Your Excellency, Minister Ogerta Manastirliu, Chair of the Regional ForumExcellencies,Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me first thank the UN Economic Commission for Europe for inviting me to your regional forum on sustainable development. In my capacity as the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Economic and Social Affairs, I am honoured to participate in such a distinguished panel.
As my department, DESA, is supporting this HLPF, including VNRs, I wish to commend:
At the global level, 102 countries have presented their VNRs at the HLPF since 2016. Another 41 countries will present for the first time in July at the HLPF, and nine countries will present their second review this year. 18 countries have already expressed their interest in presenting their first or second review in 2020.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Over the past years, we have heard from many countries that have presented a VNR that preparing their review is a real learning process, one that mobilizes all parts of government to implement the SDGs in an inclusive manner.
The Voluntary National Reviews allow to identify challenges, gaps and obstacles to implementation. The challenges that we hear about most often include data availability and statistical capacity, as well as cross-and inter-institutional coordination for monitoring SDG implementation.
Engaging stakeholders meaningfully also proves difficult for many. Strategic communication and awareness raising for the VNRs were mentioned as areas that could be promoted further in the run up to the HLPF.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me be clear, the VNR process is a voluntary, country-led process. It is only useful if it is embedded in the national reality, reflects national circumstances and priorities, and designed and driven by the country itself.
The process of preparing the VNRs can bring benefits to countries.
Previous VNR countries have noted that preparing a review provided the opportunity to anchor sustainable development at the highest possible political level, and to ensure ownership of the 2030 Agenda.
While many countries in your region can draw on existing national sustainable development strategies and institutional mechanisms – such as National Sustainable Development Councils – the universal 2030 Agenda requires that action be taken to the next level.
Some countries noted that the VNR process was useful in raising awareness about the SDGs across government entities and among key stakeholders. This allowed important linkages to be formed, which is critical to implement a whole-of-government approach. Other countries found the VNR process helped to facilitate inter-ministerial coordination with strong stakeholder involvement.
In many cases, such coordination mechanisms are maintained beyond the presentation of the VNR.
Some countries in your region have aligned their national budgets with the SDGs. Others have conducted a thorough baseline assessment of where they stand on the 17 SDGs.
In a number of countries in your region, VNRs were an opportunity to rethink their international development cooperation. It gave them an opportunity to look closely at what developing countries are identifying as priorities in their VNRs, and areas where they need support.
Overall, the Voluntary National Reviews contain a wealth of lessons learned and best practices that I encourage you to draw upon. These are illustrated in the synthesis report on VNRs that my department prepares every year.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The VNRs demonstrate that action on the ambitious 2030 Agenda is being taken.
Looking ahead, we have heard the call to strengthen the VNRs analytically and to enhance interaction at the HLPF.
Due to the high number of countries presenting each year, the time for the actual presentation of the VNR by each country at the HLPF is very short. I therefore encourage you to make use of the HLPF as a forum:
To mention just one example: Countries that have identified investment for sustainable development as a challenge, or that have identified a good practice in this area in their VNR report, will be invited to the SDG investment fair. This fair is convened by DESA in New York next month, in April.
Distinguished Delegates,
I would like to conclude with a quote by Jean Piaget, a renowned thinker of our host city, Geneva, who once said – “What we see, changes what we know. What we know, changes what we see”. Unquote.
In this spirit, the VNR process is an important tool to showcase concrete examples of SDG implementation. It inspires further action and progress to advance the 2030 Agenda.
I look forward to hearing from the distinguished panelists about their VNR experiences and to taking your ideas back to New York.
I thank you.
Let me first thank the UN Economic Commission for Europe for inviting me to your regional forum on sustainable development. In my capacity as the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Economic and Social Affairs, I am honoured to participate in such a distinguished panel.
As my department, DESA, is supporting this HLPF, including VNRs, I wish to commend:
- the 36 UN ECE members that have already submitted their voluntary national reviews on implementing the 2030 Agenda;
- the 11 countries of the region that will present the VNRs at the High-level Political Forum in July under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council;
- and the three UN ECE members that have already indicated their intention to conduct a VNR in 2020.
At the global level, 102 countries have presented their VNRs at the HLPF since 2016. Another 41 countries will present for the first time in July at the HLPF, and nine countries will present their second review this year. 18 countries have already expressed their interest in presenting their first or second review in 2020.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Over the past years, we have heard from many countries that have presented a VNR that preparing their review is a real learning process, one that mobilizes all parts of government to implement the SDGs in an inclusive manner.
The Voluntary National Reviews allow to identify challenges, gaps and obstacles to implementation. The challenges that we hear about most often include data availability and statistical capacity, as well as cross-and inter-institutional coordination for monitoring SDG implementation.
Engaging stakeholders meaningfully also proves difficult for many. Strategic communication and awareness raising for the VNRs were mentioned as areas that could be promoted further in the run up to the HLPF.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me be clear, the VNR process is a voluntary, country-led process. It is only useful if it is embedded in the national reality, reflects national circumstances and priorities, and designed and driven by the country itself.
The process of preparing the VNRs can bring benefits to countries.
Previous VNR countries have noted that preparing a review provided the opportunity to anchor sustainable development at the highest possible political level, and to ensure ownership of the 2030 Agenda.
While many countries in your region can draw on existing national sustainable development strategies and institutional mechanisms – such as National Sustainable Development Councils – the universal 2030 Agenda requires that action be taken to the next level.
Some countries noted that the VNR process was useful in raising awareness about the SDGs across government entities and among key stakeholders. This allowed important linkages to be formed, which is critical to implement a whole-of-government approach. Other countries found the VNR process helped to facilitate inter-ministerial coordination with strong stakeholder involvement.
In many cases, such coordination mechanisms are maintained beyond the presentation of the VNR.
Some countries in your region have aligned their national budgets with the SDGs. Others have conducted a thorough baseline assessment of where they stand on the 17 SDGs.
In a number of countries in your region, VNRs were an opportunity to rethink their international development cooperation. It gave them an opportunity to look closely at what developing countries are identifying as priorities in their VNRs, and areas where they need support.
Overall, the Voluntary National Reviews contain a wealth of lessons learned and best practices that I encourage you to draw upon. These are illustrated in the synthesis report on VNRs that my department prepares every year.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The VNRs demonstrate that action on the ambitious 2030 Agenda is being taken.
Looking ahead, we have heard the call to strengthen the VNRs analytically and to enhance interaction at the HLPF.
Due to the high number of countries presenting each year, the time for the actual presentation of the VNR by each country at the HLPF is very short. I therefore encourage you to make use of the HLPF as a forum:
- to genuinely exchange with others,
- as a match-making platform for effective partnerships, and
- as an interactive space where innovative solutions can be shared.
To mention just one example: Countries that have identified investment for sustainable development as a challenge, or that have identified a good practice in this area in their VNR report, will be invited to the SDG investment fair. This fair is convened by DESA in New York next month, in April.
Distinguished Delegates,
I would like to conclude with a quote by Jean Piaget, a renowned thinker of our host city, Geneva, who once said – “What we see, changes what we know. What we know, changes what we see”. Unquote.
In this spirit, the VNR process is an important tool to showcase concrete examples of SDG implementation. It inspires further action and progress to advance the 2030 Agenda.
I look forward to hearing from the distinguished panelists about their VNR experiences and to taking your ideas back to New York.
I thank you.
File date:
Thursday, March 21, 2019