On 27 July, the newly elected President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – Maria Chatardová, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the UN – set support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda as a priority for 2018. “I wish to announce that the key priority of my Presidency will be to develop initiatives towards fostering sustainable, resilient and inclusive societies through participation of all” Chatardová said. Moreover, she informed that ECOSOC’s 2018 theme “From global to local: supporting sustainable and resilient societies in urban and rural communities” will be aligned with the 2018 focus of the High-Level Political Forum: “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”. She also praised a high interest of the Members States to participate in the National Voluntary Reviews and pointed out that the Council must do more to ensure the participation of civil society and assure clear commitments from private sector in order to reach the SDGs.

The Council also elected three Vice-Presidents: Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov (Tajikistan) from the Asia-Pacific States, Inga Rhonda King (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) from the Latin American and Caribbean States, and Marc Pecsteen De Buytswerve (Belgium) from the Western European and other States.

Finally, the Council adopted its provisional agenda and working arrangements. The next ECOSOC Special Meeting at the United Nations Headquarters will take place in May 2018 and will explore further collective action on inclusion and participation for sustainable development.

Source: EuroNGOs