HLPF stands for High Level Political Forum. The HLPF was set up in 2013 and replaced the Commission on Sustainable Development. It is the central United Nations platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level. There are two types of HLPFs; one held under the auspices of ECOSOC (the Economic and Social Council), which is held every year for 8 days, and one held under the auspices of the UN General Assembly (Heads of State and Government) or ‘UNGA’ every four years for two days. So every year, there is a HLPF under ECOSOC. Every 4 years, there is a HLPF under UNGA.
The theme of July 2023 was “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”. The HLPF in 2023 reviewed in-depth SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17. It was a pre-summit for preparing the SDG Summit to be held in September 2023.
The HLPFs under ECOSOC are where countries voluntarily present their national reviews of progress towards the SDGs (these are called VNRs). Ireland presented its second VNR this July.
Firstly a video was shown (in which you can see our Coalition 2030 Coordinator Meaghan Carmody speaking on a panel at one of the SDG National Stakeholder Forums), before Minister Ryan gave the floor to Mavis from the Irish Refugee Council. His speech was passionate and rousing – but he went off script, and it was not so much a review of progress as a call to action for the world. Dr. James Casey from our member organisation ILMI read the civil society statement, which included three questions to Minister Ryan.
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Watch James’ intervention from 3:18:00
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Watch Minister Ryan’s response from 3:32:20