The theme of the 2016 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) underscores the importance of ensuring development efforts reach those most in need. Indeed, realising the 2030 Agenda will require that all countries and actors work together effectively for everyone, everywhere. The HLPF also highlights the importance of bringing a range of development actors together for inclusive action, as it is the most participatory forum at the United Nations and is the central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Forum has four main aims: it will seek to provide political leadership, guidance and recommendations on the 2030 Agenda’s implementation and follow-up; it will keep track of progress of the SDGs; it will spur coherent policies informed by evidence, science and country experiences; and it will seek to address new and emerging issues. As the first HLPF since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, the 2016 Forum will also include voluntary reviews of 22 countries and thematic reviews of progress towards the SDGs, including cross-cutting issues. This will be supported by reviews by the ECOSOC functional commissions and other inter-governmental bodies and forums.

Achieving the SDGs will require ambitious multi-stakeholder action to ensure that “billions” of dollars of development resources attract, mobilize and channel “trillions” of dollars in investments—through both financial and non-financial means of implementation. SDG 17 calls for governments and stakeholders to revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development, including through development co-operation and development financing. Ending poverty will not only require a vast amount of resources and investment, but it will also require changes in the way development actors work together to support the most vulnerable – this is the potential and promise of effective development co-operation. Attention must now be given to “how” the 2030 Agenda can be best achieved.

To this end, the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (Global Partnership) looks forward to supporting efforts to bring diverse partners to the table, and to advance and support development co-operation across the 2030 Agenda. By contributing evidence and knowledge based on its country-focus approach, the Global Partnership can deepen co-operation and provide a platform to match the ambition of the 2030 Agenda.

Rooted in four core principles, the Global Partnership’s work supports developing country leadership, institutions and country-systems; more transparent development co-operation to deliver predictable results aligned to developing countries’ systems and priorities; inclusive development partnerships to maximise impact; and monitoring of the quality of partnerships. It also seeks to build political momentum to translate principles into action, including promoting accountability through mutual learning and monitoring, with over 80 developing countries participating in its monitoring work.

To ensure no one is left behind, the Global Partnership, like other development platforms, must adapt to best fit the needs of the 2030 Agenda and focus on the most vulnerable. This means taking an inclusive, whole-of-society approach at the country level to manage complex development landscapes.

The Government of Malawi as Co-Chair of the Global Partnership, and AUC/NEPAD as a Steering Committee member, will host a high-level side event at the HLPF – ‘Leaving No-One Behind: African Perspectives’: Monday, 18 July, 6:15-7:30pm, Conference Room E, UNHQ. The event will bring development actors together to offer African perspectives on who is at the highest risk of being left behind in Sub-Saharan Africa, showcase action being taken to address this challenge, and agree ways in which all actors can work together to achieve sustainable development for everyone, everywhere. The event will help inform the work of the Global Partnership. Takeaways will be featured on the website and the dedicated HLPF side event page.

The 2016 HLPF is a key milestone in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The adoption of a Ministerial Declaration, alongside discussions and key findings from the Forum, will guide effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda. These efforts will also provide key inputs into the Global Partnership’s own High-level Meeting (HLM2), set to take place in Nairobi on 28 November – 1 December this year. The Global Partnership looks forward to working alongside other development actors to ensure it is fit to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, and ensuring that no one is left behind!

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