The UN Commission on Sustainable Development and the ECA Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development An ECA presentation at the Workshop on Institutional and Strategic Frameworks for Sustainable Development Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 7 March 2011

Outline BackgroundBackground Institutional framework for sustainable developmentInstitutional framework for sustainable development The United Nations Commission on SDThe United Nations Commission on SD Links with regional processesLinks with regional processes Regional Implementation MeetingsRegional Implementation Meetings ECA Committee on FS and SDECA Committee on FS and SD AchievementsAchievements Lessons learnt and the way forwardLessons learnt and the way forward

Background UN-CSD 1992: UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) - Established the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UN-CSD) - Established the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UN-CSD) 2002: World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) - Reiterated the mandate of UN-CSD as a high level forum on sustainable development - Reiterated the mandate of UN-CSD as a high level forum on sustainable development 2003: 11 th Session of the CSD2003: 11 th Session of the CSD - Adopted the multi-year programme of work - Adopted the multi-year programme of work 2009: The United Nations General Assembly2009: The United Nations General Assembly – Decided to organize the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), Rio+20, in 2012 – Review the institutional framework for SD

Institutionalframework for sustainable development Institutional framework for sustainable development Ensuring coherence and policy integration in the economic, social and environmental fieldsEnsuring coherence and policy integration in the economic, social and environmental fields Improving analysis, assessment and scientific adviceImproving analysis, assessment and scientific advice Strengthening implementation, monitoring and accountabilityStrengthening implementation, monitoring and accountability Matching normative commitments with effective delivery mechanismsMatching normative commitments with effective delivery mechanisms Limiting overlap or duplication of activitiesLimiting overlap or duplication of activities Enhancing participationEnhancing participation Strengthening national and local capacities for sustainable developmentStrengthening national and local capacities for sustainable development

Mandate of the UN-CSD Provide policy guidance on sustainable development mattersProvide policy guidance on sustainable development matters Review and follow up the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of ImplementationReview and follow up the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Promote the integration of the three pillars of sustainable developmentPromote the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development Enhance linkages between global, regional and national endeavoursEnhance linkages between global, regional and national endeavours Promote dialogue and build partnershipsPromote dialogue and build partnerships Ensure the effective participation of major groupsEnsure the effective participation of major groups

Composition- UN-CSD UN-CSD is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social CouncilUN-CSD is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council It has 53 members:It has 53 members: –Thirteen from Africa –Eleven from Asia –Ten from Latin America and the Caribbean –Six from Eastern Europe –Thirteen from Western Europe and others It receives substantive and technical services from the Division for Sustainable Development of the Department of Economic and Social AffairsIt receives substantive and technical services from the Division for Sustainable Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Organisation of work Since 2003, the programme of work is organised in two-year action oriented implementation cycles:Since 2003, the programme of work is organised in two-year action oriented implementation cycles: –Review Year: to evaluate progress made in implementing sustainable development goals and identifying obstacles and constraints –Policy Year: to decide on measures to speed up implementation and mobilise action to overcome obstacles and constraints Multi-year programme of work around specific clusters for each biennium and crosscutting issues to be addressedMulti-year programme of work around specific clusters for each biennium and crosscutting issues to be addressed

Multi-Year Programme of Work of the UN-CSD

Organisation of work - timeline 2-year cycle Regional Implementation Meetings Spring/Fall SG State of Implem entation Report February CSD Review Session May CSD Policy Session May Inter- government prep. meeting and dialogue with experts February SG Policy report December

Links with regional processes –UNCED called on UN Regional Commissions (RCs) and other regional bodies to integrate environmental concerns into regional and sub-regional development policies, and to improve consultative processes at these levels –WSSD–2002 tasked RCs to facilitate and promote a balanced integration of the three pillars of sustainable development in collaboration with other regional actors –UN-CSD invited RCs to organize Regional Implementation Meetings (RIMs) to provide inputs to its sessions

Regional Implementation Meetings The RIMs are organized by ECA in collaboration with the UN-CSD Secretariat, African regional and sub-regional organizations and regional offices of UN bodiesThe RIMs are organized by ECA in collaboration with the UN-CSD Secretariat, African regional and sub-regional organizations and regional offices of UN bodies The focus of each RIM is informed by the thematic cluster of issues under the two year cycle of the UN-CSDThe focus of each RIM is informed by the thematic cluster of issues under the two year cycle of the UN-CSD First RIM under the auspices of the Pan African Partnership and Implementation Conference on WaterFirst RIM under the auspices of the Pan African Partnership and Implementation Conference on Water In 2005 and 2007, under the auspices of the then Africa Committee on Sustainable Development (Africa-CSD)In 2005 and 2007, under the auspices of the then Africa Committee on Sustainable Development (Africa-CSD) In 2009, under the auspices of the Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development (CFSSD)In 2009, under the auspices of the Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development (CFSSD)

ECA Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development (CFSSD) –CFSSD was established in 2007 through a Resolution of the ECA Conference of Ministers –The CFSSD replaced and took over the functions of the defunct Africa-CSD and the Committee on Sustainable Development created in 2002 and 1996, respectively –The CFSSD is multi-stakeholder organ composed of policy makers and high-level experts government and non-government actors from the 53 member States of ECA –CFSSD meets every two years

Mandate of CFSSD –Provides policy guidance to ECAs Food Security and Sustainable Development Division –Serves as the platform for the Africa Regional Implementation Meeting (RIM) for the UN-CSD Undertakes periodic review of the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of ImplementationUndertakes periodic review of the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Advises the Commission on the integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable developmentAdvises the Commission on the integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development Promotes the formulation of policies and measures on sustainable developmentPromotes the formulation of policies and measures on sustainable development Promotes information exchange and experience sharing on sustainable developmentPromotes information exchange and experience sharing on sustainable development

Achievements CFSSD and its predecessors together, have :CFSSD and its predecessors together, have : –Fostered partnerships among UN Agencies, African regional and sub- regional institutions to support African countries implement SD commitments, prepare for and follow-up on the outcomes of the UN- CSD sessions –Ensured that Africas concerns and priorities are well articulated in the outcomes of the various sessions of UN-CSD by facilitating the provision of substantive inputs to the UN Secretary Generals reports and the CSD review and policy sessions –Created awareness to enhance implementation of sustainable development commitments in the region –Contributed to the promotion of balanced integration of the three pillars of SD in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes through: Production of the SDRA as a monitoring and advocacy tool for sustainable developmentProduction of the SDRA as a monitoring and advocacy tool for sustainable development Enhanced advocacy and capacity building in the application of integration toolsEnhanced advocacy and capacity building in the application of integration tools

Lessons learned and the way forward Need to strengthen reporting by member States to facilitate the preparation of regional review reportsNeed to strengthen reporting by member States to facilitate the preparation of regional review reports –Obtain updated information on National Focal Points for Sustainable Development to facilitate contact Need to enhance the participation of member States in RIMsNeed to enhance the participation of member States in RIMs –Mobilize resources in this regard Need to improve the participation of African regional and subregional organizationsNeed to improve the participation of African regional and subregional organizations –Give RECs the role of producing subregional reports for more involvement and ownership

Lessons learned and the way forward… Need to enhance coordination and information exchange between the CFSSD Bureau and Africa representatives in the UN-CSD BureauNeed to enhance coordination and information exchange between the CFSSD Bureau and Africa representatives in the UN-CSD Bureau –Convene a CFSSD Bureau Meeting to deliberate on this The coordination arrangements currently in place for the regional preparations for Rio+20 could be leveraged upon to enhance implementation and reportingThe coordination arrangements currently in place for the regional preparations for Rio+20 could be leveraged upon to enhance implementation and reporting –Invite proposals from partners There is need to examine how the Africa RCM of UN agencies in support of the AU and its NEPAD programme could be effectively involved and complement the CFSSD processThere is need to examine how the Africa RCM of UN agencies in support of the AU and its NEPAD programme could be effectively involved and complement the CFSSD process –This could be discussed at the next session of the Africa-RCM

Form National Focal Point for Sustainable Development

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