As the intergovernmental platform tasked with follow up of the 2030 Agenda, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) opened a peer review of the first set of 11 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). Roughly half of the 11 countries (Sudan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Eswatini) were presenting their third VNR. Four countries (Angola, Kyrgyzstan, Saint Lucia, and the Federated States of Micronesia) were reporting for the second time, while Guatemala was the only country in this first set presenting its fourth SDG progress report.
Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.
In line with the UN Secretary-General’s Guidelines, which recommend that countries review lessons learned over their VNR cycles, some VNR presenters offered overall reflections on their SDG journey. Of note was Sudan, with Mohamed Bashar Mohamed, Undersecretary of Planning, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, speaking of two distinct SDG eras: progress and acceleration up to 2023, and regression in the current period due to a resumption of conflict. In contrast, Anisuzzamin Chowdhury, Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh, reported the imminent first anniversary of its peaceful 2024 uprising, which brought in an interim government and a slate of political, social, and environmental reforms.
Angola’s Minister of State for Social Affairs, Maria do Rosário Teixeira de Alva Sequeira Bragança, remarked on the country’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025 as a good opportunity to look to the future to ensure a continuing path toward sustainable development. Bakyt Sydykov, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Economy and Commerce, reported that a new labor code has cancelled 400 previous restrictions on women’s employment. Shawn Edward, Saint Lucia's Minister of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, emphasized its whole-of-society approach.
Carlos Antonio Mendoza Alvarado, Secretary of Planning and Programming of the Presidency, Guatemala, highlighted progress on reducing maternal mortality and teenage pregnancies, and better inclusion of people with disabilities in the labor market.
Eswatini’s Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Appolo Maphalala, celebrated his country’s achievements towards SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 7 (access to affordable and clean energy) by 2030, noting that grid access has reached 88% of households. Malaysia, on the other hand, reported being on track to meet 43% of all SDG targets according to the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ahmad Faisal Muhamad.
Common features across many of the presentations included:
- emphasis on the multistakeholder nature of most VNR consultation processes;
- reports on efforts to localize the SDGs – such as through integrating VNRs and voluntary local reviews - into different implementation contexts and stakeholder communities; and
- details on how countries are exploring ways to bridge data gaps through improvements in national statistical systems as well as incorporation of non-traditional sources of data.
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All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For HLPF 2025 please use: Photo by IISD/ENB - Kiara Worth
Morning Session: VNR Reviews
Lok Bahadur Thapa, Vice-President, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), convenes the first session to review the VNRs
Carlos Antonio Mendoza Alvarado, Secretary of Planning and Programming of the Presidency, Guatemala
Guatemala's VNR highlights the increased participation of civil society groups
A slide from Malaysia's VNR highlights that 43% of their SDG targets are on track, more than double the global average
Ahmad Faisal Muhamad, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the UN
Mohamed Bashar Mohamed, Undersecretary of Planning, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Sudan
Sudan's VNR highlights that progress on the SDGs has been halted due to the severe impacts of war
Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN
Sharifah Hani Yasmin Syed Abdullah, Asia-Pacific CSO Engagement Mechanism
Luis Madera, Vice Minister of Planning and Public Investment, Dominican Republic
Maritza Estrada Velasquez, NGO Major Group
Delegates listen to the presentations
Bakyt Sydykov, Minister of Economy and Commerce, Kyrgzystan
Kyrgzystan's VNR highlights progress made in terms of economic growth
Angola's VNR highlights six key SDGs that are the main drivers for development
Maria do Rosário Teixeira de Alva Sequeira Bragança, Minister of State for Social Affairs, Angola
Shawn Edward, Minister of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia's VNR highlights that people are the 'heartbeat' of the nation and placed in the center of SDG considerations
Afternoon Session: VNR Reviews
Bob Rae, President, ECOSOC, chairs the second round of VNRs for the day
Dominican Republic's VNR highlights it has the lowest poverty rate in its history
Martín Francos Rodriguez, Vice-Minister of Planning and Public Investment, Dominican Republic
Belarus's VNR highlights the progress they have made in women's equality
Siarhei Khamenka, National Coordinator, Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, and Deputy Chairman, Council of the Republic of the National Assembly, Belarus
Delegates listen to the VNR updates
Various VNRs highlight the negative impacts of climate change already being experienced
Dennis Bregala, the Philippines
Alhaji Abu Komeh, Sierra Leone
Anastasiya Dziubanava, Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism Stakeholder Group
Delegates applaud the challenging questions raised by civil society
Eswatini's VNR highlights the progress made in advancing education for girls
Appolo Maphalala, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Eswatini
Elina Akinaga, Secretary, Department of Resources and Development, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
FSM's VNR highlights how tradition and culture is being woven into SDG implementation
Bangladesh's VNR highlights how they are using the SDGs to transition from despair to hope after the COVID-19 pandemic
Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh
Civil Society Action: Feminists Hold The Line
Representatives from the Women's Major Group and other feminists gather outside UN Headquarters to 'hold the red line for rights and resistance' as SDG 5 - gender equality - came into focus this week
Activists write messages of solidarity across the streets
Around the Venue
As the first round of VNRs begin, people around the world the celebrate Nelson Mandela Day, a day that calls to action individuals, communities, and organizations to make a positive impact in their own communities
Delegates consult informally
Delegates gather for the start of the VNR presentations
Delegates speak informally
Delegates from Palau and Palestine
Delegates refer to the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) for a comprehensive overview of the HLPF proceedings
