2009, also at the UN Headquarters in New York.

As the second year of the CSD-16/ -17 implementation cycle, CSD-17 will review progress in the following areas:

Cycle Thematic cluster Cross-cutting issues
2008/2009 Poverty eradication, Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development, Sustainable development in a globalizing world, Health and sustainable development, Sustainable development of SIDS, Sustainable development for Africa, Other regional initiatives, Means of implementation, Institutional framework for sustainable development, Gender equality, and Education

1.2 Framework for the Organization of Work

This information will be made available as soon as the CSD-16 Bureau finalizes its discussions on this topic.

1.3 CSD-17 Bureau

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