GA Reviews of ECOSOC & HLPF

Reviews of ECOSOC & HLPF at GA80

Background

The General Assembly decided in its resolution 78/285 on 7 June 2024, to fully review, during its 80thsession, the arrangements for ECOSOC and the HLPF contained in resolutions 75/290 A and 75/290 B and their annexes, in conjunction with each other, in order to benefit from lessons learned from the previous cycles of the HLPF as well as from relevant processes under the General Assembly and ECOSOC related to the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda.

On 17 December 2025, the President of the General Assembly appointed H.E. Mr. François Jackman, Permanent Representative of Barbados to the UN, and H.E. Ms. Natasha Meli, Permanent Representative of Malta to the UN, as co-facilitators of this review.

Letters

Major Documents Related to ECOSOC and HLPF Mandates

  • United Nations Charter (1945): Chapter IX: “International economic and social cooperation” and Chapter X : “The Economic and Social Council”
  • A/RES/32/197 (1977): Restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the UN System
  • A/RES/45/264 (1991): Restructuring and revitalization of the UN in the economic, social and related field's
  • A/RES/48/162 (1993): Further measures for the restructuring and revitalization of the UN in the economic, social and related fields
  • A/RES/50/227 (1996): Further measures for the restructuring and revitalization of the UN in the economic, social and related fields
  • A/RES/53/12B (1997): Renewing the United Nations: a programme for reform
  • A/RES/60/1 (2005): World Summit Outcome Document
  • A/RES/61/16 (2006): Strengthening of the Economic and Social Council
  • A/RES/66/288 (2012): The Future We Want
  • A/RES/67/290 (2013): Format and organizational aspects of the high-level political forum on sustainable development
  • A/RES/68/1 (2013): Review of the implementation of GA resolution 61/16 on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council
  • A/RES/70/1 (2015): Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
  • A/RES/70/299 (2016): Follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level
  • A/RES/72/305 (2018): Review of the implementation of GA resolution 68/1 on the strengthening of the ECOSOC
  • A/RES/74/4 (2019): Political Declaration of the HLPF convened under the auspices of the General Assembly
  • A/RES/74/298 (2020): Review of the implementation of General Assembly resolution 67/290 on the high-level political forum on sustainable development, resolution 70/299 on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level and resolution 72/305 on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council: adopted by the General Assembly on 12 August 2020
  • 75/290 A - Economic and Social Council
  • 75/290 B - High-level political forum on sustainable development
  • 78/285 Review of the implementation of General Assembly resolution 75/290 A on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council and resolution 75/290 B on the high-level political forum on sustainable development and the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level

Additional Background Documents for previous GA reviews of ECOSOC & HLPF

Background

The General Assembly has reviewed the functions of the Economic and Social Council periodically since its creation. The Council has adapted its functions over time to correspond to the dynamic international development landscape. In 2018, General Assembly resolution 72/305 on the implementation of the GA resolution 68/1 on ECOSOC strengthening addressed a wide range of issues, including revisiting the ECOSOC cycle, and the Council’s oversight and coordination of its subsidiary bodies. The General Assembly also decided that the arrangements contained in that resolution and its annex would be reviewed at the 74th session of the GA and at subsequent review cycles in conjunction with the review process of the HLPF.

On the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the General Assembly decided in 2016 in its resolution 70/299 to review progress in implementing resolution 70/299 and resolution 67/290 on the format and organizational aspects of the HLPF at its 74th session. The review was to benefit from lessons learned in the first four-year cycle of the forum, including the SDG Summit in September 2019, as well as from other processes under the GA and ECOSOC related to the follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

During the 74th session of the General Assembly, on 13 January 2020 the President of the GA appointed the Permanent Representative of Benin and the Permanent Representative of Georgia to facilitate the intergovernmental negotiations related to the implementation of resolution 72/305 on ECOSOC strengthening and the HLPF resolutions 67/290 and 70/299. The General Assembly then adopted, in August 2020, resolution 74/298 on the review of the implementation of General Assembly resolution 67/290 on the high-level political forum on sustainable development, resolution 70/299 on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level and resolution 72/305 on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council. Due to the limits to the negotiation process resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution deferred much of the review of ECOSOC and HLPF to the following session of the General Assembly.

During the 75th session of the General Assembly, on 5 November 2020, the President of the GA appointed the Permanent Representative of Austria and the Permanent Representative of Senegal to facilitate the intergovernmental negotiations related to the ECOSOC and HLPF review process.

The General Assembly further adopted, on 25 June 2021, resolution 75/290 A on the Review of the implementation of GA resolution 72/305 on the strengthening of ECOSOC and resolution 75/290 B on the Review of the implementation of GA resolutions 67/290 on the format and organizational aspects of the HLPF and 70/299 on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level.

During the 80 th session of the General Assembly, the President of the GA appointed, on 10 October 2023, the Permanent Representative of Guinea and the Permanent Representative of Latvia to facilitate the intergovernmental negotiations related to the ECOSOC and HLPF review process of resolutions 75/290 A and B. The outcome was GA resolution 78/285, of 7 June 2024, which called for a full review during the Assembly’s 80 th session.

Resolution at GA78- Adopted resolution, drafts and draft elements 

Informal Consultations during GA78

Non-papers for Previous Consultations:

Secretariat’s Issue Briefs of January 2024 on ECOSOC’s work and roles for the consultations at GA78 

 

Other Relevant Background Documents for previous consultations 

Letters from Negotiation of previous GA reviews of ECOSOC & HLPF