The 2019 edition of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2019) under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) focused on “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”.
The session took place from 9 to 15 July 2019 in New York, at the UN Headquarters, and conducted in-depth reviews of five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions). It also reviewed SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals), which is reviewed each year.
The World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) was an active participant at the Forum. Over a two-week period, government leaders and policy makers discussed the progress being made to advance the 2030 Agenda. 47 nations provided Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to their progress and there was a forum to discuss the outcomes of the Science technology and Innovation (STI) Forum that was held at the UN Headquarters in May 2019.
Thanks to the efforts of Reginald Vachon, Chair of the WFEO UN Relations Committee and William Kelly, who worked tirelessly to interface with the myriad of meetings and contacts with the UN, I was pleased to represent WFEO at three sessions:
1. A side event 9th July 2019: Empowering people through a strong Science-Technology-Policy interface: Reflections on first-cycle of HLPF.
Co-ordinated by International Science Council (ISC) and World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), co-chairs of the UN Scientific and Technological Community Major Group. The speakers were invited by ISC and WFEO.
This side event provided an opportunity to reflect and discuss on the lessons learned in the science-technology-policy interface within the context of the first cycle of the HLPF.
Moderators:
- Dr. Lucilla Spini, ISC Senior Science & Policy Officer
- Dr. Reginald Vachon, WFEO Executive Vice President and chair of the WFEO UN Relations Committee
Panellists:
- Dr. Marlene Kanga, President, WFEO
- Dr. Shantanu Mukherjee, Chief, Integrated Policy and Analysis Branch (PAB)
- Division for Sustainable Development Goals, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA)
- Dr. Jimmy Smith, Director General of the International Institute of Livestock Research, GIAR System
- Ms. Shereen Shaheen, Director of Programme, West Asia-North Africa (WANA) Institute, Jordan
2. A Panel Discussion on 11 July 2019: VNR Lab 5
Organised by UN Department of Social and economic Affairs on: How can science advance national implementation ?
Moderator:
Dr. Dirk Fransaer, Managing Director, VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research
Speakers:
- Dr. Eun Mee Kim, Professor and Dean at the Graduate School of International Studies, the Director of the Institute for Development and Human Security (IDHS) and the Director of the Ewha Global Health Institute for Girls (GHIG) at Ewha Woman’s University (Seoul, Korea)
- Dr. Sajitha Bashir, Adviser – Science, Technology and Innovation, Office of the Global Director, Education Practice, World Bank
- Dr. Marlene Kanga, President of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations
- Dr. Michiharu Nakamura, Senior Advisor (Former President), Japan Science and Technology Agency
3. Lead Discussant on Friday 12th July 2019 at a Plenary session: Report on the STI Forum.
Presentation:
H.E. Ms. H. Elizabeth Thompson, Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations, Co-Chair of the 2019 Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Moderator:
- H.E. Ms. Marie Chatardová, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations, Co-Chair of the 2019 Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Panellists:
- Mr. Vaughan Turekian, Co-Chair of the 10-Member Advisory Group; and Executive Director Policy and Global Affairs National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine, USA
- Mr. Paulo Gadelha, Member of the 10 Member Group, Coordinator of the FIOCRUZ Strategy for the 2030 Agenda, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Brazil.
- Mr. Kazuhiko Takeuchi, President of the Institute for Global Environment Strategies of Japan.
Lead discussant:
Ms. Marlene Kanga, President of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations.
WFEO also provided feedback for the Political Declaration on the HLPF which was released on 2nd July and the Declaration from the Major Group of stakeholders which was released on 22nd July.
WFEO also provided two positon papers for the HLPF Forum which can be downloaded from the UN website from this link (PDF version here)
A WFEO Report relating to actions being taken to advance the sustainable development goals was also presented and is available on the UN Website via this link.
Report by WFEO President Marlene Kanga.
For more information:
WFEO Summary – Contributions of WFEO to the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda
WFEO Report
Scientific and Technological Community Major Group Executive Summary
Scientific and Technological Community Major Group Position_Paper
HLPF Political Declaration Break of silence
UN HLPF 2019 WFEO & ISC Side Event 9 July 2019
UN HLPF Report to STI Forum- 12 July 2019
UN HLPF VNR Lab 5 Concept Note – 11 July 2019
AUG
2019