Philippines Hosts Ambassadorial Meeting in New York, Highlights Commitment to Support Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals at All Levels
The Philippines and Morocco are joined by ECOSOC, UN DESA, UNOSSC in briefing the 39 VNR-country presenters in preparation for HLPF 2024. (New York PM photos)
NEW YORK 04 April 2024 – On 27 March 2024, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York, H.E. Antonio M. Lagdameo, hosted an Ambassadorial meeting of the Group of Friends (GOF) of the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center.
The VNRs are part of the follow-up and review mechanism on progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. VNRs aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The participants to the meeting were Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives and delegates from the thirty-nine (39) countries that are scheduled to present their VNRs during the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) for Sustainable Development in July 2024. The meeting was chaired by the Philippines and Morocco, as the Co-Chair of the GOF of VNRs.
In his opening remarks, Permanent Representative Antonio M. Lagdameo highlighted the need to “turbocharge the SDGs” and raise the profile of the VNRs with the support of the UN Secretariat and other stakeholders. He emphasized that strong VNR engagement will send a clear, positive message of Member States’ political will and commitment to share national experiences, good practices, and challenges in implementing the SDGs.
The Vice President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), H.E. Ambassador Ivan Simonovic, Permanent Representative of Croatia stressed that VNRs are an innovation of the 2030 Agenda that have become “an invaluable benchmark of the transitional change that everyone is seeking through the 2030 Agenda.”
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Acting Director Neil Pierre discussed the support the UN Secretariat provides to the VNR process, while the UN Office of South-South Cooperation (OSSC) Director Dima Al-khatib discussed the importance of South-South and triangular cooperation in achieving sustainable development and their integration in the VNRs.
Minister Jesus Enrique Garcia II (Philippines), together with Ms. Meriem El Hilali (Morocco), presented the program of work for the GOF of VNRs leading to the HLPF. The work program includes meetings to discuss the role of VNRs in preparing for the Summit of the Future and the 4th Financing for Development conference; maximizing benefits of stakeholder engagement during the VNR presentation; and matching VNR countries with UN Member States that will engage in interactive dialogues on their country reports.
The theme of HLFP this year is “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions;” and will review SDG 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere; SDG 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; SDG 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; SDG 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 SDG 17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalized the Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development. END
Permanent Representatives and delegates from Permanent Mission of VNR-country presenters for HLPF2024 with Co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of VNRs and officials of ECOSOC, UNOSSC, and UNDESA at the meeting hosted by the Philippine Mission. (New York PM photo)
For more information, visit https://www.newyorkpm.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.un.int/philippines or https://www.facebook.com/PHMissionNY/.