The first substantive informal session of the preparatory process for the third International Conference on Financing for Development was held on Friday 17 October 2014 in the ECOSOC Chamber. It marked the launch of the intergovernmental preparations for the Conference, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 68/279. The President of the General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General, the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, and the World Bank President’s Special Envoy opened the meeting. During the general discussion, delegations had the opportunity to provide their views on the roadmap and the programme of work that the two co-facilitators (Guyana and Norway) had proposed for the substantive informal sessions. In addition, Member States expressed their views on the expectations of the Conference.