Held under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Forum took place from July 8 to 17This year’s theme was Strengthening the Agenda 2030 and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: effectively delivering sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions.
The session included a three-day ministerial segment from 15 to 17 July as part of the Council’s High-Level Segment.
Important votes on ministerial statement
The adoption of a ministerial statementAn important outcome of the forum was marked by a robust debate among Member States, culminating in two important votes on amendments.
A proposal included the addition of a paragraph “strongly urging” States to refrain from adopting and applying unilateral economic, financial or trade measures that are inconsistent with international law and the UN Charter which hinder the full realization of economic and social development, particularly in developing countries.
The inclusion – proposed by countries including Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Russia and Syria – was approved by a recorded vote of 105 countries in favour, 11 against and 46 abstentions.
The other amendment, proposed by Israel, called for the deletion of a paragraph that “recognized” that sustainable development cannot be achieved without peace and security, and that peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development.
That paragraph also called for the taking of “further effective measures and actions”, in accordance with international law, to remove the obstacles that hinder the full realization of the right to self-determination of peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation and which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development and the environment.
In a recorded vote, the Forum decided to retain this paragraph, with 122 member states voting in favor of retaining it and two in favor of deleting it (Israel and the United States). Thirty-nine states abstained.
The ministerial statementas amended, was subsequently adopted without a vote.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
Paula Narváez Ojeda, President of the Economic and Social Council, speaks at the ministerial opening of the High-level Political Forum 2024.
Renewed commitment
Paula Narváez, President of ECOSOC, addressed the forum after the adoption, stressing that the Ministerial Declaration “reaffirmed the urgency of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.
“This high-level political forum emphasised that it is not too late to achieve sustainable development.“
She also recognized the efforts of Ambassador José Blanco of the Dominican Republic and Ambassador Merete Fjeld Brattested of Norway for their leadership as facilitators of “complex negotiations, which were conducted in an exceptional, transparent and inclusive manner.”
Complex, inclusive negotiations
She added that the delegations negotiated for more than 70 hours, with 20 informal and 3 informal-informal sessions, during which “every effort was made to bring together the different opposing positions and present an ambitious and balanced document”.
The President of ECOSOC concluded by stressing the organization’s collective determination to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs and promote sustainable development, and to undertake the transformations needed to achieve that objective.
“We will continue to renew multilateral efforts to deliver on the promise of the 2030 Agenda and leave no one behind.,” she said.
