The President of ECOSOC at the First Global Workshop of the VNRs

03/12/2024 – H.E. Mr. Bob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), addressed the First Global Workshop for 2025 VNR Countries, emphasizing the critical role of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In his address, Ambassador Rae highlighted the importance of the VNRs for monitoring progress, sharing lessons learned, and identifying challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He commended the near-universal participation in the VNR process, with 190 countries and the European Union conducting reviews, and 157 countries preparing more than one review.

Ambassador Rae underscored the need for inclusive, evidence-based VNRs, stressing the importance of solid, up-to-date, and disaggregated data in identifying trends and moving beyond descriptive analysis. He advocated for a whole-of-society approach, emphasizing meaningful stakeholder engagement to ensure substantive and actionable outcomes.

With progress on the SDGs off track, Ambassador Rae called for urgent action to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda. He expressed optimism about the collaboration between national VNR focal points and national statistical offices present at the workshop.

Ambassador Rae also stressed the importance of high-level political commitment, urging countries to present their VNRs at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) at the ministerial level or higher. He thanked participants for their dedication to the SDGs and expressed anticipation for fruitful discussions and the upcoming HLPF session in New York.