HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT
The High-level Segment, which took place at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 1 to 4 July 2013, focused on a broad range of issues at the heart of the UN development agenda (Programme):
- The Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) focused on “Science, technology and innovation (STI), and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the MDGs”.
- Five countries made their National Voluntary Presentation (NVPs) and presented an assessment of progress made toward the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals (IADGs), including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
- The Thematic debate focused on “The contribution of the Economic and Social Council to the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda as a principal body for policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on issues of economic and social development and for the follow-up to the Millennium Development Goals”.
- At the High-level policy dialogue, the Executive Heads of the international financial and trade institutions discussed the state of the world economy and its implications for the achievement of the United Nations development agenda.
- The Council held its inaugural Implementation Forum which featured announcements by governments, the private sector, and the UN system in support of the AMR theme.
- The Council also organized a panel discussion on Africa and the least developed countries (LDCs), as well as a panel discussion on universal health coverage.
- An Innovation Fair on the AMR theme was also organized, bringing in a wide range of institutions, NGOs and private sector companies innovating in these areas.
- Nine Ministrial Roundtable Breakfasts also took place on the AMR theme:
TThe Councill will reconvene in the Fall 2013 to continue negotiations on the text of the Ministerial Declaration on “Science, technology and innovation (STI), and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the MDGs”.
Documentation
(a) High-level policy dialogue with international financial and trade institutions
- World Economic and Social Survey, 2013: Post-2015 development strategies (E/2013/50)
- World Economic Situation and Prospects, 2013 and mid-2013 update (E/2013/70)
(b) Annual ministerial review
(c) Thematic discussion
- Report of the Secretary-General on science, technology and innovation, and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (E/2013/54)
- Note by the Secretariat on science, technology and innovation, and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (E/2013/47)
- Report on the meeting of the 2012-2013 Inter-sessional Panel of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development: Note by the Secretariat (E/2013/74)
- Relevant part of the report of the Committee for Development Policy on its fifteenth session (18-22 March 2013) (E/2013/33)
- Letter dated 11 April 2013 from the Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council (E/2013/53)
- Letter dated 30 April 2013 from the Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council (E/2013/58)
- Letter dated 6 May 2013 from the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council (E/2013/64)
- Letter dated 14 May 2013 from the Chair of the sixty-fifth session of the Economic Commission for Europe addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council (E/2013/78)
- Letter dated 15 May 2013 from the Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council (E/2013/79)
- Report of the Secretary-General on the contribution of the Economic and Social Council to the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda as a principal body for policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on issues of economic and social development and for the follow-up to the Millennium Development Goals (E/2013/72)
- Relevant part of the report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields (E/2013/15) (E/2013/15/ADD.1) (E/2013/15/ADD.2)
- Inputs received by the subsidiary bodies of the United Nations Economic and Social Council on post-2015 development agenda - Conference room paper
Contact
For information on the High-level Segment, please contact Mr. Alberto Padova, Deputy Chief, Policy Coordination Branch, Office of ECOSOC Support and Coordination/DESA, padova@un.org or write to ecosocinfo@un.org.